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)
http://www.houseoftomorrow.com/
I Don’t Believe in the Sun
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They say there's a sun in the sky
But me, I can't imagine why
There might have been one
Before you were gone
But now all I see is the night, so
I don't believe in the sun
How could it shine down on everyone
And never shine on me
How could there be
Such cruelty.
The only sun I ever knew
Was the beautiful one that was you
Since you went away
It's nighttime all day
And it's usually raining too
The only stars there really are
Were shining in your eyes
There is no sun except the one
That never shone on other guys
The moon to whom the poets croon
Has given up and died
Astronomy will have to be revised
In The Magnetic Fields’ song "Rot in the Sun,” the singer is expressing their utter disbelief in the presence of the sun. The song begins with the lyrics "They say there's a sun in the sky / But me, I can't imagine why," which conveys a sense of skepticism towards the idea of a sun. The singer goes on to explain that there may have once been a sun, but since the person they loved is gone, all they see is the darkness of night. This person was the only light and warmth they ever knew, and with that person’s absence, there is no longer any sun to shine on them. The only thing they can see is darkness and rain all day long.
The lyrics capture an overwhelming sense of heartbreak and despair. The singer’s rejection of the sun represents their rejection of hope and the idea that things could get better. They lament the fact that the sun, which is supposed to shine on everyone equally, seems to have not shone on them at all. They question the fairness of the universe when all they see is the darkness of night and the rain. The song suggests that the person they loved was the sun in their life, and without them, there is no light, no warmth, and no joy.
Line by Line Meaning
They say there's a sun in the sky
The common belief is that a sun exists in the sky.
They say there's a sun in the sky
The general perception is that a sun is there in the sky.
But me, I can't imagine why
However, I cannot fathom its existence.
There might have been one
Possibly, there was a sun earlier.
Before you were gone
Before you were not here anymore.
But now all I see is the night, so
Now, all there seems to be is the darkness.
I don't believe in the sun
I don't believe that the sun exists.
How could it shine down on everyone
If there is a sun, how could it distribute its light on all without any discrimination?
And never shine on me
Why does it forget to shine on me?
How could there be
There couldn't be.
Such cruelty.
It would be the height of cruelty if the sun indeed discriminated and avoided shining on certain people.
The only sun I ever knew
The only sun that mattered to me, belonged to you.
Was the beautiful one that was you
You were the only one who shone bright for me.
Since you went away
Ever since you departed from my life.
It's nighttime all day
The days and nights seem to have merged into one long, never-ending night.
And it's usually raining too
Even when it's not night, things always seem to be bleak and gloomy, much like the rain itself.
The only stars there really are
The only stars that actually existed for me.
Were shining in your eyes
Were the ones that I could see in your eyes.
There is no sun except the one
There isn't another sun apart from the one in your eyes.
That never shone on other guys
No other person managed to bask in its light but me.
The moon to whom the poets croon
The moon, celebrated by the poets.
Has given up and died
Even the moon seems to have abandoned brightness and vitality.
Astronomy will have to be revised
The study of stars/moon/sun in the sky has to be revised now that so much known and believed about the sun and the moon, is untrue/false.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
TicTacYo100
They say there's a sun in the sky
But me, I can't imagine why
There might have been one
Before you were gone
But now all I see is the night
So I don't believe in the sun
How could it shine down on everyone
And never shine on me
How could there be
Such cruelty
The only sun I ever knew
Was the beautiful one that was you
Since you went away
It's night time all day
And it's usually raining, too
So I don't believe in the sun
How could it shine down on everyone
And never shine on me
How could there be
Such cruelty
The only stars there really are
Were shining in your eyes
There is no sun except the one
That never shone on other guys
The moon to whom the poets croon
Has given up and died
Astronomy will have to be revised
I don't believe in the sun
How could it shine down on everyone
And never shine on me
How could there be
Such cruelty
Padraig Murphy
I love the "astronomy will have to be revised" line because in a sense he's mocking all of the general love songs that compares love (or broken love) to things. He creates this obligatory metaphor and then makes it literal by bringing astronomy into the analogy, which is genius in my opinion.
Guinea54
I think this explanation is over thinking it. It's basically saying he doesn't believe in the Sun because he lives in darkness .. and the only light he sees is in some sappy past lover.. Astronomy will have to be revised is just a reference to it.
lance uppercut
Oh boy! Dont tell me you went to college for poetics! You poor soul!
Eric Kebschull
This is the nerdiest response I've heard to song lyrics in a loonnnggg time.
If you have to get metaphysical about the lyrics, then you pretty much killed the meaning of the song.... Not unlike explaining a joke, or dissecting a frog.
Lucas F
Exactly. In fact it's not even even a comparison, hence the "The only stars there really are" etc.
It's an exclusion ; is love (or its loss) is so powerful it shuts out the "real" stars and sun !
Heraclitean
If the Beatles had written this song, it would be a massive hit.
TicTacYo100
They say there's a sun in the sky
But me, I can't imagine why
There might have been one
Before you were gone
But now all I see is the night
So I don't believe in the sun
How could it shine down on everyone
And never shine on me
How could there be
Such cruelty
The only sun I ever knew
Was the beautiful one that was you
Since you went away
It's night time all day
And it's usually raining, too
So I don't believe in the sun
How could it shine down on everyone
And never shine on me
How could there be
Such cruelty
The only stars there really are
Were shining in your eyes
There is no sun except the one
That never shone on other guys
The moon to whom the poets croon
Has given up and died
Astronomy will have to be revised
I don't believe in the sun
How could it shine down on everyone
And never shine on me
How could there be
Such cruelty
James Ballard
I first heard this song in 1999 after a breakup from my GF and have been a fan ever since. Now listening to it with my daughters and they are enjoying it as well. Chicken with it's head cutoff makes them laugh.
Sebastian Gil
This is so beautiful. It reminds me of a friend who says he's an alright lyricist but I think he's an amazing musician through and through.
getr dun.positivity
This song takes me back to a heartbreak that scarred me forever. It's been so long since then but takes me right back to that. Thankful I'm a different person now. This song is timeless.