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.
Work
Various Artists Lyrics
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And we're from the FBI
I'm Johnson, he's Johnson!
He's Johnson, I'm Johnson!
Two fancy-footed federal guys
I might just be a local cop, but will you guys back off me?
Things are getting pretty tense, does anybody want coffee?
We're both ambitious, Hans
Tess McGill, you've stolen this Gruber's heart
Like he's (I'm) stealing these bearer bonds
I cracked the code
Maybe there's a tower, somewhere up above
Filled with bearer bonds and love, where dreams don't die hard
Maybe there's a tower, somewhere up above
Filled with shoulder pads and love
Where dreams can fly hard
But until we can live in that imaginary world
We'll work hard or die trying, girl
Work hard or die trying, girl
Ooh, you work hard you die hard
Work hard or die trying, girl
You work hard you try hard
Work hard or die trying, girl
Ooh, you work hard you die hard
Work hard or die trying, girl
The lyrics to Various Artists' "Work" appear to be referencing various pop culture elements from movies such as Die Hard and Working Girl, showcasing the investigation of two FBI agents who are dealing with a potentially dangerous situation. The first two lines of the song immediately establish the identities of the singers, as Agent Johnson and Agent Johnson from the FBI. From here, the two officers engage in a playful banter and share coffee while dealing with a tense situation.
The lines "Maybe there's a tower, somewhere up above/ Filled with bearer bonds and love, where dreams don't die hard" appear to be alluding to the movie Die Hard, in which a group of terrorists hold individuals and money hostage in a high-rise building. Additionally, the line "Tess McGill, you've stolen this Gruber's heart" references the movie Working Girl, in which a secretary impersonates her boss and eventually ends up with a high-powered position in the company.
The overall theme of the song appears to be centered around the idea of hard work and determination, as evidenced in the chorus with the repeated phrase "Work hard or die trying, girl." The song seems to be encouraging individuals to continue to strive towards their dreams, even if it means facing difficult and challenging situations.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm Agent Johnson, and I'm Agent Johnson
We are two FBI agents introducing ourselves.
And we're from the FBI
We work for the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
I'm Johnson, he's Johnson!
We have the same last name and are emphasizing it.
He's Johnson, I'm Johnson!
We are repeating ourselves to accentuate our shared last name.
Two fancy-footed federal guys
We are confident and skilled FBI agents.
I might just be a local cop, but will you guys back off me?
I am not an FBI agent, but please stop bothering me.
Things are getting pretty tense, does anybody want coffee?
The situation is intense, and the singer is offering coffee to lighten the mood.
You know, we're not so different, you and I
The artist is making a connection with someone who he sees similarities with.
We're both ambitious, Hans
The artist and Hans are both driven and have similar goals.
Tess McGill, you've stolen this Gruber's heart
The artist, Gruber, is infatuated with Tess McGill.
Like he's (I'm) stealing these bearer bonds
Gruber feels as though he is successfully stealing bearer bonds, much like he believes he is successfully winning over Tess.
I cracked the code
The artist has successfully deciphered an important code or puzzle.
Maybe there's a tower, somewhere up above
The singer is proposing a hypothetical scenario.
Filled with bearer bonds and love, where dreams don't die hard
The hypothetical tower would be a place where people could be successful and happy without struggling as much.
Maybe there's a tower, somewhere up above
The singer is repeating his hypothetical scenario.
Filled with shoulder pads and love
Another aspect of the hypothetical tower is that it would be glamorous and fashionable.
Where dreams can fly hard
The artist is suggesting that in this hypothetical place, people can achieve their dreams more easily.
But until we can live in that imaginary world
The singer recognizes that this hypothetical place is not reality.
We'll work hard or die trying, girl
The singer is emphasizing the necessity of hard work.
Work hard or die trying, girl
The artist is repeating his message about the value of hard work.
Ooh, you work hard you die hard
The artist is emphasizing that if you are not working hard, you are not living up to your potential.
Work hard or die trying, girl
The artist continues to emphasize the importance of hard work.
You work hard you try hard
The singer is stating that putting in effort is important.
Work hard or die trying, girl
The artist repeats his message about the value of hard work.
Ooh, you work hard you die hard
The singer continues emphasizing the importance of working hard.
Work hard or die trying, girl
The singer again emphasizes the idea that working hard is crucial.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Loren Bouchard, Nora Smith
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind