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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It's Only Time
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A hundred years from now?
It's only time.
It's only time.
What could stop this beating heart
Once it's made a vow?
It's only time.
If rain won't change your mind,
Let it fall.
The rain won't change my heart
At all.
Lock this chain
Around my hand,
Throw away the key.
It's only time.
It's only time.
Years falling
Like grains of sand
Mean nothing to me.
It's only time.
It's only time.
If snow won't change your mind
Let it fall.
The snow won't change my heart,
Not at all.
(I'll walk your lands)
I'll walk your lands
(And swim your sea)
And swim your sea
Marry me.
Marry me.
(Then in your hands)
Then in your hands
(I will be free)
I will be free
Marry me.
Marry me.
Why would I stop loving you
A hundred years from now?
The Magnetic Fields song It's Only Time is a song about the unbreakable and steadfast love that the singer has for their significant other. The lyrics express a deep-seated commitment and devotion that transcends time and external factors. The singer poses a question about why they would stop loving their partner, even a hundred years from now when time has passed, and asserts that time is not a factor that can break their love.
The chorus of the song asserts that time is only an element that can't do much to their feelings, which are absolute and everlasting. Rain or snow falling won't change the singer's emotions, and neither would years falling like grains of sand that mean nothing to them. The singer is willing to commit to their partner and walk their lands and swim their sea, and the only condition they ask for is to be married to each other.
The song shows that the love between the two people is so strong that not even time can shake it. The song is a beautiful expression of unwavering love, and the lyrics convey a sense of security and commitment that is incredibly heartwarming to listen to.
Line by Line Meaning
Why would I stop loving you
A hundred years from now?
What reason could I possibly have to stop loving you even after a hundred years? Time is irrelevant when it comes to my love for you.
It's only time.
It's only time.
Time is nothing more than a tool to measure the passage of moments. Our love cannot be bound by it, and it cannot diminish it.
What could stop this beating heart
Once it's made a vow?
Once I've committed my heart to you, nothing can change that. My heart will continue to beat for you, and I will honor the promises I've made.
If rain won't change your mind,
Let it fall.
The rain won't change my heart
At all.
If you remain unmoved, despite the circumstances, that's ok. Rain can fall as much as it wants, but it cannot change the love I have for you.
Lock this chain
Around my hand,
Throw away the key.
It's only time.
It's only time.
I'm willing to bind myself to you with a chain, and remove the key - letting go of any doubts or fears. Time is just something that passes, but our bond will remain strong.
Years falling
Like grains of sand
Mean nothing to me.
It's only time.
It's only time.
The passing of time doesn't concern me - I will always be here, loving you as much as the first day. It's only a measure of how much we've lived together.
If snow won't change your mind
Let it fall.
The snow won't change my heart,
Not at all.
If you stay resolute, despite differences, that's ok. Snow can fall as much as it wants, but it cannot diminish the love that I hold within my heart.
(I'll walk your lands)
I'll walk your lands
(And swim your sea)
And swim your sea
I'm ready to journey through your life with you - to be part of your experiences, to travel with you through calm seas and rough, and to stand by your side through everything.
Marry me.
Marry me.
Let's make a commitment to each other through marriage. Let's deepen our love and express it through the act of binding ourselves together for eternity.
(Then in your hands)
Then in your hands
(I will be free)
I will be free
In your love, I will find the freedom to be who I am - to live authentically, and to love wholeheartedly. In your hands, I will be truly free.
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind