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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You're My Only Home
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I'll go if you let me go
But I won't go far away
Because you're my only home
And I will hide what you want hidden
And I'll roam if you say roam
But I just as soon you didn't
When you cancel dinner plans
When you cross the street and you don't take my hand
When you make impossible demands
I wish I didn't understand
I will stay if you let me stay
And I'll go if you let me go
But I won't go far away
Because you're my only home
I will hide what you want hidden
And I'll roam if you say roam
But I just as soon you didn't
Because you're my only home
The Magnetic Fields' song "You're My Only Home" is about a person who wants to stay with their partner and make whatever sacrifices are necessary to be with them. The opening line sets the tone for the song: "I will stay if you let me stay, and I'll go if you let me go." It's a straightforward message about commitment and the willingness to stay together, even when times get tough.
As the song progresses, the singer acknowledges the difficulties of the relationship. "When you cancel dinner plans, when you cross the street and you don't take my hand, when you make impossible demands, I wish I didn't understand," they sing. Despite these challenges, however, the singer is willing to do whatever it takes to stay with their partner.
The refrain of the song is perhaps the most powerful, with the singer returning to the idea that their partner is their "only home." It's a metaphorical way of saying that being with this person makes the singer feel safe and secure, like they belong somewhere. The repeated phrasing is both declarative and desperate, conveying the depth of the singer's feelings.
Line by Line Meaning
I will stay if you let me stay
If you allow me to remain, I will stay and maintain my current position.
And I'll go if you let me go
If you permit me to leave, I'll go away from here.
But I won't go far away
Even if I go away, I won't go too far from you.
Because you're my only home
Since you're the only person that provides me warmth and comfort, I'll never go too far away from you.
And I will hide when you want hidden
Whenever you choose to conceal yourself, I'll conceal myself as well.
And I'll roam if you say roam
If you ask me to wander, I'll be readily available.
But I just assume you didn't
However, I'm under the impression that you won't ask me to wander.
Because you're my only home
Because I depend on you for every bit of comfort and genuine belonging, I think you'll prefer me to stay close.
When you cancel dinner plans
When you choose to cancel our meal schedule, I feel hurt because it's something I look forward to.
When you cross the street and you don't take my hand
When you're walking, and you don't hold my hand while we cross the street, it makes me feel distant.
When you make impossible demands
When you ask for things that are beyond my control, it makes me feel helpless.
I wish I didn't understand
I wish I didn't possess the wisdom to comprehend how much these events upset me.
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Stephin Merritt
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind