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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The Night You Can
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You'd had a drink, maybe two
You don't remember Paris, hon
But it remembers you
It's true, we flew to Paris, dear
Aboard an Army jet
The night you can't remember
The night I can't forget
Meant zilch to you, ah, but I
Have our marriage certificate
'N I'll keep it till I die
You were an Army officer
And I just a Rockette
The night you can't remember
The night I can't forget
No rose conveyed your sentiments
Not even a petunia
But you've got vague presentiments
And I've got little Junior
You said, Nobody loves me
And I said, wanna bet?
The night you can't remember
The night I can't forget
The Magnetic Fields's song The Night You Can't Remember is a bittersweet reflection about an unforgettable night that meant nothing to one person and everything to the other. The song tells the story of a woman recalling a night in Paris with her husband who was an Army officer, and she was a Rockette. She remembers how they boarded an Army jet to Paris, the city of love, and how he had a drink or two before leaving his garrison. However, he doesn't remember anything from that night. The woman tries to convey the significance of the night by recollecting their marriage certificate, which he had called terrific at some point during the evening. She cherishes it and keeps it with her, realizing that it will always hold a special place in her heart even if he can't remember it.
The two shared a moment of vulnerability, with the husband confessing that nobody loves him, and the wife responding with a witty line - 'wanna bet?'. The emotions of that beautiful night are still vivid for her and leave an indelible mark on her heart. The song's title itself points out how a person perceives different things from the same event, and how some people can forget even the most meaningful moments of their lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Before you left your garrison
When you were about to leave your military base
You'd had a drink, maybe two
You had consumed some alcohol before leaving
You don't remember Paris, hon
You don't recall anything that happened in Paris
But it remembers you
Paris still holds memories of you being there
It's true, we flew to Paris, dear
It's a fact that we traveled together to Paris
Aboard an Army jet
We took a military plane to go there
The night you can't remember
You can't recollect what happened that night
The night I can't forget
I remember that evening perfectly
You said I was terrific, it
You complimented me by saying I was great
Meant zilch to you, ah, but I
However, it held no meaning for you, while for me,
Have our marriage certificate
I still have the legal document that proves our marriage
'N I'll keep it till I die
And I'll cherish it forever
You were an Army officer
You held a rank in the military
And I just a Rockette
I was a member of a dance troupe, a Rockette
No rose conveyed your sentiments
You didn't express your feelings in a romantic way
Not even a petunia
You didn't offer any flowers
But you've got vague presentiments
However, you have a hazy feeling about something
And I've got little Junior
I have our child, Junior
You said, Nobody loves me
You expressed sadness over not being loved
And I said, wanna bet?
But I reject this statement and challenge you to prove me wrong
The night you can't remember
The night you can't recall
The night I can't forget
The night I will always remember
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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