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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Summer Lies
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you loved me for a while
And I remember every word you ever said; every kiss
We used to sing all the oldest songs we knew
But the words were never true for you
Or was it all a game of solitaire played in the dark?
(C): All the sweetest things you said and I believed were summer lies
Hanging in the willow trees like the dead were summer lies
I whispered too but the things I said were true
And I gave up my whole world for you
I gave you all the best years of my life
And half the worst and now you're gone
I pine and wane, pale and wan, never knowing
When it's dawn, curtains drawn, hiding in my room,
Wasting away, cutting myself. (C)
The Magnetic Fields' song "Summer Lies" is about a past relationship that ended in heartbreak. The lyrics describe a time when the couple were happy and in love, dancing and singing together. However, the relationship eventually fell apart, leaving the singer feeling empty and alone. The chorus expresses the bitterness and disillusionment that comes with realizing that the sweet words and promises of love were nothing but lies, and that the happy memories of summer are now hanging like dead leaves in a willow tree. The singer is left to mourn the loss of love, cutting themselves off from the world as they wallow in sadness.
The lyrics of "Summer Lies" are poignant and emotional, capturing the pain of heartbreak and the feeling of being betrayed by someone you trusted. The song is a reminder of how easy it is to get swept up in the passion of love, only to be left with nothing but memories of what once was. It speaks to the universal human experience of losing a loved one and feeling lost and alone in the aftermath.
Line by Line Meaning
We used to dance like it was going out of style
We used to dance as if it was the last time because it seemed like our love won't last forever
When you loved me for a while
There was a fleeting moment when your love for me was genuine and strong
And I remember every word you ever said; every kiss
I remember every word you said and every intimate moment we shared together
We used to sing all the oldest songs we knew
We used to sing old songs, but they were never relevant to our relationship
But the words were never true for you
You were never honest or sincere in your feelings towards me
Or was it all a game of solitaire played in the dark?
We were never really together, and it was just a lonely game played behind closed doors
All the sweetest things you said and I believed were summer lies
All the promises and sweet words you told me during the summer were false and insincere
Hanging in the willow trees like the dead were summer lies
The false promises and sweet words are now lifeless and hanging in the air like the leaves on a willow tree
I'll never fall in love again.
The hurt and pain of our relationship have scarred me, and I am afraid to love again
I whispered too but the things I said were true
I also whispered sweet nothings to you, but my words were sincere and real
And I gave up my whole world for you
I sacrificed everything for you, including my dreams and aspirations
I gave you all the best years of my life
I devoted the prime of my life to you
And half the worst and now you're gone
I even shared the bad times with you, but now you've left me alone
I pine and wane, pale and wan, never knowing
I suffer and deteriorate, becoming weak and lifeless, never understanding why our love failed
When it's dawn, curtains drawn, hiding in my room,
I cover myself in darkness and hide away from the world every morning
Wasting away, cutting myself.
I am slowly wasting away, and my emotional pain is like self-inflicted wounds
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
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