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 Trouble I've Been Looking For
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We wave goodbye airplanes draw swords in the sky
I'm so rich and you're so bored
Are you the trouble I've been looking for
You go out and you slam the door
Are you the trouble I've been looking for.
The flowers bloom when you walk into the room
I'm so rich and you're so bored
Are you the trouble I've been looking for
You go out and you slam the door
Are you the trouble I've been looking for.
You stole it all and wrote my name on a wall
I've moved again I've changed my name again
I'm so rich and you're so bored
Are you the trouble I've been looking for
You go out and you slam the door
Are you the trouble I've been looking for.
The Magnetic Fields's song "The Trouble I've Been Looking For" presents a rather complicated love affair, where the singer is dealing with the aftermath of a tumultuous relationship. The first verse describes a picturesque scene of crows, trees, and Spanish hotels by the sea. However, it is immediately contrasted with airplanes drawing swords in the sky, perhaps symbolizing the looming threat or violence that the singer associates with their former lover. The second verse continues to convey the singer's confusion and inner turmoil, as they question whether their lover, who is both rich and bored, is the source of the trouble they've been searching for. The third verse takes a darker turn, as the singer realizes that their lover has stolen from them and has even written their name on a wall. The closing verse conveys a sense of resignations as the singer has given up and moved on yet again, but the ambiguity lingers as to whether or not they will continue to seek out trouble in future relationships.
Overall, the song presents a complex narrative that explores themes of love, loss, and disillusionment. It shows the conflicting emotions of an individual who is struggling to come to terms with a very turbulent relationship that has left them feeling both deeply hurt and deeply confused.
Line by Line Meaning
Crows in the trees spanish hotels by the sea
The singer observes their surroundings, noting the presence of crows in the trees and Spanish hotels by the sea.
We wave goodbye airplanes draw swords in the sky
As the singer waves goodbye, airplanes in the sky are personified like swords being drawn.
I'm so rich and you're so bored
The singer is wealthy and assumes the other person is bored.
Are you the trouble I've been looking for
The artist wonders if the other person is the excitement they've been seeking.
You go out and you slam the door
The other person frequently leaves in a dramatic fashion.
My eyes still burn whether you leave or return
Whether the other person is present or not, the singer still feels emotional pain.
The flowers bloom when you walk into the room
The other person has a noticeable presence and causes a shift in the atmosphere.
You stole it all and wrote my name on a wall
The other person caused harm and left a symbol of their actions behind.
I've moved again I've changed my name again
The artist has taken drastic measures to escape the other person's influence.
Are you the trouble I've been looking for.
The artist repeats their earlier inquiry, implying that despite the negative effects, they may still crave the other person's presence.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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