13. The Magnetic Fields – Busby Berkeley Dreams

I didn’t know what or who Busby Berkeley was when I first heard this song by The Magnetic Fields. All I knew was that this song is lovely in a heartbreaking way. It combines the stark honesty of an acoustic piano accompanying a faltering baritone made even poignant by soothing drones of a cello and a viola in the right places. If you take a closer listen, you might be prompted to expect to hear ambient noises from a guy’s bedroom recently deserted by a girl.

The first time I heard The Magnetic Fields they (?) had recently released the album Get Lost. I searched for this album because I read somewhere that it sounded as if produced in the early days of the synthesizers in the 70s and 80s.  The review was right and there wasn’t even any attempt at authenticity with the drum machines. Although the sound was dated, Merritt was able to muster enough fresh twists in this album that it stands out in songs like Why I Cry, You and Me and the Moon, and All the Umbrellas in London.

The Magnetic Fields is just one of indefatigable singer-songwriter Stephin Merritt’s alter-egos. Merritt is also the nucleus behind the alternative music duets project The 6ths, Future Bible Heroes and dark bubblegum group The Gothic Archies whose latest project is The Tragic Treasury: Music for [the movie] “A Series of Unfortunate Events.”

It would be difficult to map out Stephin Merritt’s musical breadth. He’s simply prolific that it was not a surprise anymore when he as the Magnetic Fields released a triple album aptly called 69 Love Songs - that’s 23 songs per CD, all about L-O-V-E.

Although the songs talk about a single topic, Merritt was wise enough experiment and jump from one musical genre to another. Of course, Merritt also made sure that not all of the songs are rose-tinted. He deliberately twists the  narratives to bizarre conclusions in some. Notably, the are short, reminiscent of 80s punk band The Minutemen’s songs. But don’t get fooled by the running time because the tracks are packed like haikus. Sometimes, they sound like sketches for even longer works.

So who is Busby Berkeley? Click here to find out or watch the spec video:

Busby Berkeley Dreams

I should have forgotten you long ago, but you’re in every song I know
Whining and pining is wrong and so on and so forth, of course of course,
But no, you can’t have a divorce

I haven’t seen you in ages, but it’s not as bleak as it seems
We still dance on whirling stages, in my Busby Berkeley dreams
The tears have stained all the pages, of my True Romance magazines
We still dance in my outrageously beautiful Busby Berkeley dreams

And now you want to leave me for good, I refuse to believe you could
You forget we’re not made of wood, well darling you may do your worst
Because you’ll have to kill me first

Do you think it’s dangerous to have Busby Berkeley dreams?