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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Underwear
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A pretty girl in her underwear
If there's anything better in this world
Who cares
La mort, c'est la mort
Mais l'amour, c'est l'amour
La mort, c'est seulement la mort
Mais l'amour, c'est l'amour
A pretty boy in his underwear
If there's a better reason
To jump for joy
Who cares
The Magnetic Fields' song Underwear is a quirky exploration of the beauty of life's little pleasures. The repeated lines about a pretty girl and a pretty boy in their underwear serve as a metaphor for the simple joys in life that bring us happiness, regardless of their triviality. The lyrics seem to suggest that sometimes it's the small things that make life worth living, such as the beauty of a person in their natural state.
The lines "La mort, c'est la mort / Mais l'amour, c'est l'amour / La mort, c'est seulement la mort / Mais l'amour, c'est l'amour" add a layer of depth to the song, exploring the theme of the impermanence of life. While death is final, love and its simple pleasures can endure even after our physical bodies have disappeared. This reinforces the importance of cherishing the small moments of joy in life, as they can provide a source of comfort even in the face of mortality.
Overall, Underwear by The Magnetic Fields is a whimsical and poetic reminder to appreciate the simple yet beautiful things in life.
Line by Line Meaning
A pretty girl in her underwear
The singer is visually admiring a woman's physical appearance while she is half-naked.
A pretty girl in her underwear
The line is repeated to emphasize the singer's entrancement with her beauty.
If there's anything better in this world
The sight of a pretty girl in her underwear is the epitome of satisfaction for the singer.
Who cares
There is no need to question or analyze the artist's delight in seeing an attractive woman almost completely undressed.
La mort, c'est la mort
Death is simply an inevitability, a part of life that can't be avoided.
Mais l'amour, c'est l'amour
However, love is a powerful force that can transcend death's finality.
La mort, c'est seulement la mort
Regardless of how it's perceived, death is ultimately just the end of the line for all living things.
Mais l'amour, c'est l'amour
Yet, love remains an everlasting sentiment that carries on beyond death.
A pretty boy in his underwear
The artist switches to admiring a male's physical appearance while he is wearing minimal clothing.
A pretty boy in his underwear
Again, the line is repeated to emphasize the artist's fixation on the male's attractiveness.
If there's a better reason
Admiring a pretty boy in his underwear seems to be an even more legitimate reason to rejoice for the singer.
To jump for joy
The artist feels an overwhelming sense of happiness and excitement at seeing someone physically appealing in their underwear.
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Stephin Merritt
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind