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/
You Love to Fail
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Maybe tomorrow we can learn how to fly on these nasty little wings
(C): And I wanna take you out but you always refuse
'cause you only play the games that you know you can lose
You love to fail, that's all you love.
We don't know why you've been gone
Somebody said you're on the run
You're living where wild horses run
I'll be your confidante
Come and go as you please
I'll honor and protect my Wagner in dungarees. (C) (C)
The Magnetic Fields's song "You Love to Fail" depicts the dilemma of being in love with someone who enjoys self-sabotage. The lyrics suggest that the singer is willing to stick by their lover, regardless of the fact that they are consistently failing in their games. The opening line, "Maybe tomorrow I'll see love in your eyes and mine will dry," captures the hopelessness that one feels when they are invested in a relationship where the loved one is actively seeking failure. This is further reinforced with the line "Maybe tomorrow we can learn how to fly on these nasty little wings," which is an allusion to their partner's self-destructive behavior.
The chorus of the song, "And I wanna take you out but you always refuse, 'cause you only play the games that you know you can lose, you love to fail, that's all you love," is a string of emotions that takes the audience from seeming resignation to despair. The singer's desire to take their partner out is refused, suggesting that the loved one is not interested in any change. The line "you only play the games you know you can lose" suggests the loved one's unwillingness to succeed, indicating that their failure is a deliberate choice. The final statement, "you love to fail, that's all you love," is an indictment of the partner's nature: finding pleasure in failure.
The final verse talks about the singer's confusion about their partner's whereabouts, with the lines "We don't know why you've been gone, somebody said you're on the run, you're living where wild horses run, well, hey, whatever turns you on." This suggests that the loved one has a penchant for living on the edge, and the person in the relationship is willing to accept and understand their partner's choices. The song's final lines "I'll be your confidante, come and go as you please, I'll honor and protect my Wagner in dungarees" seem to suggest that the singer is committed to being supportive of their lover, but also recognizes that they are not enough to change their partner's ways.
Line by Line Meaning
Maybe tomorrow I'll see love in your eyes and mine will dry
Perhaps someday I'll feel your love, but until then, I'll suppress my own feelings
Maybe tomorrow we can learn how to fly on these nasty little wings
Maybe someday we'll be able to soar despite our flaws and limitations
And I wanna take you out but you always refuse
I want to show you a good time, but you always reject my invitations
'cause you only play the games that you know you can lose
You have a self-destructive tendency to intentionally fail at things
You love to fail, that's all you love.
Your obsession with failure is the only thing you truly adore
We don't know why you've been gone
Your absence is a mystery to us
Somebody said you're on the run
We heard a rumor that you're avoiding something in your life
You're living where wild horses run
You're living in a place that's dangerous and unpredictable
Well, hey, whatever turns you on.
We don't understand your choices, but we respect your autonomy
I'll be your confidante
I'll keep your secrets and offer support when you need it
Come and go as you please
You're free to be independent and do what you want
I'll honor and protect my Wagner in dungarees.
I'll love and cherish my partner even if they don't fit societal expectations or norms
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Christopher Barker
Man, I wish with all of my heart that Claudia had stayed as lead singer for this band. Her voice is the perfect fit for Merritt's work.
MagpieSpinner
Claudia is awesome and her voice is sheer perfection on this song!
Christopher Schipper
@aureategloom Susan Anway RIP
aureategloom
this is susan anway singing, she sang lead vocals for the first 2 albums before she left and stephin took over. claudia didn’t become involved with recording until the 2nd album and didn’t sing any lead vocals until 69 love songs, as far as i know
Good Glass Records
It's like someone finally took a blanket off that was covering the speakers. I can't wait to re-hear all of this for the first time.
A
you only play the games that you know you can lose
Baron Maupertuis
Please put Plant White Roses where it rightfully belongs.
Blacque Jacque Shellacque
That was the first MF song I ever heard and was hooked.
Good Glass Records
This right here.