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 Wish I Had an Evil Twin
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Running 'round doing people in
I wish I had a very bad
And evil twin to do my will
To cull and conquer, cut and kill
Just like I would
If I weren't good
And if I knew where to begin
Down and down we go
How low no one would know
Sometimes the good life wears thin
I wish I had an evil twin
My evil twin would lie and steal
And he would stink of sex appeal
All men would writhe
Beneath his scythe
He'd send the pretty ones to me
And they would think that I was he
I'd hurt them and I'd go scot free
I'd get no blame and feel no shame
'Cause evil's not my cup of tea
Down and down we go
How low one would not need to know
All my life there should have been
An evil twin
The Magnetic Fields's song, "I Wish I Had an Evil Twin," is a clever take on the duality of human nature. The lyrics express the singer's desire to have an alternate version of themselves who could do all the things they secretly wish they could do but can't due to societal morals and personal values. The singer wishes they had an evil twin to run around and do terrible things, like "cull and conquer, cut and kill." The idea is that the singer wants to be able to indulge in their darkest desires without the moral and ethical consequences.
The second stanza delves deeper into the idea of the "evil twin," with the singer desiring a doppelganger who is everything they are not. The evil twin would lie and steal, sending all the pretty people their way to have their way with. The singer would never feel guilty for their acts, as they are not the one committing them.
Perhaps the most interesting part of this song is the way it subverts the typical superhero narrative. Often, we see superheroes wishing they could be evil, but here the singer thinks the opposite. They envy the freedom that comes with being a villain, and the ability to do as they please without consequence.
Overall, the song captures the idea of living with inner turmoil and the desire to be someone other than who we are. It speaks to the taboo nature of societal norms and the hidden desires that exist within all of us.
Line by Line Meaning
I wish I had an evil twin
I desire to have a replica that would execute evil deeds.
Running 'round doing people in
The twin would roam around killing people for amusement.
I wish I had a very bad
I want a twin who is malevolent and wicked beyond compare.
And evil twin to do my will
The evil twin would carry out my commands without hesitation.
To cull and conquer, cut and kill
The twin would eliminate anyone who dared to oppose us.
Just like I would
The twin would do all the things I would do if I weren't a good person.
If I knew where to begin
If I found a way to create an evil twin, I would have done it already.
Down and down we go
The evil thoughts lead us down a deep depraved journey.
How low no one would know
The depth of depravity would be impossible to determine.
Sometimes the good life wears thin
Being good can be tiresome, and the opposite also has its appeal.
My evil twin would lie and steal
The twin would connive and steal from people without remorse.
And he would stink of sex appeal
The twin's villainous appeal would be impossible to ignore.
All men would writhe
Everyone would be in agony in his presence.
Beneath his scythe
The twin would use his tools to reap the souls of others.
He'd send the pretty ones to me
The twin would send me attractive prey to torment.
And they would think that I was he
The victims would mistake me for the twin and seek no retaliation.
I'd hurt them and I'd go scot free
I would be responsible for the suffering of the innocent without consequence.
I'd get no blame and feel no shame
The twin would shoulder the responsibility for the evil deeds, not me.
'Cause evil's not my cup of tea
Despite the desire for an evil twin, being evil is not my natural state.
All my life there should have been
Having an evil twin would have made my life easier.
An evil twin
A replica who carries out evil deeds.
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
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