Written by Stephin Merritt
Recorded by The Magnetic Fields
Stephin Merritt’s songs are often simple-sounding yet incredibly deep, and overwhelmingly joyous yet terribly sad. “I Think I Need A New Heart” is a great example, and hey, it also has a superb bridge. From The Magnetic Fields’ outstanding collection (three CDs back in the day!), let’s take a look at track 11 from 69 Love Songs.
We start off on the jaunty side of the musical spectrum and then, “Time stands still, all I can feel is the time standing still…” You can feel the anxiety as the music shifts moods into that all-too-familiar, uncomfortable emotional divide between lovers. But our protagonist has no interest in getting into it, or exchanging any sort of honest, vulnerable communication. Instead, he’s lost in song – from the radio, and from the soundtrack of his failed romances: “I think I need a new hea-ar-ar-arrrr-aart…”
The chorus shares the jaunty chord progression and arrangement of the intro. The second verse features our protagonist’s attempts at shifting blame, and borderline admittance of his own issues of deceit and distraction, before returning to the radio playing and his familiar cardiovascular shortcomings.
And then we get to the bridge. The previous instrumentation, the bouncy beat and light-hearted riff have been stripped. We are now alone with just vocals, a strumming guitar, and honesty. This is the truth he has so much difficulty in expressing, and yes, it is being expressed in song, but a song he will never sing to his lover:
'Cause I always say, "I love you"
When I mean turn out the light
And I say, "Let's run away"
When I just mean stay the night
But the words you want to hear
You will never hear from me
I'll never say, "Happy anniversary"
Never stay to say, "Happy anniversary"
The only song he’ll sing to his lover is that ol’ jaunty one about needing a new heart. Masked in whimsy, the veil of the self-deprecating chorus is quickly wearing thin. The protagonist knows that if the chorus is the only tune he sings to his lover, they might finally be done. He knows he needs to try, or at least say that he’s trying. Before ending the song, he requests, “Give me time.” The music is still upbeat and fun, so it might take a little time, but maybe he will get there? Until then, the radio plays…
-MJK
Recorded by The Magnetic Fields
Stephin Merritt’s songs are often simple-sounding yet incredibly deep, and overwhelmingly joyous yet terribly sad. “I Think I Need A New Heart” is a great example, and hey, it also has a superb bridge. From The Magnetic Fields’ outstanding collection (three CDs back in the day!), let’s take a look at track 11 from 69 Love Songs.
We start off on the jaunty side of the musical spectrum and then, “Time stands still, all I can feel is the time standing still…” You can feel the anxiety as the music shifts moods into that all-too-familiar, uncomfortable emotional divide between lovers. But our protagonist has no interest in getting into it, or exchanging any sort of honest, vulnerable communication. Instead, he’s lost in song – from the radio, and from the soundtrack of his failed romances: “I think I need a new hea-ar-ar-arrrr-aart…”
The chorus shares the jaunty chord progression and arrangement of the intro. The second verse features our protagonist’s attempts at shifting blame, and borderline admittance of his own issues of deceit and distraction, before returning to the radio playing and his familiar cardiovascular shortcomings.
And then we get to the bridge. The previous instrumentation, the bouncy beat and light-hearted riff have been stripped. We are now alone with just vocals, a strumming guitar, and honesty. This is the truth he has so much difficulty in expressing, and yes, it is being expressed in song, but a song he will never sing to his lover:
'Cause I always say, "I love you"
When I mean turn out the light
And I say, "Let's run away"
When I just mean stay the night
But the words you want to hear
You will never hear from me
I'll never say, "Happy anniversary"
Never stay to say, "Happy anniversary"
The only song he’ll sing to his lover is that ol’ jaunty one about needing a new heart. Masked in whimsy, the veil of the self-deprecating chorus is quickly wearing thin. The protagonist knows that if the chorus is the only tune he sings to his lover, they might finally be done. He knows he needs to try, or at least say that he’s trying. Before ending the song, he requests, “Give me time.” The music is still upbeat and fun, so it might take a little time, but maybe he will get there? Until then, the radio plays…
-MJK
RSS Feed