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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08. Bitter Tears
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Through the years, freely flowing
What have you done
Only a gun
Could stop these bitter tears
The endless streets I walk along
You made them seem pretty
And wake in New York City
I cry because it looks so good
I cry, why not, it's free
And there's nothing more interesting
Than crying constantly
The Magnetic Fields's 08. Bitter Tears song is a remarkable piece that depicts the struggles of trying to move on from a past affair. Here we see the singer, despite trying to stay away from their past love, is still struggling to let go. The lyrics "Bitter tears keep me going, through the years, freely flowing, what have you done, only a gun could stop these bitter tears" highlight how painful and unyielding the singer's emotions are, and how their sorrow seems like the only constant in their life.
Additionally, the lines "...you made them seem pretty, but now I dress in country songs, and wake in New York City" allude to the idea that urbanization and the fast-paced city lifestyle only serve as a temporary respite for the singer's suffering. They express how no amount of external stimulation, like music or the city, can fully alleviate the pain and how they are forced to accept and confront their feelings, regardless of how overwhelming it may be.
The final lines, "I cry because it looks so good; I cry, why not, it's free, and there's nothing more interesting than crying constantly," reflect on how crying serves as an emotional release for the singer, a way to cope with their unrequited love. Through the repetition of crying, the singer's emotions may become trivialized, and their constant sorrow may become more manageable for the damaged protagonist.
Line by Line Meaning
Bitter tears keep me going
Continual sadness is what fuels me
Through the years, freely flowing
Sadness is something that has never stopped coming out of me
What have you done
What impact have you made on my life?
Only a gun
The only way for me to stop feeling this way is with a drastic measure
Could stop these bitter tears
There seems to be no other way to stop the flow of my sadness
The endless streets I walk along
I am constantly trying to find a way out of my sadness
You made them seem pretty
In the past, you made it seem like there was beauty in the pain
But no I dress in country songs
Now, I am trying to find comfort in simplistic and relatable music
And wake in New York City
I find myself alone in a city that never sleeps, which only adds to my sadness
I cry because it looks so good
Sometimes, it feels like the only way to feel anything is through tears
I cry, why not, it's free
Why not let out my emotions if it doesn't cost me anything?
And there's nothing more interesting
My sadness has become my source of fascination
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
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