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 Can
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You wanna know if this is well too good to last
You're asking the wrong questions
You're opening the wrong doors
I love you, I can't touch you anymore
I can't touch you anymore, there's so much to hate you for
I love you, I can't touch you anymore
You wanna tell me 50 ways you've left your lovers
You wanna tell me how you've loved 200 others
You're asking the wrong questions
You're opening the wrong doors
I love you, I can't touch you anymore
I can't touch you anymore, there's so much to hate you for
I love you, I can't touch you anymore
The Magnetic Fields’ “I Can” is a song that explores the tension and uncertainty of a relationship that appears to be heading towards its end. The lyrics deal with the insecurities of one partner, who questions whether their love has occurred too quickly and whether it will last. However, the other partner seems to have moved on from these doubts and declares their love, despite being aware of the flaws in their relationship that are causing the divide.
The first verse addresses the confusion and doubt in the partner's mind, questioning the speed at which they fell in love and whether it is sustainable. But the other partner seems to have accepted the situation and sees the futility in asking such questions.
The chorus, “I can’t touch you anymore, there’s so much to hate you for / I love you, I can’t touch you anymore,” further highlights the conflict and contrasts the opposing emotions that the partner experiences. They acknowledge the love they have for the other person while also acknowledging the pain and hurt that the relationship has caused them.
The last verse shows the partner's detachment and unwillingness to engage with their lover's history, being past relationships or previous lovers. They view the other's experience as a sign of their insincerity and lack of commitment. The lyrics imply that both parties have stopped communicating and their love exists without any physicality.
Line by Line Meaning
You wanna know if we fell in love too fast
You’re questioning the speed at which we fell in love
You wanna know if this is well too good to last
You’re questioning the sustainability of our love
You're asking the wrong questions
You’re asking questions that miss the point
You're opening the wrong doors
You’re exploring paths that lead to nowhere
I love you, I can't touch you anymore
I love you, but we can’t be together for reasons beyond our control
I can't touch you anymore, there's so much to hate you for
Despite still loving you, I harbor negative emotions towards you
You wanna tell me 50 ways you've left your lovers
You feel the need to divulge the ways you’ve hurt past partners
You wanna tell me how you've loved 200 others
You feel the need to justify or prove your capability to love
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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