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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Sunset City
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Life is too short to hang around
So I stay so long in a place
And then move on to the next town
Oh Sunset City
I've got to see the world
Don't hold me too tightly
Sad-eyed baby
I'm not that kind of girl
When the dice stop rolling
There's no more to the game
When the time comes to say goodbye
And in the morning I'll be gone
For other towns and other lives
I'll catch the first train, bag in hand
And I won't miss you, and you won't cry
Oh Sunset City
I've got to see the world
Don't hold me too tightly
Don't whisper my name
Sad-eyed baby
I'm not that kind of girl
When the dice stop rolling
There's no more to the game
When the time comes to say goodbye
The Magnetic Fields' song Sunset City is a reflection on the need for change and to take risks in one's life. The singer begins by stating that they do not care what people say, as they believe life is too short to stay in one place for too long. The lyrics depict the singer's desire to see the world, and they will not let anything, or anyone, hold them back.
The chorus repeats: "Oh Sunset City, I’ve got to see the world, don’t hold me too tightly, don’t whisper my name, sad-eyed baby, I’m not that kind of girl, when the dice stop rolling, there’s no more to the game." This chorus acts as a kind of mantra for the singer's desire to live life on their own terms, free from constraints.
The song concludes with the singer declaring that they will be moving on, catching the first train to the next town, without looking back. "When the time comes to say goodbye, and in the morning I'll be gone, for other towns and other lives, I'll catch the first train, bag in hand, and I won't miss you, and you won't cry."
Overall, Sunset City encourages the listener to take risks and seek adventure, to not be held back by the opinions of others, and to live life to the fullest.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I don't care what people say
I don't let other people's opinions affect my life
Life is too short to hang around
Life is too precious to waste in the same place forever
So I stay so long in a place
I stay in a place for a while, but not forever
And then move on to the next town
I move onto the next place to explore and experience
Oh Sunset City
Oh beautiful city, where I'm currently residing
I've got to see the world
I have an urge to explore the world
Don't hold me too tightly
Don't try to keep me from leaving
Don't whisper my name
Don't try to call me back
Sad-eyed baby
You may be sad, but I'm still going
I'm not that kind of girl
I'm not the type to settle down and stay in one place
When the dice stop rolling
When things come to an end
There's no more to the game
There's nothing left to do but move on
And in the morning I'll be gone
I will have left and moved on to a new location by morning
For other towns and other lives
I'm searching for new experiences in different places
I'll catch the first train, bag in hand
I'll leave as soon as possible, with nothing holding me back
And I won't miss you, and you won't cry
I won't look back, and neither should you
When the time comes to say goodbye
When it's time to move on and say farewell
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Stephin Raymond Merritt
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind