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.
Ride on
various artists Lyrics
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Long black limousine
Shiniest car I've ever seen
The back seat is nice and clean
She rides as quiet as a dream
Someone dug a hole six long feet in the ground
I said goodbye to you and I threw my roses down
With me riding in a race car, and you flying through the clouds
I've had some time to think about you
And watch the stone set like a stone
I've had some time to think about you
On the long ride home
One day I took your tiny hand
Put your finger in the wedding band
Your daddy gave a piece of land
We laid ourselves the best of plans
Forty years go by with someone laying in your bed
Forty years of things you wish you'd never said
How hard would it have been to say some kinder words instead
I wonder as I stare up at the sky turning red
I've had some time to think about you
And watch the stone set like a stone
I've had some time to think about you
On the long ride home
Headlights staring at the driveway
The house is dark as it can be
I go inside and all is silent
It seems as empty as the inside of me
I've had some time to think about you
And watch the stone set like a stone
I've had some time to think about you
On the long, on the long
Oh the long, on the long
On the long ride home
In "Long Ride Home," Patty Griffin tells a story about a person who has lost someone they love. The first verse describes the funeral procession of the departed with a long black limousine, which is used to take them to their final resting place. She reminisces about how quiet the car is and how someone dug a hole six feet deep and threw roses into it.
The second verse reveals that the singer is now older and has had time to reflect on their life with the departed. They recall the day they got married and reminisce on their lifelong plans. The singer then regrets how in forty years they have said things they wish they had not said and wished they had been kinder with their words.
The final verse describes how the singer returns home from the funeral only to find the house dark and empty, symbolizing how they feel inside. The song's emotional lyrics and Griffin's delicate voice perfectly capture the feelings of grief and regret that can follow the loss of a loved one.
Line by Line Meaning
Long black limousine
The car used to transport the dead body, which is luxurious and black in color.
Shiniest car I've ever seen
The car is so polished and brand new, that it looks like a mirror reflecting every image around it.
The back seat is nice and clean
The backseat of the car is spotless, with no signs of any passenger sitting there.
She rides as quiet as a dream
The ride in the car is smooth and noiseless, like a peaceful dream.
Someone dug a hole six long feet in the ground
A grave was dug up to bury the dead body of someone.
I said goodbye to you and I threw my roses down
The singer bids farewell to the deceased by throwing down roses on their burial ground.
Ain't nothing left at all in the end of being proud
One loses everything in the end, and being proud is of no use or value then.
With me riding in a race car, and you flying through the clouds
The artist is still alive and kicking, whereas the deceased has passed on to the afterlife.
I've had some time to think about you
The artist had some space and time to contemplate the relationship with the deceased.
And watch the stone set like a stone
The artist has been able to witness the permanent and unchanging nature of the gravestone.
One day I took your tiny hand
Recalling the precious moments between the singer and the deceased.
Put your finger in the wedding band
The day the artist and the deceased exchanged vows and wedding rings.
Your daddy gave a piece of land
The father of the deceased gave away a piece of land, possibly as a wedding gift.
We laid ourselves the best of plans
The singer and the deceased laid elaborate plans for the future.
Forty years go by with someone laying in your bed
Forty years passed by with the deceased lying in the singer's bed every night.
Forty years of things you wish you'd never said
Over the course of 40 years, the artist and the deceased exchanged hurtful words, which they wish they could take back.
How hard would it have been to say some kinder words instead
The artist regrets not expressing themselves more kindly, and wonders how much of a difference it would have made.
I wonder as I stare up at the sky turning red
The singer reflects on their past mistakes as they look at the red-streaked sky.
Headlights staring at the driveway
The singer pulls into the driveway with their headlights shining bright.
The house is dark as it can be
The house is devoid of any light or life, making it look dreary and depressing.
I go inside and all is silent
The artist enters the silent house, feeling numb and alone.
It seems as empty as the inside of me
The artist feels like an empty shell or void, mirroring the emptiness of the house.
On the long ride home
Throughout the long journey home, the singer ruminates on the memories shared with the deceased.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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