YMMV / The Magnetic Fields

• Accidental Innuendo: 69 Love Songs was apparently chosen because of its appeal as a cover design.
• Covered Up: Peter Gabriel's version of "The Book Of Love" seems to have done this.
• Heartwarming Moments: His usual cynicism makes the pure love songs all the sweeter, especially "It's Only Time", a perfect wedding song.
  Why would I stop loving you
  A hundred years from now?
  It's only time, it's only time.
  What could stop this beating heart
  Once it's made a vow?
  It's only time, it's only time.
• Hilarious in Hindsight: The very title of "Andrew In Drag" becomes this thanks to Arcade Fire's video for "We Exist," which features Andrew Garfield playing a trans woman.
• Tear Jerker: "Busby Berkeley Dreams"
  • A lot of Get Lost, but especially "Why I Cry" (which was used effectively in some sad moments in The Adventures of Pete & Pete) and "All the Umbrellas in London".
  • "Fathers In The Clouds" from 50 Song Memoir tells the real-life story of Merritt meeting his real father after decades of never seeing him. Stephen sings like he doesn't care but the accompanying music is so heartbreaking it suggests this encounter affected him more than he lets on.
• Vindicated by History: With the band releasing more and more acclaimed albums later on (thanks to the success of 69 Love Songs), their first two and their only ones to have Susan Anway as a lead vocalist, Distant Plastic Trees and The Wayward Bus, eventually became forgotten by fans. However, they would later be re-discovered and are now considered to be great albums.
• The Woobie: Stephin Merritt himself, due to his tendency to write sad lyrics and his Eeyore-like persona.