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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Love Goes Home To Paris In T..
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm counting the drugs you won't let me take
I'm counting my friends you won't let me see
I've had enough, you never give me anything.
Don't you know love goes home to paris in the spring?
adding up the odds, I've waited for you
I'm counting my friends you melted away
I'm counting the times you came for a day
I've had enough, you never give me anything
Don't you know love goes home to paris in the spring?
The Magnetic Fields’s song “Love Goes Home to Paris in the Spring” talks about an individual reflecting on their relationship and feeling underappreciated and restricted. The lines “I’m counting the habits you made me break” refers to the sacrifices the individual had to make in order to please their partner. The following line “I’m counting the drugs you won’t let me take” shows that the individual feels like they have lost their freedom and autonomy. The pain and loneliness they feel are intensified by “I’m counting my friends you won’t let me see,” indicating the partner’s jealousy or control over his social life.
The next verse begins with “adding up the odds, I’ve waited for you” suggests that the individual has remained hopeful in the face of disappointment. However, as “the calls that never came through” indicates, the individual has been let down many times. The line “I’m counting my friends you melted away” paints an image of their partner causing them to lose their friends. The final line “I’m counting the times you came for a day” refers to when the partner comes to visit and then leaves without any real connection. The chorus then appears again, stressing that the love they yearn for will never be found with their partner, for love goes home to Paris in the spring, and so should they.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm counting the habits you made me break
I am keeping track of all the habits that you forced me to break
I'm counting the drugs you won't let me take
I am tallying up the drugs that you prohibited me from taking
I'm counting my friends you won't let me see
I am keeping a record of all the friends that you refused to let me meet
I've had enough, you never give me anything.
I have had my fill, as you always withhold from me
Don't you know love goes home to paris in the spring?
Do you not understand that love always returns to Paris when the spring arrives?
adding up the odds, I've waited for you
By calculating the likelihood, I have been waiting for you
I'm counting the calls that never came through
I am keeping track of all the calls that never materialized
I'm counting my friends you melted away
I am counting all the friends that you caused to disappear
I'm counting the times you came for a day
I am tallying up all the brief moments you spent here
I've had enough, you never give me anything
I have reached my limit, as you continue to deny me everything
Don't you know love goes home to paris in the spring?
Do you not realize that love always returns to Paris when springtime arrives?
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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