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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Crowd of Drifters
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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.
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.
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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