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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Sad Little Moon
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You gave crying so long ago,
But come outside and watch the snow
Softly falling.
Sad Little Moon in the big black sky.
All alone, hang your head and cry.
You may sleep, but you will never die.
You didn't need them, your Sunday friends.
And so you watched them like grains of sand
Running one by one out of your hands
Softly falling.
The lyrics to The Magnetic Fields's song Sad Little Moon convey a sense of profound loneliness and loss. The opening lines describe the eyes of a person who has given up on crying a long time ago, suggesting a deep sadness and perhaps resignation to their fate. The invitation to come outside and watch the snowfall is a poignant gesture, offering a small moment of beauty and connection in an otherwise lonely existence. The chorus, with its repeated refrain of "Sad Little Moon" emphasizes the isolation and vulnerability of the singer.
The second verse continues this theme, describing the moon as alone and weeping in the vast expanse of the night sky. Yet, there is also a sense of comfort in the idea that even though the moon may sleep, it will never die - a reminder that some things endure even in the face of immense sadness and loneliness. The final verse is perhaps the most heart-wrenching of all, as it speaks to the loss of friends and the passing of time. The image of grains of sand slipping through the singer's fingers is both tragic and beautiful, underscoring the fragility of human relationships and the fleeting nature of life itself.
Overall, Sad Little Moon is a powerful expression of the human experience of loneliness and the search for connection and meaning in a world that can feel vast and indifferent.
Line by Line Meaning
The saddest brown eyes I'll ever know.
I have seen many pairs of brown eyes, but none quite so desolate as yours.
You gave crying so long ago,
You have been crying for so long that you cannot remember when it began.
But come outside and watch the snow
Softly falling.
If you come outside with me, we can watch the snow fall gently.
Sad Little Moon in the big black sky.
You are a melancholic moon in a vast, lonely sky.
All alone, hang your head and cry.
There is nobody there to comfort you, so you must cry alone.
Sad Little Moon in the timeless night.
You are a dejected moon in an endless, eternal night.
You may sleep, but you will never die.
Despite your despair, you will never truly die.
You didn't need them, your Sunday friends.
Your acquaintances who only spent time with you on Sundays were not necessary for you.
And so you watched them like grains of sand
Running one by one out of your hands
Softly falling.
You observed them slipping from your grasp, like grains of sand, as they disappeared one by one from your life.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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