The Magnetic Fields

Alien Being

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Alien Being Lyrics

you talk a lot about nothing at all
watch t.v. shows about nothing at all
think a lot about nothing at all
listen to songs about nothing at all

you have no feelings
I think you are an alien being
you won't let me in
I think you are an alien being

you write the laws about nothing at all
make 3d films about nothing at all
stage happenings about nothing at all
sound and light shows about nothing at all
you complain about nothing at all
go insane about nothing at all

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delial On Aug 06, 2006

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delial

Submitter

2006-08-06 11:26:53

1 Meaning

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Cover art for Alien Being lyrics by Magnetic Fields, The

by MayRoe

13y ago

To me, this song is about being in love with someone who's giving up. It's a cruel, true message saying "if you don't believe in love, you believe in nothing at all". It reminds me of the MF song 'The Death of Ferdinand de Saussure':

"We don't know anything, You don't know anything, I don't know anything, About love.

But we are nothing, You are nothing, I am nothing, Without love."

This song is about highlighting all of the things love affects in people's lives. It's almost like he's saying: "You sure talk a lot about love for someone who doesn't believe in it". There's a yearning for love embedded in every line, but we can never quite reach it since Merritt is making a point of how badly giving up hope can affect someone's life. So instead of getting: "You talk a lot about love / Watch TV shows about love" we get: "You talk a lot about nothing at all / Watch TV shows about nothing at all".

If you swap a few lines saying "nothing at all" with "love" in this song, Merritt goes deeper into questioning how cold and cruel it is to believe love doesn't exist:

"You write the laws about (love) Make 3D films about (love) Stage happenings about (love) Sound and light shows about (love)

You complain about (love) Go insane about (love)."

Whilst never once using the word, Merritt describes someone losing their humanity by giving up love. They become alien to this world.

My Interpretation

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