The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
In “‘78 The Blizzard of '78”, Merritt recalls his 13-year old self’s feeble attempt to start a rock band during the deadly Northeastern United States blizzard of 1978. The lyrics detailing the horrible and devastating effects of the weather contrast with those documenting Merritt’s mundane time spen...
[Verse 1]
One ten year old was found after three weeks
In a snowdrift ten feet from his door
Some fell asleep in their cars and awakened no more
[Verse 2]
Twenty-five people died shoveling snow
Have that done by somebody you hate
One-hundred-sixty-six looters arrested, but wait
[Chorus 1]
I spent the blizzard of '78
On a commune in Northern Vermont
With all the Isaac Asimov anybody could want
[Verse 3]
Music was very much not allowed
So we said "Hey kids, let's start a band"
Proof that Ganesh loves us
There was no tape deck at hand
[Verse 4]
The first band I'd had was called "One and a Half"
We were a duo, technically
So if Tonto's Expanding Head Band was a band
So were we
[Chorus 2]
I spent the blizzard of '78
On a commune in Northern Vermont
With all the Ursula Le Guin anybody could want
[Verse 5]
I played guitar, Chris played tin cans
Caroline played tambourine
Chris was 11, Caroline 12, I 13
[Verse 6]
We called ourselves "the Black Widows"
We weren't the last nor the first
But we were almost certainly by far the worst
[Verse 7]
We made the Cramps sound orchestral
That's an achievement, I guess
As for rehearsal
We made the Shaggs sound like Yes
[Chorus 3]
I spent the blizzard of '78
On a commune in Northern Vermont
With all the Roger Zelazny anybody could want
It was hell
’78 The Blizzard of ’78 was written by Stephin Merritt.
’78 The Blizzard of ’78 was produced by Charles Newman & Doveman & Stephin Merritt.
The Magnetic Fields released ’78 The Blizzard of ’78 on Fri Mar 10 2017.
Merritt tells Daniel Handler about this song’s instrumentation in the album’s lyric booklet:
Oh, you think it’s a guitar. … It’s a dulcimer. It’s a three-string cigar box instrument, which only held together long enough for me to get the patch chord secure, so at certain points in the song I change...