The band was originally formed in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1990 by friends Merritt and (percussionist/pianist/vocalist) Claudia Gonson. While 1991's Distant Plastic Trees and 1992's The Wayward Bus (now most easily available together as a compilation, The Wayward Bus / Distant Plastic Trees) are sung by Susan Anway (b. 1951 - d. 2021), all subsequent albums are principally sung by Merritt himself.
Longtime members include: Gonson, (cellist) Sam Davol, and (banjo player/guitarist) John Woo. Contributors include (but are not limited to) the singers Susan Anway, Dudley Klute, Shirley Simms, and LD Beghtol, and the accordionist/writer Daniel Handler (famous for writing the childrens' books A Series of Unfortunate Events under the alias Lemony Snicket).
Their most popular and best-selling album to date is 69 Love Songs issued on Merge Records as a triple album filled with many fairly short songs that are reminiscent of early Beatles productions.
The album is notable for its employment of many unorthodox musical arrangements and downright impressive quantity of material presented. Instruments used on this album include the ukulele, banjo, accordion, cello, mandolin, piano, flute, xylophone guitars, various percussion instruments, and a standard setup of synths and effects. It features several guest vocalists on several different tracks. The album is a three CD set, released in the US as three separate albums (also available as a boxed set) and in the UK as a triple album.
The album i (2004, Nonesuch Records) continues Merritt's fixation on the concept album, with each of the 14 songs beginning with the letter (and often the pronoun) "I".
The album Distortion, was released through Nonesuch on the 15th January 2008 and introduced noise pop to the array of styles utilized in their music. The album's release was followed by a sold-out U.S. tour starting in February. Additional albums followed in 2010, 2012, 2017, and 2020.
Stephin Merritt is involved in several other musical projects: The 6ths (featuring different guest performers on every track), The Gothic Archies (songs dealing humorously with dark themes) and Future Bible Heroes (with music written by Chris Ewen)
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02. It's a Crime
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Heart and mind and soul in love
It's a crime to fall in love
So hard, so hard
I shouldn't have bothered, cuz you're just like all the others
Now I know that I won't do that again
I should have guessed that you'd be just like all the rest
I'm still crying all night and all day
But if I show it, someone lock me away, 'cause
It's a crime to fall in love
Heart and mind and soul in love
It's a crime to fall in love
So hard, so hard
My mother said gently, "You can buy her a Bentley, but, my son, she'll only drive it away."
I didn't listen, 'cause my brain was missing
And I only found it today
I was a man, but now I'm only a child
And if it kills me, I am going to smile, 'cause
It's a crime to fall in love
Heart and mind and soul in love
It's a crime to fall in love
So hard, so hard
You won't be hearing from me anymore,
'Cause I can't see through my tears anymore
If it takes years to be anymore than a jellyfish
I will not tell you this, because
It's a crime to fall in love
Heart and mind and soul in love
It's a crime to fall in love
So hard, so hard
So hard, so hard
So hard, so hard
So hard, so hard
The lyrics of The Magnetic Fields’s song It's a Crime seem to talk about the pain and suffering that can come with falling in love. The first verse repeats the line “It’s a crime to fall in love, heart and mind and soul in love,” suggesting that the intensity of love can be overwhelming and maybe even dangerous. The following lines convey the sense of disappointment and regret that can come with investing intense emotions in a person who turns out to be like “all the others.”
The second verse talks about the consequences of ignoring warnings from loved ones about the object of affection. The singer’s mother advises him that the woman he is interested in will “only drive [the Bentley] away.” Ignoring her advice and following his “missing” brain led to the singer being reduced to a childlike state of crying and despair. The final lines suggest that the singer has given up on finding love and is withdrawing from the world because of the pain it can bring.
Overall, the song portrays the dangers of loving too deeply, and the risks that one takes when opening themselves up to another person. While the lyrics can be read as a cautionary tale, they also convey a sense of resilience and determination to keep moving forward, even in the face of heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a crime to fall in love
The singer believes it is wrong to allow oneself to become emotionally attached to someone.
Heart and mind and soul in love
The singer is referring to a deep and all-encompassing love, involving not only emotions and the mind but the soul.
It's a crime to fall in love
The singer repeats the claim that attachment is ethically forbidden.
So hard, so hard
The artist describes the pain and difficulty of being in love.
I shouldn't have bothered, cuz you're just like all the others
The artist regrets pursuing affection for someone whom they now see as no different than past failed partners.
Now I know that I won't do that again
The pain of their failed relationship has led the singer to give up on the idea of romantic connection.
I should have guessed that you'd be just like all the rest
The singer admits a sense of cynicism that contributes to their adopted position against love.
Now I know not to go through that again
The artist is certain to avoid the same pain and disappointment by withdrawing from romance.
I'm still crying all night and all day
The artist has not overcome the despair of their loss.
But if I show it, someone lock me away, 'cause
The artist feels ashamed of their emotions and wants to keep them hidden.
My mother said gently, "You can buy her a Bentley, but, my son, she'll only drive it away."
The singer's mother warns against materialism as a means to win over someone who is not truly interested in them.
I didn't listen, 'cause my brain was missing
The artist acted foolishly in ignoring their mother's advice, out of overwhelming emotion and passion.
And I only found it today
The singer has come to the realization of their folly, but it is too late.
I was a man, but now I'm only a child
The singer feels a loss of maturity and dignity in the aftermath of their failed romance.
And if it kills me, I am going to smile, 'cause
The singer will try to maintain a brave and happy face, even if it is difficult.
You won't be hearing from me anymore,
The artist is cutting off communication with their former love interest.
'Cause I can't see through my tears anymore
The artist is so emotional and heartbroken that they cannot write or communicate without crying.
If it takes years to be anymore than a jellyfish
The singer is saying that they will be a passive and unfeeling creature if they are hurt again.
I will not tell you this, because
The singer will keep their internal pain hidden from their former love interest.
It's a crime to fall in love
The closing lines repeat the song's main chorus, emphasizing the artist's cynical beliefs.
So hard, so hard
The repeated phrase underscores the difficult and painful nature of love, as the song comes full circle.
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
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