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 Don’t Know What To Say
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics
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I could say I want you,
That would be a bore
Maybe in a font you
Haven't seen before
I could say I'll haunt you
Till your dying day
But what would I say?
See, I don't know what to say
I could say I crave you
Still, you little brat
I could rant and rave, you
Know I can do that
I could say I gave you
Everything I have
I could say I'll save you
You might think me mad
So I don't know what to say
I could try and lead you
Down the garden path
I could say I'll feed you
You can do the math
I could say I need you
Offer you a ring
I'll be guaranteed you
Don't believe a thing
I could try and shove you
Off the nearest cliff
I could say I lo
ve you
But that would be a skit
I could say I'll miss you
When you're gone away
I could bet and kiss you,
But what would I say?
These lyrics by The Magnetic Fields are an expression of confusion and uncertainty in a romantic relationship. The singer describes various things they could say to their loved one, but ultimately determines that none of them truly convey the depth of their feelings or the complexities of their situation.
The song opens with the singer suggesting that expressing their desire for their partner would be too cliche and uninteresting. They go on to suggest numerous other things they could say, ranging from playful teasing to declarations of everlasting love. However, none of these options seem to capture the full extent of the singer's emotions or the challenges they face as a couple.
The closing lines of the song suggest that the singer is at a loss for words, unable to find the right thing to say to their partner in this particular moment. It's possible that this frustration reflects a larger communication issue within the relationship, as the singer struggles to express themselves and connect with their partner on a deeper level.
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: STEPHIN RAYMOND MERRITT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind