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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Torn Green Velvet Eyes
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the tears are gone when your eyes are red as rust
And it just rains because it can and you just cry until you can't
But I can feel my courage crumbling
And my heart just turns to ice
When I see myself reflected
In your torn green velvet eyes.
You know the night is gone when the sunlight burns your eyes
And the cold is gone when the room is full of flies
And it's all a waste of time if you try to change your mind
And it's all a waste of time if you try to change your mind
The Magnetic Fields' song "Torn Green Velvet Eyes" is a hauntingly beautiful reflection on heartbreak and the aftermath of a failed relationship. The lyrics paint a bleak picture of the aftermath of a highly emotional and traumatic experience. The first verse sets the tone of the song, describing the feeling of relief after a bout of sadness, but then descends into a feeling of numbness.
The chorus expresses the singer's agony and helplessness in coping with the aftermath of the breakup. The line "When I see myself reflected/In your torn green velvet eyes" shows how the singer is unable to move on from the relationship because the memories of his past lover continue to haunt him. He feels powerless as he watches his own emotions crumble and feels his heart turn to ice. The second verse is equally bleak, conveying the feeling of futility in attempting to get over the relationship.
The song is intensely emotional and melancholic, beautifully conveying the universal experience of heartbreak and loss. The song, written by The Magnetic Fields' lead vocalist Stephin Merritt, has been praised for its haunting lyrics and beautiful melody.
Line by Line Meaning
You know the rain is gone when the sky is full of dust
You can tell a storm has passed when the clouds have given way to a hazy sky.
And the tears are gone when your eyes are red as rust
When you've cried so much that your eyes are sore, you know you've exhausted all your tears.
And it just rains because it can and you just cry until you can't
Sometimes things happen for no reason, and all you can do is cry until you're too spent to feel anything else.
But I can feel my courage crumbling
Despite my best effort to be brave, I'm starting to feel defeated.
And my heart just turns to ice
My emotions have become frozen and numb.
When I see myself reflected
Looking into your eyes is like looking in a mirror, and it's not a pretty sight.
In your torn green velvet eyes.
Your eyes, which were once beautiful and captivating, are now damaged and disheveled, much like our relationship.
You know the night is gone when the sunlight burns your eyes
After a long night, the harsh light of morning can be overwhelming.
And the cold is gone when the room is full of flies
The feeling of emptiness and loneliness can be replaced by the distraction of swarming insects.
And it's all a waste of time if you try to change your mind
It's pointless to try and convince yourself of something you don't truly believe or want.
And it's all a waste of time if you try to change your mind
Repeating the same action over and over, hoping for a different outcome, is a fruitless effort.
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
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