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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For We Are the Kings of the Boudoir
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics
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It would be quite hard to overrate
For we are the king of the boudoir old thing and the king doesn't like to wait.
One tryst with me and you'll be spinning like a gyroscope
One tryst with me and you'll be Pope
Should modesty allow us to describe our prowess less-ness-less-ness
'Twould be hard to overstate,
One kiss from me and you'll be overjoyed and overawed.
One kiss from me and you'll see God.
For we are the king of the boudoir we are and the king doesn't like to wait.
The Magnetic Fields's song For We Are the Kings of the Boudoir is a tongue-in-cheek ode to sexual prowess. The lyrics boast of the singer and their partner's abilities in the bedroom, claiming that "it would be quite hard to overrate" their prowess. They refer to themselves as "the king of the boudoir," asserting their dominance in the sexual realm. The song also plays with the idea of power dynamics, with the king character not liking to wait and promising to make their partner "spin like a gyroscope" and even see God.
Line by Line Meaning
Should time allow us to describe our prowess
If we had all the time in the world to describe our sexual skills
It would be quite hard to overrate
It would be difficult to exaggerate how good we are
For we are the king of the boudoir old thing and the king doesn't like to wait.
We are the masters of the bedroom and we expect things to move quickly
One tryst with me and you'll be spinning like a gyroscope
A single sexual encounter with me will leave you dizzy and disoriented
One tryst with me and you'll be Pope
A single encounter with me will be a religious experience and elevate your status
Should modesty allow us to describe our prowess less-ness-less-ness
If we were to be more modest about our abilities
'Twould be hard to overstate,
We would still be exceptional and it would be hard to exaggerate
One kiss from me and you'll be overjoyed and overawed.
Even a simple kiss from me will leave you both elated and overwhelmed
One kiss from me and you'll see God.
A kiss from me will be so incredible it will feel like a religious experience
For we are the king of the boudoir we are and the king doesn't like to wait.
We are still the masters of the bedroom and we still expect things to move quickly
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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