Magnetic Fields: '69 Love Songs' (Silver Liner Notes)

Podcast: All Of It (WNYC)
Host: Kusha Navadar (in for Alison Stewart)
Guests: Stephen Merritt (songwriter & producer), Claudia Gonson (vocalist & manager, Magnetic Fields)
Date: April 9, 2024

Overview

This episode of All Of It celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Magnetic Fields’ iconic 1999 triple album, 69 Love Songs, as part of the “Silver Liner Notes” series. Host Kusha Navadar talks with band members Stephen Merritt and Claudia Gonson about the album’s origins, its unconventional approach to the love song genre, its cultural impact, creative dynamics within the band, and the ongoing anniversary tour where the album is performed in full. The discussion covers both the personal and musical influences that shaped the project, as well as the audience’s reactions—both then and now.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

What is 69 Love Songs Really About?

• Meta-narrative on Love Songs:

  • Stephen Merritt reflects on how the album is often misunderstood:

    “I have come to realize that that quote is a mistake. And it is only actually the lyrics of six...that are about love songs. And I completely ignore the tradition of love songs in the music.” (03:54)

  • The music intentionally pulls from genres far removed from “traditional” love songs, ranging from punk to experimental.

• Buckling or Redefining Tradition:

  • Merritt traces inspiration to Paul McCartney & Wings’ “Silly Love Songs,” calling it the epitome and parody of the love song formula.

    “It begins with a tape loop of some abstract noises and then goes into the dumbest conceivable pop song, which is very meta about its love song subject.” (04:35)

The Origin Story: Grand Plans, Indie Resistance

• From Cabaret to Giant Statement:

  • Claudia Gonson remembers:

    “Stephen was sitting maybe in a piano bar...and said to himself, ‘I’m going to make a show, a Broadway, like a stage show of 100 love songs…’ and…realized…that that was a lot of songs. So narrowed it down to…69 and set to writing it.” (05:26)

• Drag Queens and LPs:

  • The project started as a live cabaret for drag performers, but pragmatics led to recording it as an album for public consumption.

    “I would essentially have to make the album. And if I was going to make the album, I may as well make the album for public consumption and skip the step with the four drag queens.” —Merritt (06:18)

• Indie Label’s Leap:

  • The band faced skepticism from their small indie label, which eventually bet on the project—transforming the label’s fortunes.

    “They bought a new office off of 69 love songs...They bought a whole building.” —Gonson (08:47)

The 1990s Context: Queer Themes, Changing Attitudes

• Local, Personal Inspiration:
  • Merritt’s East Village life and the AIDS crisis shaped the album’s perspective:

    “Half the people I knew were in the middle of dying of AIDS. And people’s attitudes towards love and sex were extremely different from what they are now.” (06:56)

• Cabaret & Broadway Influences:
  • Gonson highlights both modern and old-school musical influences:

    “There’s a few songs on the record which are distinctly tipping the hat to Irving Berlin and Broadway shows. There’s…modern inversions of cliches from…epic love songs.” (07:47)

Reception & Impact

• Slow Burn to Success:
  • Initial fan reactions ranged from confusion to delight, and the album’s availability issues caused a staggered rise in popularity.

    “It took a long time. And I’d say the record came out in 1999. I’d say by 2002 we were really touring, we were really acknowledged. It was this interesting kind of ‘whoa, what was that?’ feeling for a little while…” —Gonson (11:43)

• Diverse Audience Connection:
  • The album’s “weirdness” (in the best sense) let everyone find their own favorites.

    “Everyone I have talked to about it loves a completely different assortment of songs. And I think weirdness plays a part of that. It’s got something for everyone.” (12:35)

Songwriting Approaches: Characters and Gender Fluidity

• Characters Over Confessionals:

  • Merritt prefers writing about imagined lives:

    “If I wrote about my life, it would be ‘I am sitting in a bar writing a song’...So I like to write about other people’s lives. Often I’m writing about other people in the bar, eavesdropping…” (14:40)

• Gender-Bending & Queer Resonance:

  • The ambiguous identities in the songs were innovative for 1999.

    “A reporter recently told me that they thought of it as the queerest record ever made.” —Merritt (16:28)

  • Gonson notes:

    “There’s this feeling of who’s talking? Doesn’t have to be [fixed]. Even on stage, sometimes we switch vocals...” (16:39)

• Merritt on Gender:

  “My gender is none of your business.” (17:00)

Performing 69 Love Songs Now: Live Experience

• Anniversary Tour Structure:
  • The band is performing all 69 songs over two nights (songs 1–35 the first night, 36–69 the second).

    “You can see them…Wednesday and Thursday at Town Hall is nights one and two, and Friday and Saturday…nights one and two again. And then we’re gonna head out [on tour].” —Gonson (22:05)

• Challenges of Recreating the Album:
  • The logistics and the memory load are daunting, especially after 25 years:

    “It’s like herding kittens a little…It’s been really fun, but also a lot. It’s a lot.” —Gonson (23:23) “You sort of assume that you know it and then you realize only when 1,200 people are staring at you that you don’t…” —Merritt (23:35)

• Joyful & Emotional Return:
  • Audience appreciation, especially post-pandemic, has been heartwarming.

    “Half of this experience is how much love we’re getting from the audience. … People are just so happy. … We run into people after the show…‘We flew in from New Zealand for this.’ So it’s been really, really heartwarming and amazing.” —Gonson (23:54)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Meta-mocking love song tradition:

  “The epitome of a love song is…Silly Love Songs…which begins with a tape loop of some abstract noises and then goes into the dumbest conceivable pop song, which is very meta about its love song subject.” —Stephen Merritt (04:35)

• On personal context and 90s queer life:

  “Half the people I knew were in the middle of dying of AIDS. And people’s attitudes towards love and sex were extremely different from what they are now.” —Stephen Merritt (06:56)

• On the broad appeal of the album's diversity:

  “The beauty I find in 69 love songs is that everyone I have talked to about it loves a completely different assortment of songs. And I think weirdness plays a part of that.” —Fan (Reddit, read by host) (12:35)

• On gender play and subverting norms:

  “My gender is none of your business.” —Stephen Merritt (17:00)

• On the thrill and anxiety of re-performing the entire album:

  “You sort of assume that you know it and then you realize only when 1,200 people are staring at you that you don’t…” —Stephen Merritt (23:35)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Album’s Intent and Concept: (03:05 – 04:29)
• Origin Story and Indie Label Challenge: (05:16 – 08:54)
• 90s Context, AIDS Crisis, and Influence: (06:42 – 08:45)
• Reception and Fanbase Growth: (10:31 – 12:25)
• Gender and Characters in Songwriting: (13:39 – 17:08)
• Live Performance and Anniversary Tour: (22:05 – 24:54)

Closing Segment

The episode wraps by previewing a duet from the live show (“Yeah, Oh Yeah”) to highlight the playfulness and chemistry of the band onstage, both musically and in performance stunts (singing on ladders).

“Thank you both so much for coming, for talking to us and best of luck on your tour.” —Kusha Navadar (24:57)

For More

• Upcoming Shows: Town Hall, NYC, plus Chicago, LA, San Francisco, and a European summer tour.
• Tickets: Check venues and official Magnetic Fields channels.