Crowd of Drifters
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics


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Sometimes the road is too long You meet all kinds of people
Some of them cast no shadow They have no reflections
Take a look in your photobook I'm not there anymore

I was a traveling salesman
I got lost on the backroads
Fell in with a crowd of drifters.
Sometimes the sun is too bright And it burns you like acid
You get to love driving at night The moon is so close you can kiss it
I used to remember you smiling and waving
I don't think I can anymore

I was a traveling salesman
I got lost on the backroads
Fell in with a crowd of drifters.

We come, unnoticed, at sundown At the start of a blackout
We set bonfires all over town And it's over by morning
Sometimes we bring the rat and the wolf And sometimes the worm

I was a traveling salesman




I got lost on the backroads
Fell in with a crowd of drifters.

Overall Meaning

In "Crowd of Drifters," The Magnetic Fields paint a picture of a lonely and meandering traveler who has fallen in with a group of mysterious and elusive drifters. The road is long and winding, and as the singer meets people along the way, some of them seem to lack substance and depth ("They have no reflections"). The singer's past seems to haunt him, as he looks through a photobook and realizes he's not in touch with the people and memories he once cherished.


The sense of isolation and feeling lost is compounded by references to the harshness of the sun and the solace found in driving at night. The moon is close enough to touch, a reminder of gentle and distant memories. The singer seems to have been broken down by life on the road and unable to remember even the most basic human connections, like a smile or wave.


Line by Line Meaning

Sometimes the road is too long
The journey can be tiring and difficult at times.


You meet all kinds of people
Encountering different individuals is a part of life.


Some of them cast no shadow
Some people lack depth and substance in their character.


They have no reflections
These people are not self-aware and lack introspection.


Take a look in your photobook
Reflect on the past and memories captured in photographs.


I'm not there anymore
The person speaking is no longer a part of those memories.


I was a traveling salesman
The singer had a job that involved a lot of traveling.


I got lost on the backroads
The artist became directionless in their journey.


Fell in with a crowd of drifters.
The artist found themselves among a group of aimless wanderers.


Sometimes the sun is too bright
The world can be overwhelmingly harsh and unforgiving.


And it burns you like acid
The singer is deeply affected by these harsh conditions.


You get to love driving at night
Finding solace and relief in the darkness.


The moon is so close you can kiss it
Feeling a sense of closeness and comfort with the night sky.


I used to remember you smiling and waving
The singer recalls a past relationship characterized by positivity.


I don't think I can anymore
The singer has lost touch with those memories and emotions.


We come, unnoticed, at sundown
The drifters arrive discreetly at the end of the day.


At the start of a blackout
The darkness sets the scene for their activities.


We set bonfires all over town
The drifters create flames and light where there was none before.


And it's over by morning
Their activities are temporary and fleeting, extinguished by the dawn.


Sometimes we bring the rat and the wolf
The group brings along unsavory characters with them on their journeys.


And sometimes the worm
Other times they bring more insignificant creatures as company.


I was a traveling salesman
The artist's occupation required them to frequently travel.


I got lost on the backroads
The singer felt directionless and aimless in their travels.


Fell in with a crowd of drifters.
The artist found themselves among a group of individuals who lacked a clear sense of purpose or direction.




Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING

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