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Rating: Reviewing this work is one of the most difficult things for a music critic. But I'm not one, so it should be easier for me. The fact is that we are not dealing with a "CD" of more or less beautiful songs. We are facing 69 love song fragments. The original idea of the Magnetic Fields' leader (that is, Steohin Merritt) included 100 songs. Too utopian as an idea. And so the number was reduced to 69: a number as emblematic and explanatory on the subject matter that will be discussed.
69 songs, therefore, 3 compact discs, 23 songs for each disc.
Before listening, the more you think about it, the more you realize how enormous and ambitious it is to produce so much music and how, in theory, it seems impossible to maintain the quality of the work. How is it possible to create 69 musical moments, if not all excellent, at least above average?
And then you gather your courage and decide that it is still just a pop work. Nothing simpler. And so you insert disc number 1, listen to it in one breath. And you do the same with the second disc and the third. The feeling you get is one of amazement. You say, "this song is beautiful. I think it's the highest and most inspired point of the entire work", but punctually, about sixty times or so, you have to rethink and don't know which tracks to choose as the best songs out of such a vast thing. In fact, I decided not to name even one out of respect for the other 68. You move seamlessly from 60s-style pop tunes to synth-pop experiments to acoustic tunes to almost reggae or 80s dance rhythms to echoes of Cohen or Van Morrison, to 30-second tunes to 5-minute songs, from Merritt's heavy male voice like a boulder on the moon to the voices of various guests crowding the work. This for almost 3 hours straight. Impossible not to fall in love with a song. Each of the 69 will become ours or will connect to our experience or feeling or we will simply adore it. And then you realize that this isn't about chart pop. This is pop seen as artwork (both in music and in the magnificent lyrics). As it originally was. And here there's everything. There's everything that has been said in this genre and on this theme for the past 40 years. A magnificent work by a genius, Merritt. A true masterpiece in music history. Perhaps the last truly great masterpiece. Perhaps it's the box set that contains all the best records in history. Perhaps these records could disorient you or confuse you or deceive you or make you fall in love. The fact is, we are all in this record. This is Popular Art.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Absolutely Cuckoo (01:34)
Don't fall in love with me yet
We only recently met
True I'm in love with you, but
You might decide I'm a nut
Give me a week or two to
Go absolutley cuckoo
Then when you see your error,
Then you can flee in terror
Like everybody else does
I only tell you this cause
I'm easy to get rid of
But not if you fall in love
Know now that I'm on the make
And if you make a mistake
My heart will certainly break
I'll have to jump in a lake
And all my friends will blame you
There's no telling what they'll do
It's only fair to tell you
I'm absolutely cuckoo
Don't fall in love with me yet
We only recently met
True I'm in love with you, but
You might decide I'm a nut
Give me a week or two to
Go absolutley cuckoo
Then when you see your error,
Then you can flee in terror
Like everybody else does
I only tell you this cause
I'm easy to get rid of
But not if you fall in love
Know now that I'm on the make
And if you make a mistake
My heart will certainly break
I'll have to jump in a lake
And all my friends will blame you
There's no telling what they'll do
It's only fair to tell you
I'm absolutely cuckoo
It's only fair to tell you
I'm absolutely cuckoo
03 All My Little Words (02:46)
You are a splendid butterfly
It is your wings that make you beautiful
And I could make you fly away
But I could never make you stay
You said you were in love with me
Both of us know that that's impossible
And I could make you rue the day
But I could never make you stay
Not for all the tea in China
Not if I could sing like a bird
Not for all North Carolina
Not for all my little words
Not if I could write for you
The sweetest song you ever heard
It doesn't matter what I'll do
Not for all my little words
Now that you've made me want to die
You tell me that you're unboyfriendable
And I could make you pay and pay
But I could never make you stay
04 A Chicken With Its Head Cut Off (02:41)
Eligible, not too stupid
Intelligiable, and cute as cupid
Knowledgeable, but not always right
Salvageable, and free for the night
Well my heart's runnin' round like a chicken with its head cut off
All around the barn yard falling in and out of love
Poor thing's blind as a bat
Gettin' up, fallin' down, gettin' up
Who'd fall in love with a chicken with its head cut off?
Woah Nelly
My wife doesn't understand me
Many dozens, hope to land me
I'm for free love
And I'm in free fall
This could be love
Or nothing at all
But my heart's runnin' round like a chicken with its head cut off
All around the barn yard falling in and out of love
Poor thing's blind as a bat
Gettin' up, fallin' down, gettin' up
Who'd fall in love with a chicken with its head cut off?
We don't have to be stars exploding in the night
Or electric eels under the covers
We don't have to be
Anything quite so unreal
Lets just be lovers
Well my heart's runnin' round like a chicken with it's head cut off
All around the barn yard falling in and out of love
Poor thing's blind as a bat
Gettin' up, fallin' down, gettin' up
Who'd fall in love with a chicken with its head cut off?
It ain't pretty
05 Reno Dakota (01:05)
Reno Dakota there's not an iota of kindness in you
You know you enthrall me and yet you don't call me
It's making me blue Pantone 292 Reno Dakota I'm
reaching my quota of tears for the year Alas and
alack you just don't call me back You have just
disappeared It makes me drink beer I know you're
a recluse You know that's no excuse Reno that's
just a ruse Do not play fast and loose with my heart
Reno Dakota I'm no Nino Rota I don't know the score
Have I annoyed you or is there a boy who
Well he's just a whore I've had him before
It makes me drink more
08 The Luckiest Guy on the Lower East Side (03:43)
Andy would bicycle across town in the rain to bring you
candy and John would buy the gown for you to wear to the
prom with Tom the astronomer who'd name a star for you
(C): But I'm the luckiest guy on the Lower East Side
cause I've got wheels and you want to go for a ride
Harry is the one I think you'll marry but it's Chris
that you kissed after school I'm a fool, there's no doubt
but when the sun comes out and only when the sun
comes out... (C) The day is beautiful and so are you
My car is ugly but then I'm ugly too I know you'd
never give me a second glance but when the weather's
nice all the other guys don't stand a chance
I know Professor Blumen makes you feel like a woman
but when the wind is in your hair you laugh like a little girl
So you share secrets with Lou but we've got secrets too
Well, one: I only keep this heap for you
cause I'm the ugliest guy on the Lower East Side
but I've got wheels and you want to go for a ride
Want to go for a ride?
14 How Fucking Romantic (00:58)
how fucking romantic
all the stars are out
twinkling twinkling twinkling
and fluttering about
what a tacky sunset
what a vulgar moon
play another charming
rogers and hart tune
how fucking romantic
must we really waltz?
drag another cliche
howling from the vaults
love you obviously
like you really care
even though you treat me
like a dancing bear
toss your bear a goldfish
as it cycles by
don't forget to feed your
bear or it'll die
18 Boa Constrictor (00:58)
I spend my evenings alone talking to your picture, babe Love is
wrapped around my heart like a boa constrictor, babe My mother
should have murdered me What jury would convict her, babe for
love is wrapped around my heart like a boa constrictor, babe
20 My Sentimental Melody (03:07)
I'm a hopeless romantic
You're a terrible flirt
Cool and unfazed,
you're always amazed
when someone gets hurt
I live on the blue planet
that I saw in your eyes
but now I can't stay
knowing it's made
of beautiful lies
but my sentimental melody
like a long-lost lullabye
will ring in your ears
down through the years
bringing a tear to your eye
Goodbye
Love can kill people, can't it
Well it still might kill me
Each drop of rain
is a glass of champagne
It's sweet and it's free
When I drink I don't panic
When I drink I don't die
When I'm far gone
it's all just a song
just beautiful lies...
but my sentimental melody
like a long-lost lullabye
will ring in your ears
down through the years
bringing a tear to your eye
Goodbye
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