The 500 - #465 - The Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

My plan (amended). 

• 1 or 2 records per week & at least 2 complete listens.
• A quick blog post for each, highlighting the important details and a quick background story.
• No rating scale - just an effort to expand my appreciation.

Album # 465

Album Title: 69 Love Songs
Artist: The Magnetic Fields
Released: September, 1999
My age at release: 34
How familiar am I with it: I knew one song
Song I am putting on my Spotify Mix: A Chicken with its Head Cut Off
Great Lyric:
I could listen to all my friends and go out again
And pretend it's enough or I could make a career of being blue
I could dress in black and read Camus
Smoke clove, cigarettes and drink Vermouth
Like I was 17, that would be a scream but, I don't want to get over you
(I Don't Want to Get Over You)

In my last post, I acknowledged that multiple listens to Coldplay's 2002 effort A Rush of Blood to the Head failed to alter my opinion of it. It was just...okay. This week, I am happy to report that 69 Love Songs grew on me with each listen.

This 1999 record was conceived by The Magnetic Fields' front-man Stephin Merrit while listening to a pianist play Stephen Sondheim songs in a Manhattan bar. Originally, he intended to write 100 love songs but settled on 69 - three volumes of 23 released on a triple CD set. I have to admire his ambition. After all, I have committed to 465 more blog posts about The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

Merrit is clear in his purpose - these are not love songs. They are songs about love songs written from different points of view and covering multiple genres. There are country, synth-pop, free jazz, ballads and even banjo & ukulele novelty tunes. These are love songs about the madness of new romance...the monotony of monogamy...the joy of life-long commitment...the torment of unfaithfulness and the pain of loss. A love song by a girl to a girl from a male's perspective or another song about an unfaithful partner who is represented metaphorically as a dog whose leash is too long.

The only song I knew was The Book of Love, which I first heard on Peter Gabriel's 2010 release Scratch My Back. We were fortunate to be able to see him perform it live in May of 2010 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. It is one of my favourite concert memories of the past decade. It was my first time using StubHub and I spent a little extra to secure first row tickets on the first balcony - an absolutely perfect position from which to see one of my favourite performers with a full orchestra.

Then, in 2015, the same song was re-purposed with comedic brilliance in an episode of South Park called Tweek x Craig. Consequently, whenever I hear it I feel a full swath of emotions. It is an beautiful version that immediately pulls on my heartstrings and makes me want to find and hold my wife. However, it also makes me want to laugh.

There are so many wonderful bits of poetry scattered throughout this record. It was difficult to choose a favourite. I encourage you to give Volume 1 a listen with headphones on and the printed lyrics available. If you like that - continue the journey.