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.
Wonderland
Various Artists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tokihanatteku koukishin NO PURAN
Sanjyurokudo hachibu zutto heinetsu de futtou shita
Ataman naka kuusou round & round
Issai yuujyushite rarenai wa
Maifun maibyou takamaru kodou
Ashita wa ashita no WANDAARANDO wo mezashite
Ashidematoi desho mayoi nanka oite kite
Me ni shite te ni shite kaze ni shite ikite ireba
WAN ANDO ONRII na mirai Ever Ever Ever
Kenzen na saigishin sentensei mae nori
Sekentei mo mukankei fly away
Heimeiteki KOMYUNIKEESHON
Nan no tame no kame yo? Ahh?
Gokan hiraite Come in matteru wa
Issai gassai yuzurenai wa
Isshin ittai kuri kaeshite
Ahh here I, ahh here I am…
Ashita wa ashita no WANDAARANDO wo mezashite
Tashika na mono hodo wana uso wo miyabure
Me ni shite te ni shite kaze ni shite ikite ireba
WAN ANDO ONRII RAIFU Ever Ever Ever Ever
Muriyari kasaneta risou to genjitsu
Togi sumasu kankaku eiri eiri eiri eiri yeah
Hamideta jibun wo jibun de kowashite kowashite kiri hanashitai
Ahh here I, ahh here I am, here I am…
Ashita wa ashita no WANDAARANDO wo mezashite
Ashidematoi desho mayoi nanka oite kite
Me ni shite te ni shite kaze ni shite ikite ireba
WAN ANDO ONRII na mirai Ever Ever Ever
The lyrics of "Wonderland" describe the desire to break away from the monotony of everyday life and pursue one's dreams. The opening lines "Seiren tanjun BIRIIBU keiken no A to Z, Tokihanatteku koukishin NO PURAN" can be translated to "Pure and simple experience, from A to Z, a plan for releasing curiosity". The song then goes on to describe feelings of confusion and frustration, as represented by the line "Sanjyurokudo hachibu zutto heinetsu de futtou shita, Ataman naka kuusou round & round" which means "36.8 degrees, always feverish and restless, my thoughts spinning round and round in my head".
The chorus reflects the desire to embrace tomorrow and head towards a future of endless possibilities, represented by the phrase "Ashita wa ashita no WANDAARANDO wo mezashite, Me ni shite te ni shite kaze ni shite ikite ireba, WAN ANDO ONRII na mirai Ever Ever Ever" which translates to "Aiming for tomorrow's Wonderland, if we live with our eyes, hands, and the wind, our one and only wonderful future, ever ever ever." The song also urges the listener to break away from societal expectations and pursue their unique dreams, as shown in the lines "Gokan hiraite Come in matteru wa, Issai gassai yuzurenai wa, Isshin ittai kuri kaeshite" which can be translated to "Open up all five senses, waiting for you to come in, I won't abandon everything I've got, I'll just turn everything around as one."
Overall, the lyrics of "Wonderland" convey a message of hope and empowerment, urging the listener to embrace their curiosity and pursue their dreams.
Line by Line Meaning
Seiren tanjun BIRIIBU keiken no A to Z
It's a simple, thrilling experience from A to Z
Tokihanatteku koukishin NO PURAN
My curious plan is unfolding and coming to fruition
Sanjyurokudo hachibu zutto heinetsu de futtou shita
I've been spinning around in circles in my head for 36 degrees, 80 minutes with a lingering fever
Ataman naka kuusou round & round
I'm trapped in my own imagination, spinning round and round
Issai yuujyushite rarenai wa
I can't be saved by anything or anyone
Maifun maibyou takamaru kodou
My heart beats faster every second
Ahh here I, ahh here I am…
I am present here and now
Ashita wa ashita no WANDAARANDO wo mezashite
Tomorrow, I'll aim for my own wonderland
Ashidematoi desho mayoi nanka oite kite
I'll step forward, leaving behind any doubts I may have
Me ni shite te ni shite kaze ni shite ikite ireba
If I live with vision, action, and the wind at my back,
WAN ANDO ONRII na mirai Ever Ever Ever
I can have a wonderful and one-of-a-kind future, ever, ever, ever
Kenzen na saigishin sentensei mae nori
I'm riding the train of a perfect, deadly heart before sentencing
Sekentei mo mukankei fly away
I'll fly away from any irrelevant formalities
Heimeiteki KOMYUNIKEESHON
A secretive communication
Nan no tame no kame yo? Ahh?
What kind of turtle am I? Ahh?
Gokan hiraite Come in matteru wa
I'm opening up all my senses, waiting for something to come in
Issai gassai yuzurenai wa
I won't give up anything at all
Isshin ittai kuri kaeshite
Returning as one entity, united and complete
Ashita wa ashita no WANDAARANDO wo mezashite
Tomorrow, I'll aim for my own wonderland
Tashika na mono hodo wana uso wo miyabure
The more I pursue certainty, the more I'm caught in a trap of lies
Me ni shite te ni shite kaze ni shite ikite ireba
If I live with vision, action, and the wind at my back,
WAN ANDO ONRII RAIFU Ever Ever Ever Ever
I can have a wonderful and one-of-a-kind life, ever, ever, ever, ever
Muriyari kasaneta risou to genjitsu
The ideal and reality are forcefully piled on top of each other
Togi sumasu kankaku eiri eiri eiri eiri yeah
I sharpen my senses one by one, yeah
Hamideta jibun wo jibun de kowashite kowashite kiri hanashitai
I want to destroy and break free from the version of myself that's been forced upon me
Ahh here I, ahh here I am, here I am…
I am present here and now
Ashita wa ashita no WANDAARANDO wo mezashite
Tomorrow, I'll aim for my own wonderland
Ashidematoi desho mayoi nanka oite kite
I'll step forward, leaving behind any doubts I may have
Me ni shite te ni shite kaze ni shite ikite ireba
If I live with vision, action, and the wind at my back,
WAN ANDO ONRII na mirai Ever Ever Ever
I can have a wonderful and one-of-a-kind future, ever, ever, ever
Contributed by Alex Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.