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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6. I Don't Want To Get Over Yo
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics
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I guess I could take a sleeping pill
And sleep at will
And not have to go through what I go through
I guess I should take Prozac, right
And just smile all night
At somebody new
Somebody not too bright
Who would try to get you off my mind
I could leave this agony behind
Which is just what I'd do
If I wanted to
But I don't want to get over you
'Cause I don't want to get over love
I could listen to my therapist
Pretend you don't exist
And not have to dream of what I dream of
I could listen to all my friends
And go out again
And pretend it's enough
Or I could make a career of being blue
I could dress in black and read Camus
Smoke clove cigarettes and drink vermouth
Like I was seventeen
That would be a scream
But I don't want to get over you
The Magnetic Fields's song "I Don't Want to Get Over You" is a melancholic and heart-wrenching reflection on the aftermath of a break-up. The singer is struggling to come to terms with the end of a relationship and is considering various ways to alleviate the pain. However, despite the many options available, the singer has no desire to get over the person they once loved.
The first verse contemplates the use of sleeping pills or Prozac to dull the pain of missing their ex-lover. They acknowledge that there are other people in the world that they could move onto, but they cannot bring themselves to do so. The second verse explores the possibility of seeking professional help or distracting themselves with socializing and new experiences. Ultimately, the singer concludes that they could embrace their sadness and pain, but they do not want to let go of their love for their ex, as it is still far too precious to them.
The song is a poignant and emotional representation of the struggles of letting go of a relationship. It speaks to the universal feeling of holding on to something that we know is gone and the fear of losing the beauty and joy that was once a part of our lives. This song perfectly captures the intensity of emotions that can come with heartbreak and how challenging it can be to move on.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't want to get over you.
I don't want to move on from our relationship.
I guess I could take a sleeping pill and sleep at will and not have to go through what I go through.
I could try to numb my pain with sleeping pills, but that won't solve anything.
I guess I should take Prozac, right, and just smile all night at somebody new, somebody not too bright but sweet and kind who would try to get you off my mind.
I could try antidepressants and pretend to be happy with someone new who isn't as smart as you, but that wouldn't heal my heartbreak.
I could leave this agony behind which is just what I'd do if I wanted to, but I don't want to get over you cause I don't want to get over love.
I could try to move on and leave this pain behind, but I can't let go of my love for you.
I could listen to my therapist, pretend you don't exist and not have to dream of what I dream of; I could listen to all my friends and go out again and pretend it's enough,
I could try to ignore my emotions and pretend to be happy without you, but that won't make me stop dreaming about you.
Or I could make a career of being blue--I could dress in black and read Camus, smoke clove cigarettes and drink Vermouth like I was 17 that would be a scream but I don't want to get over you.
I could try to become the embodiment of sadness, but that won't fill the void you left in my life.
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Stephin Raymond Merritt
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind