The term Various Artists is used in the record industry when numerous singers and musicians collaborate on a song or collection of songs. Most often on Last.fm, compilation album tracks appear under the name of Various Artists erroneously because the individual artist is not listed in the album's ID3 information.
Compilation albums, for example.
Sometimes, single releases may be credited to Various Artists when their profits are going to charity and, usually in high-profile cases, are sometimes known by a group name. Examples include Band Aid with their releases of Do They Know It's Christmas? and USA for Africa with We Are The World.
Various Artists is also an actual performance name for Torsten Pröfrock, who runs the German DIN label. Torsten performs also as Dynamo, Erosion, Resilent, Traktor besides some others. He's a good friend of Robert Henke and since the Fall of 2004, he is a member of Monolake.
Various Artists was also a short-lived Bristol punk band formed by brothers Jonjo and Robin Key (originally from Birmingham). Other members were also simultaneously in Art Objects who went on to become The Blue Aeroplanes, the latter the Key brothers also co-wrote some songs and were involved in. When Various Artists imploded, the Key brothers went on to form Either / Or.
Various Artists also appear on tracks from musical theater soundtracks, due to the nature of having many cast members on one song, as well as an ensemble in some cases.
Whiskey in the Jar
Various Artists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The faster you get there
The longer it takes you to leave
And ain't it so
That the nicer they treat you
The more they're inclined to deceive
So it goes, baby, I'm here for the long run
They told me to come as you are
She looks like she could run
She looks like a good one so far
Never got handed a dollar by no one
I earned every dime in the jar
She wants to catch you
And she wants to fetch you
And she wants to wrap you all up
Into a bundle, if you make a bundle
Of cash, you're just plain outta luck
It starts out dandy
And she'll give you candy
But that's only part of the trap
She gets an attorney
And his name is Bernie
And he'll string you up like a cat
Never got handed a dollar by no one
I earned every dime just like that
Every dime in the jar
Comes from runnin'
From dive bar to bar
Every dime in the jar comes
From diggin' and scratchin'
And stealin' the gold
From the stars
Please, understand me
Ain't nobody handing me
Dimes that I keep in the jar
Every dime in the jar
Comes from runnin'
From dive bar to bar
Oh yeah
Every dime in the jar comes from
From diggin' and scratchin'
And stealin' the gold
From the stars
Please, understand me
Ain't nobody handing me
Dimes that I keep in the jar
When I was a young boy
My daddy had nothin'
Momma would save every dime
Now mommas have nannies
And house cleaning spannies
And daddies will lose every time
They don't save dimes now
Not even dollars
They don't save nothin' you earn
Now I don't know how
I'm sure in the end now
There's some place
Where they gonna burn
Never got handed a dollar
By no one and here is
The lesson I learned
Every dime in the jar
Comes from runnin'
From dive bar to bar
Every dime in the jar comes
From diggin' and scratchin'
And stealin' the gold
From the stars
Every dime in the jar
Comes from runnin'
From dive bar to bar
Oh yeah
Every dime in the jar comes
From diggin' and scratchin'
And stealin' the gold
From the stars
Please, understand me
Ain't nobody handing me
Dimes that I keep in the jar
Dimes that I keep in the jar
Dimes that I keep in the jar
Dimes that I keep in the jar
Dimes that I keep in the jar
The lyrics of Various Artists' "Whiskey in the Jar" are a reflection on the fact that success and wealth don't come easy, and that there are people out there eager to take advantage of those who achieve it. The opening lines remind us that even though it may seem like a good idea to rush into success, it often takes more time to leave the spotlight. The singer warns that those who are treated with kindness should watch out, for it is often those same people who deceive you. The singer claims to have found a good woman, but he knows that it takes more than just looks to make a relationship successful.
The chorus talks about the hard work and sacrifice that goes into achieving wealth. The singer proudly asserts that he has earned every dime in the jar through his hard work and dedication, and that no one has ever handed him a dollar. He warns that there are people out there who are eager to take your money, and who will do whatever it takes to get it, including setting traps and hiring lawyers to bring you down. The final verse talks about how things have changed since the singer was a boy, and how people no longer save their money or value hard work. Instead, they expect success to come easily, without the sacrifices that the singer had to make.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't you know, baby?
Do you understand, my dear?
The faster you get there
The longer it takes you to leave
If you rush into things, it may take longer to get out of them
And ain't it so
That the nicer they treat you
The more they're inclined to deceive
It's often the case that the more someone tries to win your trust, the more manipulative they can be
So it goes, baby, I'm here for the long run
I am committed to this for the long haul
They told me to come as you are
I found a good one
She looks like she could run
She looks like a good one so far
I was advised to be myself and found a promising partner who seems capable and trustworthy
Never got handed a dollar by no one
I earned every dime in the jar
I came into my wealth through hard work and perseverance
She wants to catch you
And she wants to fetch you
And she wants to wrap you all up
Into a bundle, if you make a bundle
Of cash, you're just plain outta luck
She seeks to trap you and control your finances, so becoming wealthy wouldn't benefit you
It starts out dandy
And she'll give you candy
But that's only part of the trap
She gets an attorney
And his name is Bernie
And he'll string you up like a cat
Initially things may seem too good to be true, but in the end she will use legal means to manipulate and control you
Every dime in the jar
Comes from runnin'
From dive bar to bar
All of my money is a result of hard work and hustling from one dive bar to the next
Every dime in the jar comes
From diggin' and scratchin'
And stealin' the gold
From the stars
I earned every penny through persistent digging, scratching, and taking advantage of every opportunity that came my way
Please, understand me
Ain't nobody handing me
Dimes that I keep in the jar
I earned every cent in my jar through my own efforts, and nobody handed me anything
When I was a young boy
My daddy had nothin'
Momma would save every dime
Now mommas have nannies
And house cleaning spannies
And daddies will lose every time
When I was young, my parents had very little but managed to save every penny. Nowadays, people spend recklessly and wealthy fathers often end up losing out
They don't save dimes now
Not even dollars
They don't save nothin' you earn
Nowadays, people tend to spend everything they earn and don't save anything
Now I don't know how
I'm sure in the end now
There's some place
Where they gonna burn
I'm not sure how this will all end, but I am convinced that there will be consequences for those who live recklessly and without restraint
Dimes that I keep in the jar
The money in my jar represents my hard-earned wealth
Dimes that I keep in the jar
My money is all I have, and I must protect it
Dimes that I keep in the jar
My wealth is the result of my own hard work and perseverance
Dimes that I keep in the jar
I will continue to save every penny I earn and protect my wealth
Writer(s): Philip Parris Lynott, Eric Bell, Brian Michael Downey
Contributed by Sophie T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.