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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All She Cares About is Mariachi
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well brother I can tell you in advance
That all she cares about is mariachi
And all she ever wants to do is dance
Go there and wear your hair like liberace
Go wear some freakish fragrance fresh from france
Friend all she cares about is mariachi
So go ahead and hire saatchi & saatchi
To advertise the sausage in your pants
But all she cares about is mariachi
And all she ever wants to do is dance
The lyrics of The Magnetic Fields's song All She Cares About is Mariachi are an ironic and witty commentary on the futility of trying to impress someone who ultimately only cares about one thing. The singer addresses a man who is seeking to woo a woman by lighting his flame in her hibachi and wearing his hair like Liberace, but the warning is clear: all she cares about is mariachi, and all she ever wants to do is dance.
The repetition of the chorus emphasizes the woman's singular obsession, as the man's attempts to win her over with his exoticism and advertising fall on deaf ears. The juxtaposition of the mariachi music, a traditional Mexican folk style, with the flamboyant Liberace image and the sausage advertising also adds to the humorous effect of the song.
Ultimately, the message of the song is that sometimes people are just not interested in what we have to offer, and no amount of trying to impress them will change that. All we can do is accept it and move on, perhaps with a wry smile and a catchy mariachi tune to dance to.
Line by Line Meaning
You want to light your flame in her hibachi
You desire to engage romantically with her
Well brother I can tell you in advance
I am aware of what she wants
That all she cares about is mariachi
She is only interested in listening to and dancing to mariachi music
And all she ever wants to do is dance
She only wants to dance along to the music
Go there and wear your hair like liberace
You can try to impress her by dressing and styling your hair dramatically like Liberace
Go wear some freakish fragrance fresh from france
You may apply an unusual perfume imported from France
Friend all she cares about is mariachi
Despite your attempts, her focus remains on listening and dancing to mariachi music
And all she ever wants to do is dance
Her only wish is to continue dancing along to the music
So go ahead and hire saatchi & saatchi
You could even hire a professional company to market and promote yourself
To advertise the sausage in your pants
To promote and flaunt your masculinity
But all she cares about is mariachi
Regardless of any extraneous efforts, she still only wants mariachi music
And all she ever wants to do is dance
She will remain focused on dancing along to the mariachi music
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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