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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I’m Sorry I Love You
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like any rose it's not itself
It is my love in your garden grows
But let's pretend it's just a rose
Well I'm sorry that I love you
It's a phase that I'm going through
There is nothing that I can do
And I'm sorry that I love you
Do not listen to my song
Don't remember it, don't sing along
Let's pretend it's a work of art
Let's pretend it's not my heart
The rose will fade when summer's gone
The song will fade and I'll be gone
Because my heart is dying too
And it's all the same to you
In The Magnetic Fields' song "I'm Sorry I Love You," the singer is expressing regret for their feelings towards someone, admitting that it's simply a phase they are going through. The first verse describes a single rose growing in the other person's garden, but rather than being just a simple flower, it symbolizes the singer's love. The line "Like any rose, it's not itself" speaks to the idea that the object of affection may not fully realize the depth of the singer's feelings, just as a rose is simply a flower to most people. The singer acknowledges that it's hopeless and that there's no way to change their feelings.
In the second verse, the singer begs the other person not to acknowledge the song or their feelings. They ask the listener to pretend that it's just another piece of art, something they can admire but not necessarily react to emotionally. The singer ultimately understands that the rose, the song, and themselves will eventually fade away, but hopes that their feelings for the other person will continue to grow. The last line, "And it's all the same to you" suggests that the other person may not feel the same way, but the singer is okay with that and will continue to love them even if it's unrequited.
Overall, "I'm Sorry I Love You" is a poignant and heartbreaking song that speaks to the feelings of unrequited love and the hopelessness that can come with it. The lyrics are simple yet powerful, and the melody only serves to enhance the emotional impact.
Line by Line Meaning
A single rose in your garden dwells
There is a lone rose in your garden
Like any rose it's not itself
The rose is not unique, it is like any other
It is my love in your garden grows
My love for you is growing in your garden
But let's pretend it's just a rose
Let's pretend that the rose is not a symbol of my love
Well I'm sorry that I love you
I apologize for loving you
It's a phase that I'm going through
I am going through a temporary phase of loving you
There is nothing that I can do
There is no action I can take to stop my love
And I'm sorry that I love you
Once again, I apologize for loving you
Do not listen to my song
Please do not pay attention to my expression of love
Don't remember it, don't sing along
Do not remember my song or sing it
Let's pretend it's a work of art
Let's pretend my song is just a piece of art
Let's pretend it's not my heart
Do not recognize that the song is a reflection of my feelings
The rose will fade when summer's gone
The rose will wither and die with the changing seasons
The song will fade and I'll be gone
My love will fade and I will leave you
Because my heart is dying too
My heart is hurting as well
And it's all the same to you
But it seems that my feelings do not matter to you
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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