The Magnetic Fields: Tiny Desk Concert

[@DesiranKehendak]

Out of 10 greatest love songs ever written, they wrote at least 7 of it.

[@jamesderosa2041]

Or perhaps 69 of them.

[@HakimALIGHT]

Seeing the 25th anniversary of 69 Love Songs show was like seeing a concert and a play at the same time. Legendary band.

[@Bonzocube]

i really really enjoyed it too!

[@scottboyd3838]

@@Bonzocube You lucky mahfahs!!!!One of the best releases of the 20th century! The triple rec

[@henriette851]

Yes I loved them in Utrecht!

[@scottboyd3838]

@@Bonzocube anyone a little concerned for Merritt,. I can't watch this visually, as I keep saying this is Is not the Guy who wrote two of the best songs EVER, with "Underwear" & "The Death of Ferdinand de Saussure.

[@scottboyd3838]

....until I heard his voice, now all is right with the world.

[@ladykrebstick]

I maintain that I Don’t Want to Get Over You is THE best break-up song of all time. Love this band so much ❤️

[@MrWeeRhys]

Piano version on here too thats beautiful

[@AJ-hc5zo]

Completely agree. Also I feel like very few bands (like the Kinks and Warren Zevon) are both really beautiful and really funny. It's silly and self-deprecating, but still very powerful.

[@pootevans]

Blew my mind when I heard it on jools Holland years ago and had to find and buy the album!

[@jocastaguyon6857]

Correct

[@Aritro77]

"All My Little Words" is a beautiful, melancholy, emotionally loaded song

[@djexidor4670]

The cello is so wonderful.

[@amoebacrunch]

Agree. I think it’s the world’s saddest song, yet beautiful and brilliant.

[@ggthewhale]

Also I think this is the first time Stephen Merritt sang it live. The original album version is sung by someone else

[@Aritro77]

@@ggthewhale Yeah no kidding? I did think the album version sounded rather different

[@Mefisto98]

⁠@@ggthewhale It was originally sung by LD Beghtol, but sadly he passed away in 2020.

[@SeeJunieB]

These are my go to cry songs. Can’t believe they got a tiny desk

[@HappyPandaP]

Few people in this world can say they created a masterpiece, but these people can.

[@zz-ps6ph]

The beauty of Stephin’s voice is still wondrous. The fact that he’s aging with his talent intact is something to be celebrated.

[@henriette851]

I agree. But I’m happy Shirley and Claudia join so I can sing along 😉

[@annafranzen6453]

I loved it ❤ all I missed was Papa was a Rodeo and Nothing Matters When We’re Dancing

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Papa was a Rodeo is the true best song of 69 Love Songs.

[@Tanzi24]

Two of my absolute favourites from the album! ❤

[@tsawy6]

You missed: every other song on the album

[@MrLordstarboy]

Busby Berkley Dreams would also have been a delight.

[@leonardogamboa1901]

Two favorites of mine as well

[@retropian]

I’ve had 69 Love Songs since 1999 but I haven’t listened to it in years. Thanks for the reminder. So many charming, clever, witty songs.

[@tacosavings9751]

Felt the same exact thing listening to this and was pleasantly surprised how many of the songs were right there in my brain still waiting to be accessed.

[@peyote2thumbs]

I wore busby berkley off the cd! ❤❤❤ 😂

[@dropkick45]

I’d put Stephin Merritt up there with the best songwriters of all time

[@mmayer1558]

He has a lot of merritts as a songwriter

[@landoncisneros4248]

100%. My favorite lyricist

[@williamsmith5549]

Stephen Merritt is the ONLY Male Pop songwriter that can compare to Leonard Cohen, and might even surpass him. Dylan? Simon? Even Tom Waits? Giants in their way, but Merritt takes what he's inherited to a wholly more sublime level I think. It's because he concentrates so many layers of emotional power in such carefully chosen poetry and perfect chord changes. Transcendent, always!

[@liamskeo1768]

@@williamsmith5549 you will dig the golden dregs

[@kizispielmannrose398]

@@williamsmith5549and David Berman!

[@karenkaletka4835]

I will never forget seeing TMG at the Middle East in Cambridge MA in 1999. We were all a lot younger then but these songs are truly timeless. I just watched this video with my 11-year-old son and he was completely transfixed. And so another generation appreciates the genius of Stephin Merritt and the Magnetic Fields 😊

[@deadkarvonen]

I got to see them in Detroit/Dearborn around the same time. Amazing show. They played everything so perfectly. Got to see Future Bible Heroes a couple years later. Different vibe but another great show.

[@ericfurman5227]

I think I saw them at the Annenberg Center at UPenn on the same tour. Was that the all-acoustic set or am I thinking of another time?

[@karenkaletka4835]

@@ericfurman5227 I think it was acoustic. I remember Irving Berlin the chihuahua RIP was also there.

[@BenGoldNYC]

The Middle East is awesome!

[@armouredrabbit]

This might be my favorite Tiny Desk performance yet. They still sound so great

[@johnwindmuller4674]

OMG Magnetic Fields! I forgot how much I love them. Brilliant melodies and funny and sad and quietly rockin!

[@cbschrader]

Wow, I did not expect this at all; what a pleasant surprise! I’ve been listening to Stephin Merritt and all of his various joint musical projects for so many years. His music is part of my life in a way that is hard to describe. I love him so much.

[@mjovi1]

I teared up. 69 Love Songs was such an important album for me. Thanks so much for this!

[@mjrleaguesweetie]

Nice

[@theunrealtimemm]

I picked it up the day before I flew to San Francisco to meet the boyfriend who had just moved there. He lived in Berkeley, but close enough. I put one of the CDs from it on his CD player, which was on shuffle/random. And what came up? Come Back From San Francisco. He assumed I picked it on purpose. This story got shared in Mr. Beghtol's book about the album.

[@agathafry4233]

The benefit of the songs being so tiny is that you get so many in the same tiny time span 💜

[@henriette851]

Yes! The best band for a tiny (desk) concert!

[@HarryTurfle]

Powerful songs that are funny, sweet, heartbreaking - with amazing live chemistry in this performance. Total legends.Stephin so cute with his emotional support kitty.

[@0-now-is-here]

Finally!!!!! The band of all bands! Great to see the A team!! Stephen is such a mastermind!!!! Thanks NPR!!

[@1stClax]

the clarity and surefootedness of everyone. A level headed Masterpiece.

[@HD-nc7yu]

What

[@colinmeney]

00:16 Roses 00:46 All My Little Words 03:50 Reno Dakota 05:20 Come Back From San Francisco 09:08 I Don't Want To Get Over You 11:41 For We Are the King of the Boudoir 13:07 Kiss Me Like You Mean It 15:54 The Book of Love

[@megrez45]

A wonderful performance, full of heart and acoustic vibes. Some of the finest tunes of that wonderful "69 Love Songs". Stephin Merritt is one of the most brilliant songwriters ever!

[@2dtesseract]

Stephin makes my soul vibrate

[@literalwho9017]

as someone who attended one of their 25th anniversary shows, thank you Stephin, Claudia, Shirley, Sam, John, Anthony, Chris et al. for changing my life, and also thank you for playing some deep cuts for us nerds who also love CD2&3 to death hehe

[@HappyPandaP]

Gotta have songs from all 3!

[@henriette851]

2 is my favorite

[@garrettgravley]

What’s so great about this album is that it fits just about any event in your life involving love and romance, whether good, bad, or indifferent. I listened to a lot of these songs when I went through the end of an 8-year relationship, and continued listening to them when I got over it and made peace with being single. And “Nothing Matters When We’re Dancing” was played at my wedding.

[@paulvelat6079]

great performance. You know, having heard this on and off for decades, I've never known what this group looked like and sometimes having your imagination shattered this way can be fun. Thanks for this.

[@Deepflow1891]

This is the most beautiful performance I have seen in 2024. I Love every bit of this. This is a Moment of bliss. Whaatttt 🔥 🇳🇬

[@adamb.4585]

How did these people find each other. Magic! I can’t believe I’ve been listening to them for over 20 years.

[@drzazgi666]

The magic of New York City

[@theunrealtimemm]

@@drzazgi666 Claudia and Stephin met in high school. :)

[@AuleMartin]

The dream come true of this tour this year… one of the best albums ever ❤❤❤❤❤

[@gingerfoxx1476]

I first discovered the music of Stephin/The Magnetic Fields as part of the many great indie artists who contributed to the soundtrack of The Adventures of Pete and Pete, which even still is one of my favorite memories from my childhood as a misfit kid throughout the early 90s.

[@josephh8117]

stephin bringing the full eeyore that we know and love - cherish these folks' work

[@irondj]

Thank you! To everyone who made this possible and to this incredible band and songwriter. What a gift.

[@christinecarnell985]

Superb! A little bit of Heaven in a wicked world.

[@pashahamasian4468]

amazing performance. what beautiful poetry 🥲

[@rhynorton6606]

The way that Stephin Merritt introduces the next song absolutely kills me...

[@fredtremblay781]

Yeah he's fun like that.

[@joeconway5438]

It's like when my daughter realizes her chore's not done. I love 'em both.

[@paolobenincasa]

I'm in tears. I love you Stephin Merritt

[@terresinconnues]

What an awesome performance. Shirley Simms has a perfect voice. It's pure happiness and joy to my ears.

[@DylanC-C]

Man , all of them sound so great. What an absolute treat

[@plainforgiven]

💜💜💜 Just saw this today. Brought me back to my 20s and the band's magnificent 69 Love Songs album in 1999. 💜💜💜 Thank you Tiny Desk for such sweet memories. :-)

[@asherbeal8357]

That was perfect! I cried through the entire performance… those songs are timeless.

[@blynneda]

I've been listening to a bunch of Magnetic Fields recently and found myself wondering if they'd ever done a Tiny Desk - and lo and behold, here they are! What a great selection of songs, and so nice to hear the harmonies and arrangements.

[@violetenergy4392]

Great road trip music with a tint of Johnny Cash feels and 60s/70s folk artists. ALL the musicians and singers are great! I feel like they're freestyiling and practicing in my living room, too...love raw sounds😊🤩

[@thevoid99]

"69 love songs" is an all-time favorite album for me. 1999 was a great year in music. "the fragile" by NIN, "the soft bulletin" by the flaming lips, "13" by blur, and "when the pawn hits..." by fiona apple.

[@humblemovies6259]

I love the magnetic fields, partly because the songs are in a range I can melancholily belt back 😭

[@wapael]

I started listening to The Magnetic Fields as a young starry-eyed boy when discmans were a thing. When i hear them play i turn back into that happy kid. Their music is my happy place, and also my sad place, and a bit of everything in between. ❤

[@stellarrig]

reno dakota is one of my favorites!! didn’t expect to see magnetic fields on tiny desk

[@BrienDownes]

I believe the only reference to Nino Rota in all the lyrics ever written or yet to be written.

[@creamycanarie98]

It’s a struggle trying to write songs and knowing these guys have already written all of them.

[@henriette851]

They will continue. That’s proof not everything has been done. Go for it!

[@leeksveeks4572]

All the good ones anyway 😊

[@josephchinosi4489]

This is so special.

[@daniacano4073]

Gordito hermoso Stephin Merritt te amo con todo mi corazon, ahora mismo estoy en mi cuarto rodeada de luces y pensamientos hermosos, que bendición conocer tu musica y saber que me ha acompañado por tanto en mi vida. Dejo este comentario con la esperanza de leerlo en unos años y recordar este sentimiento.

[@alanwoods2841]

Realizing I've heard OF Magnetic Fields but had never actually HEARD Magnetic Fields ... great introduction.

[@inallthechaos2774]

A lot of these songs just get better with age and interpretation. what a great show!

[@janey3407]

Claudia & John Woo back again I'm crying 🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@DylanC-C]

I cannot stop listening to the little melody change at 9:40. Such a subtle change, but it just hits the spot

[@andyhanrahan]

This is by far the best channel on KZbin. So many great performances. This is right up there

[@andrewhorton5101]

The greatest living songwriter.

[@Christhyfy]

So beautiful!

[@lucasam3543]

the word is: beautiful This makes me cry from happiness, and also from not happiness.

[@fredtremblay781]

This is beyond words. I've been listening to that record for almost 20 years. This could be even better than when I saw them at Montréal's Théâtre Corona. Long live the Tiny Desk and its diversity: Idles, Neko Case, Adele, Erykah Badu, Run the Jewels... and now Magnetic Fields.

[@cvc116]

I’ve loved so many tiny desk shows and have enjoyed hearing newer artists on the show recently. But it is so moving to see a band I’ve loved for years that has been together so long performing such cherished songs with the honing from these 25 years.

[@FoursWithin]

Magnetic Fields came to Tiny Desk and kissed us like they meant it, leaving us with the Book of Love.

[@Wondering_Ghoul]

God I love this band. Been a fan since the early oughts.

[@NWOALERT]

I will always be grateful that I got to see them, perform the album in its entirety

[@arjona33]

Bravo!! Una banda maravillosa! 69 love songs tatuado!

[@BertieJasokie]

I can't even... Speechless. Thank you tiny desk. Thank you NPR.

[@logandeancook]

Omg this is one of my favorite bands that not enough people know about. I was not expecting this tiny desk.

[@LightWarriors4Life]

Love the accompaniment of the banjo and violin 🎻🤙🏼😎

[@knight76122]

amazing! Thank you for listening beautiful music!😊

[@drcriado]

Una maravilla. Los pelos de punta al escuchar tan buenas canciones, tan bien tocadas y con tanto sentimiento. Muchas gracias!

[@wiseguy100]

Great band.

[@nolageek]

Phenomenal episode. I've been waiting for this one since the DC shows.

[@bee7160]

i went to one of the dc shows as well!!

Rare to see a Tiny Desk of this level and execution. I could not ask for anything more (other than more songs).

[@jakebower3435]

Thank you, Tiny Desk team, for creating a space where our favorite artists and songs are transformed into something truly magical!

[@danyul4u186]

All my little words ❤

[@mikejunior5825]

I’m not crying you’re crying

[@civilbeard]

The voice on this guy!! I'm so pleased to have discovered this band.

[@RumRaspberryMocha]

The singing bear is wonderful and I am smitten 😍

[@intheblink]

This made my day. Such beautiful and pure songwriting and genuine, sincere performance. Beautiful!

[@aorinz]

I once spent a year in a christian based rehab in Georgia and I played endless Magnetic Fields songs on an acoustic they had lying around. Got away with it saying that they were a christian group. I think I converted some folks. Especially with Lonely Highway. Love this band entirely too much!

[@noisychamps]

I love Lonely Highway. It's definitely in my mental "Best of Merritt" album... _"Lonely highway, only friend_ _You've got me to keep you warm again"_

[@aorinz]

@noisychamps "I nearly killed you with my drinking". I mean, c'mon. 🌄

[@henriette851]

He is my light and my salvation. 😉. Hope you’re doing well!

[@motaman8074]

Oh. My. Goodness.

[@yelowtalks589]

Im so happy they sang reno dakota

[@R3n4.RENA.r3n4]

Best band ever

[@Ozzzzelot]

Superb as always! Wonderful surprise too!

[@ELDesierto]

Qu'e grata sorpresa encontrarne a los Campos Magn'eticos en la Radio P'ublica!!!!

[@mial2781]

Never took much notice of The Magnetic Fields. This was a mistake. What a brilliant band with wonderfullly written songs. Thank u Tiny Desk.

[@Santiagomgb]

Look at the music sheet on the piano at 10:50. We were robbed of an additional song! Give it back!

[@rubennollet4623]

Saw them live earlier this year in Brussels. When we walked back to the station, we saw Shirley and Chris having a smoke in a doorway, and we had a little chat. Very sweet. They thanked us for coming out on a school night. :-)

[@dinomorose4000]

Saw the 69 Love Songs song cycle over two nights at the Lyric Hammersmith and it was one of the best experiences of my life.

[@Heretic10001]

I hadn’t ever heard of this band but I really enjoyed this. Great harmony and great lyrics. Have to explore more for sure!!

[@healthycathy9782]

AH I’M DELIGHTED TO SEE THEM! ❤❤❤❤

[@tryharder75]

these guys! so beautiful

[@tryharder75]

this is yt gold for you people in the future who discover magnetic fields long after we're all dead

[@MangoNizer]

Just close your eyes and listen. It's actually beautiful!

[@JunkyardGod89]

Loved this so much, never darted to watch a Tiny Desk performance so fast before.

[@PAP-o7l]

Oh my lawd. What a beautiful song..!! I've never heard of these before today, but now it's time for a deep dive into their music.

[@joegreatmusicfirstweir9646]

That girl's got a beautiful voice in this band

[@Gracemaeh]

I’m so glad this exists :) I really needed this this morning!

[@aobs8284]

a brilliant, quintessential Magnetic Fields performance of an essential, seminal album. 🤩🤩🤩

[@fanthomans2]

Not betterhelp , please...

[@Fx-pp8rg]

genuinely

[@mmayer1558]

If I hear about them one more time, so betterhelp me!!!!

[@braq9775]

Neverhelp

[@RDRTgames]

They’re locked into a contract, I’m sure they want out now as much as we do

[@nicorepetto5781]

What's wrong with better help?

[@AkwasiProductions]

My god. This is so beautiful.

[@Mefisto98]

Going to the 69 Love Songs 25th anniversary concert next year. Born in 1998, I have listened to this album for more than 10 years. This band, this album, and the 50 Song Memoir mean so much to me that I cannot explain. I don't want to get over you, Stephin.

[@annafranzen6453]

Such beautiful voices, all of them❤

[@Alistair_Spence]

Wow. Incredible. One of the best Tiny Desks I've ever seen.

[@hehebecca]

omg yay im so happy this was done. reno dakota is one of my favorite songs i wish it was longer eek