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)
http://www.houseoftomorrow.com/
The Saddest Story Ever Told
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We used to hold hands at the movie show but we'll never hold hands again
Do do do do do come on come on
Do do do do do come on come on
(C): Those days are gone You and I were young those summer nights
You'll see the world diving for a girl you'll never find
And then we'll quietly grow old: the saddest story ever told.
Once upon a time we fell in love or at least that's what you said
Do do do do do come on come on
Do do do do do come on come on. (C)
The lyrics to The Magnetic Fields' song "The Saddest Story Ever Told" describe a past relationship that has ended. The singer reminisces about their time together, going out on summer nights dancing in the neon rain and holding hands at the movie show. The chorus implies that those days are gone and that the two of them are no longer young. The verse after the chorus paints a bleak picture of the future, implying that the singer will end up alone and that their love story will be the saddest one ever told.
The song is a melodramatic meditation on the impermanence of love, and the inevitability of loss. The lyrics seem to suggest that the end of a relationship is a tragedy that is impossible to fully recover from. Despite this dark subject matter, the song is catchy and radio-friendly, with its upbeat rhythm and singable chorus. This contrast between the upbeat music and the melancholy lyrics only adds to the poignancy of the song.
Overall, "The Saddest Story Ever Told" is a powerful exploration of the pain that comes with letting go of a past love. The song seems to suggest that even in our happiest moments, we must always be aware of the inevitability of loss, and the fact that all things must come to an end.
Line by Line Meaning
We used to go out on the summer nights and dance in the neon rain
We used to have carefree fun outdoors on summer nights, twirling in colorful light, feeling alive and invincible.
We used to hold hands at the movie show but we'll never hold hands again
We used to have romantic moments at the cinema, but now those moments are forever gone and our love is lost.
Do do do do do come on come on
The hopeful tune and repetition of these sounds suggest an attempt to cheer up or urge someone to act.
Those days are gone You and I were young those summer nights
The happy days are over and we were once carefree and full of life on hot summer nights.
You'll see the world diving for a girl you'll never find
You might spend your life searching for love, but you won't find the girl you once had in me.
And then we'll quietly grow old: the saddest story ever told.
After our love has faded, we'll age alone and silently, this heartbreak being the saddest story imaginable.
Once upon a time we fell in love or at least that's what you said
We had a romantic past or at least that's what I was told by you.
You say I can find someone else but I just wish I was dead
Although you suggest I may find someone new, I cannot imagine loving anyone else and feel hopeless and miserable.
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind