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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How to Say Goodbye
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't believe it wasn't real
The only thing that I could ever feel
I can't believe it wasn't real
You can't open your mouth
Without telling a lie
But baby, you know how to say goodbye
The thing I spent my whole life
Has just walked out and locked the door
The thing I spent my whole life
Waiting for
Has just walked out and locked the door
You can't feel a thing
And you won't even try
But baby, you know how to say goodbye
I'm overjoyed to hear about your wedding
I'm writing you to wish you
Every blessing
I'm overjoyed to hear about your wedding
I'm writing you to wish you
Every blessing
And I'm so happy I could cry
Oh baby you know how to say goodbye
In the Magnetic Fields' song "How to Say Goodbye," the singer mourns the end of a relationship and laments the fact that the one thing they ever truly felt turned out to be an illusion. The lyrics express a sense of betrayal and deception, as the other person is portrayed as a habitual liar who knows how to say goodbye but can't seem to tell the truth. The singer notes that the one thing they've been waiting for - presumably love or a lasting connection - has walked out and locked the door, leaving them feeling empty and abandoned.
Despite the sadness and heartbreak, the song is also marked by a sense of acceptance and resignation. The singer acknowledges that they can't force the other person to love them or be honest with them, and instead wishes them well and sends them off with a sense of closure. The repetition of the phrase "you know how to say goodbye" implies that the other person has done this many times before, and perhaps suggests that the relationship has been unstable or on the brink of ending for some time.
Overall, "How to Say Goodbye" is a melancholy reflection on the complexities of love and loss, the difficulty of letting go, and the bittersweet beauty of closure.
Line by Line Meaning
The only thing that I could ever feel
I am so emotionally numb that there is only one thing I can feel
I can't believe it wasn't real
I am in disbelief that my emotions were not true or genuine
You can't open your mouth
You are incapable of speaking the truth
Without telling a lie
Everything that comes out of your mouth is fabricated
But baby, you know how to say goodbye
The only thing you are good at is leaving and ending things
The thing I spent my whole life
I dedicated my entire existence to finding
Waiting for
Hoping and longing for
Has just walked out and locked the door
The one thing I had been searching for has abandoned me and will not return
You can't feel a thing
You are unable to experience emotions
And you won't even try
You do not even bother attempting to understand or empathize with others' emotions
I'm overjoyed to hear about your wedding
I am happy for you and the new chapter in your life
I'm writing you to wish you
I am reaching out to you to express my well wishes
Every blessing
Hope and prosperity in all aspects of your life
And I'm so happy I could cry
I am extremely overjoyed and emotional about your new phase of life
Oh baby you know how to say goodbye
You have a tendency to leave on a regular basis, and it is not surprising anymore
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
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