You Love to Fail
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics


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Maybe tomorrow I'll see love in your eyes and mine will dry
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
Well, hey, whatever turns you on. (C)
I'll be your confidante




Come and go as you please
I'll honor and protect my Wagner in dungarees. (C) (C)

Overall Meaning

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
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Comments from YouTube:

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.

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