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/
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 lyrics to The Magnetic Fields' song Bitter Tears evoke a sense of despair and heartbreak that consumes the singer. The line "Bitter tears keep me going / Through the years, freely flowing" suggests that the singer has been crying for a long time and that the tears have become a necessary part of their life. The next line, "What have you done / Only a gun," implies that the cause of the singer's heartbreak is someone who has hurt them deeply. The use of the phrase "only a gun" suggests that the damage done is severe and irreversible, as if only death could stop the flow of tears.
The song goes on to describe the singer's movements and thoughts as they navigate life through the pain. They describe the city streets they walk on as "endless" and the way that the person who hurt them has made the world seem beautiful, but they themselves are dressed in what they describe as "country songs." This contrast seems to suggest a disconnect between the singer and the world they live in, as if they are trying to find a way to fit into a world that no longer makes sense to them. The final lines of the song, "I cry because it looks so good / I cry, why not, it's free / And there's nothing more interesting / Than crying constantly" emphasize the idea that the singer has become consumed by their own sadness, as if it has become their only source of comfort and entertainment.
Line by Line Meaning
Bitter tears keep me going
My sadness fuels me and keeps me moving forward
Through the years, freely flowing
I have been continuously shedding tears for a long time
What have you done
What could you have possibly done to stop my tears?
Only a gun
Even if you tried to stop my tears, it would take extreme measures like using a gun
Could stop these bitter tears
There is nothing that can stop my sadness from resurfacing and causing me to cry
The endless streets I walk along
I wander aimlessly through long stretches of urban scenery, lost in my own thoughts
You made them seem pretty
You tried to convince me that these streets were beautiful, but I can't see their beauty through my sadness
But no I dress in country songs
I reject the urban lifestyle and instead embrace a more rural, country style
And wake in New York City
I find myself waking up in the middle of the bustling metropolis of New York City, lost in a sea of people
I cry because it looks so good
I cry because the city looks beautiful and fascinating, but my sadness prevents me from experiencing it fully
I cry, why not, it's free
I cry because there is no cost to expressing my emotions in this way
And there's nothing more interesting
My sadness and constant crying is the most interesting thing about me
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind