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)
http://www.houseoftomorrow.com/
All My Little Words
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It is your wings that make you beautiful
And I could make you fly away (I could make you fly away)
But I could never make you stay
You said you were in love with me (you said you were in love with me)
Both of us know that that's impossible
And I could make you rue the day (I could make you rue the day)
But I could never make you stay
Not for all the tea in China
Not if I could sing like a bird
Not for all North Carolina
Not for all my little words
Not if I could write for you
The sweetest song you ever heard
It doesn't matter what I'll do
Not for all my little words
Now that you've made me want to die
You tell me that you're unboyfriendable
And I could make you pay and pay (I could make you pay and pay)
But I could never make you stay
Not for all the tea in China
Not if I could sing like a bird
Not for all North Carolina
Not for all my little words
Not if I could write for you
The sweetest song you ever heard
It doesn't matter what I'll do (it doesn't matter what I'll do)
Not for all my little words
It doesn't matter what I'll do (it doesn't matter what I'll do)
Not for all my little words
The Magnetic Fields' "All My Little Words" is a melancholic and introspective song that delves into unrequited love and the different emotions that come with it. The first few lines open with a beautiful metaphor of the addressee being a splendid butterfly, with their wings being what makes them beautiful. The singer then confesses that they could make the addressee fly away but could never make them stay. The addressee has already expressed their love for the singer, and they both know that it's impossible.
The chorus repeats the refrain that the singer could never make the addressee stay, no matter what they do. These lines are then followed by different scenarios that the singer poses, saying that not even "all the tea in China," being able to "sing like a bird," or even "all of North Carolina" would make the addressee stay. The singer then says that they could write the sweetest song ever, but it wouldn't matter because they know that it would never be enough to make the addressee stay. The song ends with the singer admitting that they feel like dying after the addressee tells them that they are unboyfriendable, but even if the singer could make them pay and pay, they know they could never make them stay.
Line by Line Meaning
You are a splendid butterfly
You have a unique and beautiful quality
It is your wings that make you beautiful
Your unique qualities make you beautiful
And I could make you fly away
I have the power to take you away from this situation
But I could never make you stay
But I cannot force you to remain with me
You said you were in love with me
You professed your love towards me
Both of us know that that's impossible
However, we both are aware that it cannot work out between us
And I could make you rue the day
Despite this, I have the power to make you regret the decision
But I could never make you stay
I cannot, however, force you to stay with me
Not for all the tea in China
I cannot entice you with something materialistic
Not if I could sing like a bird
Nor can I attract you with my talent
Not for all North Carolina
Nor can I lure you with a place
Not for all my little words
My words, no matter how much I say, have no power over you
Not if I could write for you
Even if I write a beautiful, heartfelt song for you
The sweetest song you ever heard
Which contains the sweetest lyrics you have ever heard
It doesn't matter what I'll do
It does not matter what I may try or do
Not for all my little words
My attempts or words have no impact on you
Now that you've made me want to die
Your actions or words have made me feel miserable
You tell me that you're unboyfriendable
You express that you cannot be committed or be in a relationship
And I could make you pay and pay
I have the power to make you suffer the consequences
But I could never make you stay
But I cannot forcefully keep you with me
It doesn't matter what I'll do
My actions do not hold any importance or power over you
Not for all my little words
And my attempts to change the situation using my words will not make any difference
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Stephin Raymond Merritt
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@scottyslearningcorner6080
This is a classic song that stopped me in my tracks.
In 2006 my dad was driving me and my brother to school and this played on WMBR 88.1. I think on a Wednesday.
it stopped us all in our tracks. I tried to scribble the words on one of my text books. I covered my text books with paper bags and stuff (everyone did in my high school) and I think I tried to write down the words so I'd remember it.
i remember getting to school and just remember and hearing what it was.
later I was so excited i went home and went on the WMBR archive to find out what it was.
We all got so into the Magnetic Fields because of that. My dad doesn't really like any music i do except the Magnetic Fields and the Cure and stuff.
@TheRoyce666
You are a splendid butterfly
It is your wings that make you beautiful
And I could make you fly away
But I could never make you stay
You said you were in love with me
Both of us know that that's impossible
And I could make you rue the day
But I could never make you stay
Not for all the tea in China
Not if I could sing like a bird
Not for all North Carolina
Not for all my little words
Not if I could write for you
The sweetest song you ever heard
It doesn't matter what I'll do
Not for all my little words
Now that you've made me want to die
You tell me that you're unboyfriendable
And I could make you pay and pay
But I could never make you stay
Not for all the tea in China
Not if I could sing like a bird
Not for all North Carolina
Not for all my little words
Not if I could write for you
The sweetest song you ever heard
It doesn't matter what I'll do
Not for all my little words
It doesn't matter what I'll do
Not for all my little words
@scottyslearningcorner6080
This is a classic song that stopped me in my tracks.
In 2006 my dad was driving me and my brother to school and this played on WMBR 88.1. I think on a Wednesday.
it stopped us all in our tracks. I tried to scribble the words on one of my text books. I covered my text books with paper bags and stuff (everyone did in my high school) and I think I tried to write down the words so I'd remember it.
i remember getting to school and just remember and hearing what it was.
later I was so excited i went home and went on the WMBR archive to find out what it was.
We all got so into the Magnetic Fields because of that. My dad doesn't really like any music i do except the Magnetic Fields and the Cure and stuff.
@danielmont6544
Yo that's so wholesome
@slysawyer5022
That was really nice to read. Thank you.
@elaborator
Love this story. Nobody writes music like Mag Fields
@pendragonU
The first time I heard these guys it was accidental too, they were playing maybe with another name too, but although there were other bands around playing still earlier techno, much fading into else (before everything went into a "new sound discovered" promoted massively with bands of back alley cats meowing/grunging their entitled Whiteness disappointments at slacking it from Seattle) in that late 80's sweet period of Peace, before the Crusades over the Middle East will start for the next decade/s...when I heard the Music these were doing, I realized that was something else of higher value than commercial labels promoters unfaithful waltzes with bands if pop in returns to invested pumping in their money schemes. This was, truly better crafted music as the Indie revolution ever made possible to be proud, not just knowing but enriching your life. After I returned to Boston, I was very relieved to find they finally had recorded some of their songs, so they could be around me wherever I went in the World. Not just a memory or dream of a short period of time
@sherinfr.3712
❤😂
@77hodag
One of those life-changing records - Stephen Merritt is one of the great living songwriters.
@teeterharris
The narrator may have lost his greatest love, but he gained the greatest love of all: knowing reality. That is why this song is beautiful :-)
@MarzLabs
I can't ever compare The Magnetic Fields to any other band. They are unique and I will always enjoy hearing them.
@TheTomTerrible
Heard this at the end of one of the episodes of "The Shield" and it immediately grabbed me. I love great songwriters- Waits, Cave, MacGowan. This one is up there with the greats.