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.
Wild
Various Artists Lyrics
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Wingin' north in the lonely sky
Tried to sleep, but it ain't no use
'Cause I am the brother to the old wild goose
My heart knows what the wild goose knows
And I must go where the wild goose goes
Wild goose, brother goose, which is best
The cabin is warm and the snow is deep
And I've got a woman, she lies asleep
When she wakes at tomorrow's dawn
She'll find, poor critter, that her man is gone
My heart knows what the wild goose knows
And I must go where the wild goose goes
Wild goose, brother goose, which is best
A wanderin' foot or a heart at rest
My woman was kind and true to me
Thinks she loves me, the mournful she
She's gotta learn that it ain't no use
To love the brother to the old wild goose
My heart knows what the wild goose knows
And I must go where the wild goose goes
Wild goose, brother goose, which is best
A wanderin' foot or a heart at rest
Spring is comin' and the ice will break
And I can't linger for a woman's sake
She'll see a shadow pass overhead
She'll find a feather beside my bed
My heart knows what the wild goose knows
And I must go where the wild goose goes
Wild goose, brother goose, which is best
A wanderin' foot or a heart at rest
Wild goose
These lyrics evoke a sense of longing and restlessness, with the singer feeling a deep connection to the wild goose and the freedom it represents. The opening lines paint a vivid picture of the wild goose flying north in the sky, bringing with it a feeling of wanderlust. The singer is unable to sleep, as they feel a deep connection to the bird, referring to themselves as the "brother to the old wild goose."
As the song continues, the singer grapples with the idea of whether it's better to have a settled life with a loving partner or to wander freely like the wild goose. The cabin is warm and the singer's woman lies asleep, yet the singer feels compelled to leave regardless. The singer acknowledges the pain it will cause their partner, but ultimately cannot ignore the call of the wild.
In the final stanza, the singer contemplates the coming spring and the inevitable return of the wild goose. They cannot wait for their partner's sake, as they must follow the bird's lead. The decision to follow the wild goose is not an easy one, but it is ultimately one the singer feels they must make, even at the cost of leaving their loved ones behind.
Line by Line Meaning
Tonight I heard the wild goose cry
I heard the cry of the wild goose tonight
Wingin' north in the lonely sky
The wild goose is flying towards the north in the lonely sky
Tried to sleep, but it ain't no use
I tried to sleep but I could not
'Cause I am the brother to the old wild goose
I am related to the old wild goose
My heart knows what the wild goose knows
I understand what the wild goose understands
And I must go where the wild goose goes
I need to go wherever the wild goose goes
Wild goose, brother goose, which is best
Is it better to be a wild goose or related to one?
A wanderin' foot or a heart at rest
Should one wander the earth or be content at home?
The cabin is warm and the snow is deep
Although my home is warm, snow covers the ground
And I've got a woman, she lies asleep
I have a woman beside me, and she is asleep
When she wakes at tomorrow's dawn
When she awakens in the morning
She'll find, poor critter, that her man is gone
She will find that I have left her behind
My woman was kind and true to me
My woman was kind and faithful
Thinks she loves me, the mournful she
She loves me, but it makes her unhappy
She's gotta learn that it ain't no use
She must come to understand that it's pointless
To love the brother to the old wild goose
To love someone related to the wild goose
Spring is comin' and the ice will break
Spring is coming, and the ice will melt
And I can't linger for a woman's sake
I cannot stay for the sake of a woman
She'll see a shadow pass overhead
She will see a shadow of the wild goose above her
She'll find a feather beside my bed
She will find a feather next to my bed
Wild goose
The wild goose
My heart knows what the wild goose knows
I understand what the wild goose understands
And I must go where the wild goose goes
I need to go wherever the wild goose goes
Wild goose, brother goose, which is best
Is it better to be a wild goose or related to one?
A wanderin' foot or a heart at rest
Should one wander the earth or be content at home?
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Terry Gilkyson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind