Rusty's Stephin Merritt Discography: The Complicated Version

Zinnias
Compost / Sand Dollar
Album, Cassette: 1986
Zinnias was Stephin's first band, with Claudia, as well as Johnny Blood on tuba, John Gage on bass, and Charles Gil on vocals.   Compost was remixed slightly ("Leeches" and "Barley" more than the others) and re-released as Sand Dollar.  An earlier and much different incarnation of "Kings" is featured.  The song "Otters" was a prototype of "Jeremy," while "Fabergé" is a prototype of "Lovers from the Moon."  Neither album is available anywhere.

1. Leeches
2. Bed
3. Country
4. Otters
5. Helium
6. Barley
7. Kings
8. Screech
9. Paul Bunyan
10. Midnight Slows
11. Fabergé

Buffalo Rome
Cooking for the Priests
Album, Cassette: K Records, 1980s
Buffalo Rome was Shirley Simms singing for Stephin, released in very limited quantities (probably between 10 and 50) on K Records.  Apparently it was an early version of what was later to be Distant Plastic Trees, so I assume it was released between 1986 and 1991.  This version of "Plant White Roses" eventually appears on Obscurities.
The Magnetic Fields
"Crowd of Drifters"
Dr. Death's Volume 4: Marvels of Insect Life
Compilation Track, CD: C'est La Mort, 1990
Susan sings this version (different from the one that appears on The Charm of the Highway Strip).  The debut of The Magnetic Fields.

1. M-1 Alternative: The Marvels Of Insect Life Theme
2. Johanna's House Of Glamour: Dark Hour
3. Mumbles: Two Cloudd
4. Double Happiness: Cut
5. Critical Mass: Vacation
6. Flower Sermon: If God Is
7. M-1 Alternative: Slumming
8. Talisker Tale: Alone
9. Psychic Surgery: Greeks And Romans
10. Area: Green Light
11. Blackgirls: Translator
12. Leigh Gregory: Athea
13. Halcyon Daze: Ragman
14. The Millions: Delicate Balance
15. The Magnetic Fields: Crowd Of Drifters
16. Future Neighbors: Salty Sea
17. And Siamese Urbain: Whale's Belly
18. Handful Of Snowdrops: Now, Then And Forever

The Magnetic Fields
Distant Plastic Trees
Album, CD: Red Flame, Feb 1991
This was released on Red Flame Records and now out of print, but Merge Records has combined it with The Wayward Bus onto one CD.  "Plant White Roses" was left off of the Merge version (for some dumb reason), but you can find that track on The Long Secret compilation.  "Kings" is a reworking of the same song originally by Zinnias.  Vocals by Susan Anway.

1. Railroad Boy
2. Smoke Signals
3. You Love To Fail
4. Kings
5. Babies Falling
6. Living In An Abandoned Firehouse With You
7. Tar-Heel Boy
8. Falling In Love with the Wolfboy
9. Josephine
10. 100,000 Fireflies
11. Plant White Roses

The Magnetic Fields
"100,000 Fireflies"
Single, 7": Harriet, Sep 1991
Single, 7": Harriet, 1992
A single of the song from Distant Plastic Trees backed with "Old Orchard Beach."  Released in 1991 with a silver cover and then again in 1992 with color artwork.  Essentially a collector's item, since both of these songs can be found on The Wayward Bus / Distant Plastic Trees.

1. 100,000 Fireflies
2. Old Orchard Beach

The Magnetic Fields
The Wayward Bus
Album, CD: PoPuP, Jan 1992
The PoPuP release of this album is now out of print, but you can find it combined with Distant Plastic Trees on Merge Records.  "Lovers from the Moon" is a reworking of the song "Fabergé" by Zinnias.

1. When You Were My Baby
2. The Saddest Story Ever Told
3. Lovers from the Moon
4. Candy
5. Tokyo a Go-Go
6. Summer Lies
7. Old Orchard Beach
8. Jeremy
9. Dancing In Your Eyes
10. Suddenly There Is a Tidal Wave

The Magnetic Fields
"100,000 Fireflies"
One Last Kiss
Compilation Track, CD: Spinart, 1992
Same as album version.
The Magnetic Fields
The House of Tomorrow
EP, 7": Feel Good All Over, 1992
This is the original 7" release by Feel Good All Over.  It was eventually released by that label as a CD in 1996 with the new song "Alien Being."  When that went out of print, it was released on CD by Merge in 1999 with new cover artwork.  First release featuring Stephin on vocals.

1. Young and Insane
2. Technical (You're So)
3. Love Goes Home To Paris in the Spring
4. Either You Don't Love Me or I Don't Love You

The Magnetic Fields
"Long Vermont Roads"
Single, 7": Harriet, Dec 1992
Same song that eventually appeared on The Charm of the Highway Strip.  Backed with "Alien Being" (eventually found on the CD version of The House of Tomorrow) and "Beach-a-Boop-Boop" (eventually found on Obscurities).

1. Long Vermont Roads
2. Alien Being
3. Beach-a-Boop-Boop

The 6ths
"Heaven in a Black Leather Jacket"
Single, 7": Merge, Mar 1993
Same song that eventually appears on Wasps' Nests, sung by Robert Scott.  Backed with "Rot in the Sun," which eventually appears on Obscurities, sung by Stephin.  The first release by The 6ths.

1. Heaven in a Black Leather Jacket
2. Rot in the Sun

Future Bible Heroes
Vacationland
Album, Cassette: PoPuP, 1993
This is a cassette demo used for label-finding purposes.  I'm not sure of a track list, but I know that it consists of songs that were eventually re-recorded for Memories of Love and songs that have never been officially released.
The Magnetic Fields
The Charm of the Highway Strip
Album, CD: Merge, 18 Apr 1994
The first of two 1994 releases, featuring the previously-released single "Long Vermont Roads."  Vocals by Stephin.

1. Lonely Highway
2. Long Vermont Roads
3. Born on a Train
4. I Have the Moon
5. Two Characters In Search of a Country Song
6. Crowd of Drifters
7. Fear of Trains
8. When the Open Road Is Closing In
9. Sunset City
10. Dust Bowl

The Magnetic Fields
"Strange Powers"
CMJ New Music Monthly Vol. 11
Compilation Track, CD: CMJ, Jun 1994
Same as album version, released with CMJ magazine.
The Magnetic Fields
"Plant White Roses"
Rows of Teeth
Compilation Track, CD: Merge, 26 Jul 1994
Stephin's totally remade version of this song, with himself on vocals.

1. Lambchop: Or Thousands of Prizes
2. Rocket from the Crypt: UFO>UFO>UFO
3. Erectus Monotone: The Day the Sharks Flew
4. Polvo: Watch the Nail
5. Angels of Epistemology: The Charm
6. Metal Pitcher: Mental Picture
7. The Renderers: Million Lights
8. Pipe: Ashtray
9. Butterglory: Alexander Bends
10. Archers of Loaf: What Did You Expect?
11. Pure: Senseless
12. Bricks: You Shouldn't Have Smashed Your Guitar
13. Drive Like Jehu: Bullet Train to Vegas
14. Coral: Filling a Hole
15. Superchunk: Dance Lessons
16. Magnetic Fields: Plant White Roses
17. Breadwinner: Yard
18. Wwax: Counting Thoughts
19. Portastatic: Codes, Runes, Dunes
20. Squirrel Nut Zippers: You Are My Radio.

The Magnetic Fields
Holiday
Album, CD: Feel Good All Over, 27 Sep 1994
Album, CD: Merge, 12 Jan 1999
Originally released on Feel Good All Over in 1994, then re-released by Merge in 1999.  The only difference (other than new artwork) is that the unnamed track 1 is now named "BBC Stereophonic Workshop."

1. BBC Stereophonic Workshop
2. Desert Island
3. Deep Sea Diving Suit
4. Strange Powers
5. Torn Green Velvet Eyes
6. The Flowers She Sent and the Flowers She Said She Sent
7. Swinging London
8. In My Secret Place
9. Sad Little Moon
10. The Trouble I've Been Looking For
11. Sugar World
12. All You Ever Do Is Walk Away
13. In My Car
14. Take Ecstasy With Me

The Magnetic Fields
The Wayward Bus / Distant Plastic Trees
Albums, CD: Merge, 23 Jan 1995
Originally Distant Plastic Trees was released on Red Flame Records and The Wayward Bus was released on PoPuP Records. Merge combined these (the Susan Anway records) onto one disc (with a 4:32 silent track separating them), leaving off "Plant White Roses" (for some dumb reason) which can now be found on The Long Secret compilation from Harriet Records. They decided to put the new album first on the CD, then the old one.

1. When You Were My Baby
2. The Saddest Story Ever Told
3. Lovers from the Moon
4. Candy
5. Tokyo a Go-Go
6. Summer Lies
7. Old Orchard Beach
8. Jeremy
9. Dancing In Your Eyes
10. Suddenly There Is a Tidal Wave
11. [Silent Track]
12. Railroad Boy
13. Smoke Signals
14. You Love To Fail
15. Kings
16. Babies Falling
17. Living In An Abandoned Firehouse With You
18. Tar-Heel Boy
19. Falling In Love with the Wolfboy
20. Josephine
21. 100,000 Fireflies

The Gothic Archies
"The Abandoned Castle of My Soul"

The Magnetic Fields
"Plant White Roses"

The Long Secret
Compilation Tracks, CD: Harriet, 1995

"The Abandoned Castle of My Soul" eventually appears in unaltered form on The New Despair.  "Plant White Roses" is the version sung by Susan that originally appeared on the now out-of-print version of Distant Plastic Trees.  Also, this is an excellent compilation.

1. Vehicle Flips: Diplomacy, Home and Abroad
2. Twig: Lilac Ride
3. The Ampersands: My Favourite Jumper
4. The Mountain Goats: Duke Ellington
5. Six Cents and Natalie: Quilting Bee
6. The Gothic Archies: The Abandoned Castle of My Soul
7. Pest 5000: Godsound
8. Weeping in Fits and Starts: Big Fish
9. Frank Boscoe and Karl Hendricks: Song for Tim and Alex
10. The Cat's Miaow: The Phoebe I Know
11. Fertile Virgin: My Three Suns
12. Tully Craft: Pop Songs Your New Boyfriend's Too Stupid To Know About
13. Lotus Eaters: Whistles and Bells
14. Prickly: Hedgeclipping Song
15. The Extra Glenns: Process of Elimination
16. High Risk Group
17. The Magnetic Fields: Plant White Roses

The 6ths
Wasps' Nests
Album, CD: London, 21 Mar 1995
The first album by this multi-singered band, featuring the previously-released song "Heaven in a Black Leather Jacket."

1. San Diego Zoo - Barbara Manning
2. Aging Spinsters - Stephin Merritt
3. All Dressed Up in Dreams - Mary Timony
4. Falling Out of Love (With You) - Dean Wareham
5. Winter in July - Ayako Akashiba
6. Pillow Fight - Mitch Easter
7. Dream Hat - Mac McCaughan
8. Movies In My Head - Georgia Hubley
9. In the City in the Rain - Lou Barlow
10. Looking for Love (In the Hall of Mirrors) - Amelia Fletcher
11. Heaven in a Black Leather Jacket - Robert Scott
12. Here in My Heart - Anna Domino
13. Puerto Rico Way - Mark Robinson
14. You Can't Break a Broken Heart - Jeffrey Underhill
15. When I'm Out of Town - Chris Knox

The 6ths
Wasps' Nests 6 and 6/6ths Box Set
Album, 7"s: London, 21 Mar 1995
A box set of all the songs on 7"s with an extra song, "Yet Another Girl," sung by Stuart Moxham, which eventually appears on Obscurities.  Also featured self-portraits of all the singers.

1. San Diego Zoo - Barbara Manning
2. Aging Spinsters - Stephin Merritt
3. All Dressed Up in Dreams - Mary Timony
4. Falling Out of Love (With You) - Dean Wareham
5. Winter in July - Ayako Akashiba
6. Pillow Fight - Mitch Easter
7. Dream Hat - Mac McCaughan
8. Movies In My Head - Georgia Hubley
9. In the City in the Rain - Lou Barlow
10. Looking for Love (In the Hall of Mirrors) - Amelia Fletcher
11. Heaven in a Black Leather Jacket - Robert Scott
12. Here in My Heart - Anna Domino
13. Puerto Rico Way - Mark Robinson
14. You Can't Break a Broken Heart - Jeffrey Underhill
15. When I'm Out of Town - Chris Knox
16. Yet Another Girl - Stuart Moxham

The 6ths
"San Diego Zoo"
Single, CD: London, 1995
A CD single of the album version of the song.

1. San Diego Zoo

The Magnetic Fields
"Two Characters In Search of a Country Song"
Listen Now! - Volume 2
Compilation Track, CD: Labels, Sep 1995
Same as album version.
Future Bible Heroes
"Hopeless"
Red Hot + Bothered
Compilation Track, CD: Red Hot, 22 Sep 1995
Stephin's version of the song later sung by Claudia on Memories of Love.  Stephin also sings this song on the Lonely Days EP, but this is a different vocal take (not sounding too different, but different nonetheless).  This is the first appearance of Future Bible Heroes.  This is also a very good compilation.

1. Freedom Cruise: Sensational Gravity Boy
2. Built To Spill / Caustic Resin: Still Flat
3. Lisa Germano: The Mirror Is Gone
4. Noise Addict: Moutwash
5. Folk Implosion: Indierockinstrumental
6. The Verlaines: Some Fantasy
7. Liquorice: Little League
8. Babe the Blue Ox: Hazmats
9. Juicy: Mainland China
10. The Sea and Cake: The Fontana
11. Cradle Robbers: Sotto Voice
12. Jay Farrrar and Kelly Willis: Rex's Blues
13. Grifters: Empty Yard
14. East River Pipe: Miracleland
15. Heavenly: Snail Trail
16. Future Bible Heroes: Hopeless
17. Flying Nuns: Servicing Man
18. Gastr del Sol: Quietly Approaching

The Magnetic Fields
Get Lost
Album, CD: Merge, 24 Oct 1995
The 1995 Magnetic Fields album, featuring the previously-released song "All the Umbrellas in London."  Stephin on vocals.

1. Famous
2. The Desperate Things You Made Me Do
3. Smoke and Mirrors
4. With Whom To Dance?
5. You and Me and the Moon
6. Don't Look Away
7. Save a Secret for the Moon
8. Why I Cry
9. Love Is Lighter Than Air
10. When You're Old and Lonely
11. The Village in the Morning
12. All the Umbrellas in London
13. The Dreaming Moon

The Magnetic Fields
"Why I Cry"
Single, 7": Motorway, 1995
This is the same version that appeared on Get Lost.  It is backed with the Young Marble Giants cover "The Man Amplifier," which only appears here.

1. Why I Cry
2. The Man Amplifier

The Magnetic Fields
"All the Umbrellas in London"
Single, 7": Merge, Dec 1995
This is the same version of "All the Umbrellas in London" that appeared on Get Lost.  Backed with "Rats in the Garbage of the Western World," which eventually appears on Obscurities.

1. All the Umbrellas in London
2. Rats in the Garbage of the Western World

The Gothic Archies
Looming in the Gloom
EP, CD: Hello Records Club, Mar 1996
Released on They Might Be Giants' Hello Records Club, March 1996, a club that forces you to also buy all the other EPs released that month.  Only one song, "The Dead Only Quickly" (not The 6ths version), does not appear on The New Despair, but the mix of "City of the Damned" is also different.

1. The Abandoned Castle of My Soul
2. Your Long White Fingers
3. The Dead Only Quickly
4. In a Cave
5. City of the Damned

The Magnetic Fields
The House of Tomorrow
EP, CD: Feel Good All Over, 23 Apr 1996
EP, CD: Merge, 12 Jan 1999
Originally released as a 7" by Feel Good All Over in 1992, when it was released as a CD in 1996, it added the song "Alien Being."  When that went out of print, Merge released it in 1999 with new cover artwork.  Vocals by Stephin.

1. Young and Insane
2. Technical (You're So)
3. Alien Being
4. Love Goes Home To Paris in the Spring
5. Either You Don't Love Me or I Don't Love You

Future Bible Heroes
"O! What a Dream It Was"
Welcome to the Dollhouse
Soundtrack track, CD: London, 28 May 1996
This album is now out of print, but you can find the song (sung by Stephin) on the 12 Tales compilation.

1. Daniel Rey: Welcome to the Dollhouse (Theme)
2. Daniel Rey: Sweet Candy
3. Daniel Rey: Welcome to the Dollhouse
4. The Con Artists: Throb
5. Chris Temple: For Real
6. Daniel Rey: Happy Anniversary
7. Dana White and Mike Moran: Love Will Find a Way
8. Daniel Rey: A Veenu Shalom Aleichem
9. The Undead: Evening of Desire
10. The Con Artists: Masquerade
11. Future Bible Heroes: O! What a Dream It Was.

The Magnetic Fields
"Heroes"
Crash Course for the Ravers
Compilation Track, CD: Undercover, 27 Aug 1996
A cover of the David Bowie song on this tribute record, sung by Stephin.

1. Swell: Golden Years
2. Tree People: Andy Warhol
3. Capsise 7: Queen Bitch
4. Fernando: Jean Genie
5. Golden Delicious: Suffragette City
6. Quasi: Sound and Vision
7. Magnetic Fields: Heroes
8. J. Hell: Moonage Daydream
9. The Dambuilders: Boys Keep Swinging
10. King Black Acid: Always Crashing in the Same Car
11. Spurge: Width of a Circle
12. Hazel: It Ain't Easy
13. Vintilator: After All
14. Mercury Rev: The Sun Machine

The Magnetic Fields
"Smoke and Mirrors"
Mrg100
Compilation Track, CD: Merge, 17 Apr 1997
The song as remixed by Mark Robinson and James Noble on this EP, sung by Stephin with sing-along vocals by Evelyn Hurley.

1. Superchunk: Eastern Terminal
2. Spent: Brighter Than Day
3. Butterglory: She's Got the Akshun!
4. Guv'ner: Your Majesty
5. The Magnetic Fields: Smoke and Mirrors
6. Lambchop: The Militant

Future Bible Heroes
Memories of Love
Album, CD: Slow River, 29 Apr 1997
The first album by Future Bible Heroes, featuring Claudia Gonson and Stephin on vocals.

1. Lonely Days
2. She-Devils of the Deep
3. Hopeless
4. Death Opened a Boutique
5. You Pretend To Be the Moon
6. Blond Adonis
7. But You're So Beautiful
8. A You You Never Knew
9. Real Summer
10. Memories of Love
11. You Steal the Scene

The Magnetic Fields
"I Die You Die"
Random
Compilation Track, CD: Beggar's Banquet, 10 Jun 1997
A Gary Numan cover, sung by Stephin, on this two CD tribute record.

1. St. Etienne: Stormtrooper In Drag
2. Matt Sharp / Damon Albarn: We Have a Technical
3. Gravity Kills: Poetry and Power
4. Peck Slip: I Can't Stop
5. An Pierle: Are "Friends" Electric?
6. EMF: We Are Glass
7. The Magnetic Fields: I Die: You Die
8. Jesus Jones: We Are So Fragile
9. Posh: She's Got Claws
10. Earl Brutus: M.E.
11. Underdog: Films
12. Sukia: Me! I Disconnect From You
13. The Orb: Jo the Waiter

1. Kenickie: I'm an Agent
2. Jimi Tenor: Down in the Park
3. Moloko: Are "Friends" Electric?
4. Chris Holmes: Are "Friends" Electric
5. Towering Inferno: Metal
6. Dubstar: Everyday I Die
7. Amanda Ghost: Absolution
8. Deadsy: Replicas
9. Pop Will Eat Itself: Friends
10. Republica: Are "Friends" Electric?
11. Windscale: War Songs
12. Bis: We Are So Fragile
13. Dave Clarke: Cars

Future Bible Heroes
"Hopeless"
A&F In Stereo
Compilation Track, CD: Abercrombie and Fich, 1997
An Abercrombie and Fich compilation, featuring the album version of "Hopeless."
Future Bible Heroes
Lonely Days
EP, CD: Slow River, Apr 1997
Features "Lonely Days" (same version as on album) and a Stephin version of "Hopeless" that is slightly different than the one from the Red Hot + Bothered compilation.

1. Lonely Days
2. Hopeless
3. Love Is Blue
4. How To Get Laid in Japanese
5. Berlin on $10 a Day

The Gothic Archies
The New Despair
EP, CD: Merge, 14 Oct 1997
Adding three songs to Looming in the Gloom and subtracting one ("The Dead Only Quickly").  The mix of "City of the Damned" is different from the first EP also.

1. It's Useless To Struggle
2. City of the Damned
3. The Abandoned Castle of My Soul
4. Your Long White Fingers
5. Ever Falls the Twilight
6. The Tiny Goat
7. In a Cave

Future Bible Heroes
Lonely Days
Single, 7": Slow River, 1998
This is the first two tracks from the Lonely Days EP, released on 7".
The Magnetic Fields
"I Don't Believe You"
Single, 7": Merge, Aug 1998
This version of the song is different from the one that eventually appears on the 2004 album i. Backed with "When I'm Not Looking, You're Not There."  This version of "I Don't Believe You" first appears in CD form on the compilation All's Fair in Love and Chickfactor, but now both it and the B-side can be found on Obscurities.

1. I Don't Believe You
2. When I'm Not Looking, You're Not There

Future Bible Heroes
"Lonely Days"
Diversion
Compilation Track, CD: White, 1998
Same version as CD.  A compilation of Slow River artists.
The Magnetic Fields
"Two Characters in Search of a Country Song"
I Went Down
Soundtrack Track, CD: Prophesy, 1998
Same as album version.
Future Bible Heroes
"Lonely Days"
Mystique: A Benefit for the AIDS Action Committee
Compilation Track, CD: Sealed Fate, 1998
A remix by Charnock Richard.

1. Beachwood Sparks: Sweet Julie Ann
2. Purple Ivy Shadows: Secret's Out
3. Garlands: Birds on the Make
4. Astrud: Personal Mi Fracaso
5. Fly Seville: Taj Mahal of America
6. Minstrels: Moorea
7. Sleepyhead: Pop Quiz
8. Guardian Angel
9. Push Kings: Last Summer
10. Egyptian Funk
11. Future Bible Heroes: Lonely Days
12. The Tyde: Doll of the Valley
13. Honeybunch: Everything To Everyone
14. Barbara Brousal: I'll Say It
15. The Essex Green: Orchardton

The Magnetic Fields
"Le Tourbillion"
Pop Romantique
Compilation Track, CD: Emperor Norton, 23 Feb 1999
In French, written by Bassiak and sung by Dudley Klute.  A pretty good compilation.

1. The Hang-Ups: Pardon
2. Ivy: L'Anamour
3. Luna: La Poupee Qui Fait Non
4. Air: Jeanne
5. The Apples in Stereo: Avril En Mai
6. Lloyd Cole: Si Tu Dois Partir
7. Heavenly: Nous Ne Sommes Pas De Anges
8. Godzuki: Contact
9. John Wesley Harding: Je Suis Venu Te Dire Que Je M'en Vais
10. Sukia: Zoooom!
11. Magnetic Fields: Le Tourbillion
12. The Ladybug Transistor: Puis-Je?

The Magnetic Fields
"Take Ecstasy with Me"
Oh Merge
Compilation Track, CD: Merge, 13 Jul 1999
Susan Anway sings this version from 1993, which is almost totally different from the version on Holiday.

1. Ashley Stove: A Chocolate Crave
2. Beatnik Filmstars: Hypo-Boxing
3. East River Pipe: So Much Hate
4. Ganger: Blaufest
5. Guv'ner: Lucky Ladybug
6. The Karl Hendricks Rock Band: You're a Bigger Jerk Than Me
7. The Ladybug Transistor: Massachusetts
8. Lambchop: Up With People (live)
9. Mad Scene: Kokomo Joe
10. The Magnetic Fields: Take Ecstasy with Me
11. Neutral Milk Hotel: Engine
12. Pipe: Sheer Heart Attack
13. Portastatic: Easily Aroused
14. The Rock *A* Teens: What Took You So Long
15. Rocket from the Crypt: Man Down
16. Seaweed: Brand New Order
17. Shark Quest: Dancing Tooth
18. Spent: (I'll Clean Up) The Mess That You Are
19. Superchunk: Clover
20. The Third Eye Foundation: Semtex

Future Bible Heroes
"Love Is Blue"
Casablanca
Compilation Track, CD: Elefant, 1999
Same version as the one on Lonely Days.  Released in Spain.
Future Bible Heroes
"Lonely Days"
Palm Pictures Sampler
Compilation Track, CD: Rykodisc, 1999
Same as album version.
The Magnetic Fields
69 Love Songs Volume 1
Album, CD: Merge, 7 Sep 1999

The Magnetic Fields
69 Love Songs Volume 2
Album, CD: Merge, 7 Sep 1999

The Magnetic Fields
69 Love Songs Volume 3
Album, CD: Merge, 7 Sep 1999

The Magnetic Fields
69 Love Songs
Box Set, CDs: Merge, 7 Sep 1999

The 3 CD set, released in 1999, as a box set with an interview booklet.  The three CDs are also available as individual volumes.  Features vocals by Stephin and Claudia as well as LD Beghtol, Dudley Klute, and Shirley Simms.

VOLUME 1
1. Absolutely Cuckoo
2. I Don't Believe in the Sun
3. All My Little Words
4. A Chicken With Its Head Cut Off
5. Reno Dakota
6. I Don't Want To Get Over You
7. Come Back from San Francisco
8. The Luckiest Guy on the Lower East Side
9. Let's Pretend We're Bunny Rabbits
10. The Cactus Where Your Heart Should Be
11. I Think I Need a New Heart
12. The Book of Love
13. Fido, Your Leash Is Too Long
14. How Effing Romantic
15. The One You Really Love
16. Punk Love
17. Parades Go By
18. Boa Constrictor
19. A Pretty Girl Is Like...
20. My Sentimental Melody
21. Nothing Matters When We're Dancing
22. Sweet-Lovin' Man
23. The Things We Did and Didn't Do

VOLUME 2
1. Roses
2. Love Is Like Jazz
3. When My Boy Walks Down the Street
4. Time Enough for Rocking When We're Old
5. Very Funny
6. Grand Canyon
7. No One Will Ever Love You
8. If You Don't Cry
9. You're My Only Home
10. (Crazy for You But) Not That Crazy
11. My Only Friend
12. Promises of Eternity
13. World Love
14. Washington D.C.
15. Long-Forgotten Fairy Tale
16. Kiss Me Like You Mean It
17. Papa Was a Rodeo
18. Epitaph for My Heart
19. Asleep and Dreaming
20. The Sun Goes Down and the World Goes Dancing
21. The Way You Say Good-Night
22. Abigail, Belle of Kilronan
23. I Shatter

VOLUME 3
1. Underwear
2. It's a Crime
3. Busby Berkeley Dreams
4. I'm Sorry I Love You
5. Acoustic Guitar
6. The Death of Ferdinand de Saussure
7. Love in the Shadows
8. Bitter Tears
9. Wi' Nae Wee Bairn Ye'll Me Beget
10. Yeah! Oh, Yeah!
11. Experimental Music Love
12. Meaningless
13. Love Is Like a Bottle of Gin
14. Queen of the Savages
15. Blue You
16. I Can't Touch You Anymore
17. Two Kinds of People
18. How To Say Goodbye
19. The Night You Can't Remember
20. For We Are the King of the Boudoir
21. Strange Eyes
22. Xylophone Track
23. Zebra

The Magnetic Fields
"If I Were a Rich Man"
Knitting on the Roof
Compilation Track, CD: Knitting Factory Works, 16 Nov 1999
Stephin Merritt sings this Fiddler on the Roof song.  The rest of the tribute is Knitting Room Factory regulars doing Fiddler tunes.

1. New Orleans Klezmer Allstars: Tradition
2. The Residents: Matchmaker
3. Magnetic Fields: If I Were a Rich Man
4. Uri Caine: Sabbath Prayer
5. Naftule's Dream: To Life
6. Dr. Eugene Chadbourne: Miracle of Miracles
7. Negativland: Tevye's Dream
8. Jill Sobule: Sunrise, Sunset
9. Hasidic New Wave: Wedding Celebration
10. Come: Do You Love Me?
11. David S. Ware: Far from the Home I Love
12. Elliot Sharp: Chava Ballet Sequence
13. Paradox Trio: Anatevka

Future Bible Heroes
I'm Lonely (And I Love It)
EP, CD: Merge, 18 Jul 2000
Four new songs plus a remix of "Hopeless."

1. I'm Lonely (And I Love It)
2. My Blue Hawaii
3. Café Hong Kong
4. Good Thing I Don't Have Any Feelings
5. Hopeless (Remix)

The 6ths
Hyacinths and Thistles
Album, CD: Merge, 5 Sep 2000
The second 6ths album, featuring a version of "The Dead Only Quickly" sung by Neil Hannon, different from the Gothic Archies' version (why this song obviously perfect for the Gothic Archies and already recorded by them ended up as a 6ths song I'll never know).

1. As You Turn To Go - Momus
2. Give Me Back My Dreams - Sally Timms
3. He Didn't - Bob Mould
4. I've Got New York - Melanie
5. Just Like a Movie Star - Dominique Á
6. Kissing Things - Sarah Cracknell
7. Lindy-Lou - Miho Hatori
8. Night Falls Like a Grand Piano - Clare Grogan
9. The Dead Only Quickly - Neil Hannon
10. The Sailor in Love with the Sea - Gary Numan
11. Volcana! - Marc Almond
12. Waltzing Me All the Way Home - Odetta
13. You You You You You - Katharine Whalen
14. Oahu - Miss Lily Banquette

The Magnetic Fields
"I Think I Need a New Heart"
Momentos 2000
Compilation Track, CD: Senedín Music, 2000
Same as album version.  A Spanish release.
The Magnetic Fields
"Absolutely Cuckoo"
Un Automne 2000
Compilation Track, CD: Les Inrockuptibles, 2000
Same as album version.  A French release.
Stephin Merritt "Soundtrack Man"
"Get Carter"

Future Bible Heroes
"Don't You Want Me?"

The 6ths
"Human"
Reproductions: Songs of the Human League
Compilation Tracks, CD: March, 7 Nov 2000

This Human League tribute album features three Stephin Merritt projects (as well as a song by Hidden Variable, featuring Chris Ewan of Future Bible Heroes).  "Get Carter" is an instrumental, Stephin and Claudia sing "Don't You Want Me," and Lloyd Cole sings "Human."

1. Stephin Merritt "Soundtrack Man": Get Carter
2. Aluminum Group: Love Action (I Believe In Love)
3. Optiganally Yours: Empire State Human
4. Barcelona: Mirror Man
5. Future Bible Heroes: Don't You Want Me?
6. Ladytron: Open Your Heart
7. Baxendale: Keep Feeling (Fascination)
8. Superheroes/Superheroes: The Sound of the Crowd
9. Lali Puna: Together In Electric Dreams
10. Hidden Variable: The Black Hit of Space
11. Momus: I Am the Law
12. Clicks: Seconds
13. hollAnd: The Lebanon
14. Stars: Stay With Me Tonight
15. Garlands: Being Spoiled
16. The 6ths: Human

The Magnetic Fields
"I Don't Believe in the Sun"
TT 37
Compilation Track, CD: Text Un Tond Magazin, date unknown
Same as album version.  A German release.
The Magnetic Fields
"All My Little Words"
Revolutions 04: Music for Tomorrow
Compilation Track, CD: Select Magazine, Jan 2001
Same as album version.  A CD that came free with Select Magazine.
The Magnetic Fields
"Absolutely Cuckoo"
Someone Like You
Soundtrack Track, Cd: Tvt, 30 Mar 2001
Same as album version.
The Magnetic Fields
"Long-Forgotten Fairy Tale"
FM4 Sound Selection 06
Compilation Track, CD: Intonation, 2001
Same as album version.
The Magnetic Fields
"I Don't Believe in the Sun"
Music First - PIAS Sampler
Compilation Track, CD: Senedín Music, 2001
Same as album version.  A Spanish release.
Stephin Merritt
Eban and Charley
Album, CD: Merge, 22 Jan 2002
Stephin Merritt's first full album release under his own name, and his first movie soundtrack.  Vocals by Stephin.

1. Mother
2. Cricket Problem
3. Some Summer Day
4. O Tannenbaum
5. Poppyland
6. Drowned Sailors
7. Maria Maria Maria
8. Titles
9. The Little Ukulele
10. Tea Party
11. Tiny Flying Player Pianos
12. Mother Remembered
13. Victorian Robotics
14. Water Torture
15. Greensleeves
16. Stage Rain

Future Bible Heroes
"O! What a Dream It Was"
12 Tales
Compilation Track, CD: Instinct, 12 Feb 2002
This is the same version that was featured on the Welcome to the Dollhouse soundtrack, which is now out of print.

1. Rasputina: Hunter's Kiss
2. Future Bible Heroes: O! What a Dream It Was
3. Flir: Lick
4. Cranes: Flute Song
5. Blistream Dream: Impossible Gardens
6. Creatures: Slipping Away
7. Violent Indiana: Purr la Perla
8. Miranda Sex: Andera Sempre
9. Russell Mills / David Sylvian: Room of Sixteen Shimmers
10. Livid Kittens: Flying
11. Devics: You Could Walk Forever
12. Legendary Pink Dots: The War of Silence.

The Gothic Archies
"Smile: No One Cares How You Feel"
Survive and Advance Vol. 1
Compilation Track, CD: Merge, 2002
The same song that eventually appears on The Tragic Treasury.  This one is punctuated with a colon instead of an exclamation mark.
The Magnetic Fields
"I Don't Believe You"
All's Fair in Love and Chickfactor
Compilation Track, CD: Chickfactor, 2002
This compilation was the first place to obtain the single version of this song (different from the one on i) it in CD form, but now it can be found on Obscurities.  A pretty good compilation.

1. Pipas: Wells Street
2. Dump: Last Minute
3. Would-Be-Goods: Leave My Mind Alone
4. The Magnetic Fields: I Don't Believe You
5. The Pacific Ocean: I Tell You My Heart Could Split
6. Low: Those Girls (Song for Nico)
7. Shannon Wright: I Started a Joke
8. The Legendary Jim Ruiz: Ariel
9. The Pines: Kisses and Fog
10. The Clientele: Rain
11. April March: Mon Ange Gardien
12. Flare: Where's the Boy That I Once Knew?
13. The Aislers Set: Summer's Reprise
14. The Foxgloves: Daystar
15. Gilmore Tammy: Simple and Fragrant
16. Stuart Moxham: Save It
17. Marine Research: Capital L
18. Hercules featuring the Fan Modine: Hurricane
19. True Love Always: Mediterranean
20. Graeme Downes: Mastercontrol
21. The Cannanes with Steward: Astra

Future Bible Heroes
Eternal Youth
Album, CD: Instinct, 20 Aug 2002
The second Future Bible Heroes album, featuring only Claudia on vocals.

1. Losing Your Affection
2. The Slow Fade
3. Doris Daytheearthstoodstill
4. A Thousand Lovers in a Day
5. Bathysphere
6. I'm a Vampire
7. From Some Dying Star
8. Viennese Lift
9. Smash the Beauty Machine
10. The Control Room
11. Find an Open Window
12. Kiss Me Only With Your Eyes
13. Jakarta
14. No River
15. Cartoon
16. The World Is a Disco Ball

The Magnetic Fields
"If I Were a Rich Man"
Jazzthing Presents Wet Paint: Wolf Kampmann's Knitting
Compilation Track, CD: Knitting Factory Works, 2002
Same as the version that appears on Knitting on the Roof, but I suppose it's just as well to get it here.

1. Gary Lucas: Autobahn
2. Thomas Chapin: Essaouira
3. Cuong Vu: Safekeepings
4. The Magnetic Fields: If I Were a Rich Man
5. Sex Mob: About a Girl
6. Michael Blake: Elevated
7. Bill Ware / Marc Ribot: Take the "A" Train
8. Elliot Sharp's Terraplane: Baptism of Concrete
9. Ballin' Jack: Limehouse Blues
10. Frank London: Psycho Klezmer
11. The Jazz Passengers: If I Were a Bell
12. Wayne Horvitz' Zony Mash: Goes Round and Round
13. Kazutoki Umezu: Yakitori
14. DJ Spooky: Sub Dub Prologue

The 6ths
"He Didn't"
Seleccíon Natural. Momentos 2001
Compilation Track, CD: Senedín, 2002
Same as album track.  A Spanish release.
Future Bible Heroes
The Lonely Robot
EP, CD: Instinct, 21 Jan 2003
Remixes of various songs from Eternal Youth, plus new songs "The DJ from Outer Space" and "The Lonely Robot."

1. The DJ from Outer Space
2. Losing Your Affection (Client On Demand Mix)
3. The World Is a Disco Ball (Bob Rivers Club Mix)
4. Losing Your Affection (Sunroof Mix)
5. I'm a Vampire (Extended Mix)
6. Losing Your Affection (Soft Cell 12-Inch Mix)
7. The Lonely Robot

The Magnetic Fields
"I Don't Want To Get Over You"
Intermission (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Soundtrack Track, CD: EMI, 2003
Same as album version.
Stephin Merritt
Pieces of April
Soundtrack, CD: Nonesuch, 4 Nov 2003
This soundtrack is credited to Stephin Merritt, but it is actually a collection of older works by The Magnetic Fields and The 6ths combined with newer songs by those two bands, with one song credited to Stephin Merritt.  The new songs are "All I Want To Know," "Dreams Anymore," Heather Heather," and "Stray With Me" by The Magnetic Fields and "One April Day" by Stephin Merritt.  (Why this one song only is not credited to The Magnetic Fields is anyone's guess.)

1. The Magnetic Fields: All I Want To Know
2. The 6ths: As You Turn To Go
3. The Magnetic Fields: Dreams Anymore
4. The Magnetic Fields: Epitaph for My Heart
5. The Magnetic Fields: Heather Heather
6. The Magnetic Fields: I Think I Need a New Heart
7. Stephin Merritt: One April Day
8. The Magnetic Fields: Stray With Me
9. The Magnetic Fields: The Luckiest Guy on the Lower East Side
10. The 6ths: You You You You You

The Magnetic Fields
i
Album, CD: Nonesuch, 3 May 2004
The 2004 album featuring a new version of "I Don't Believe You" that is different from the 1998 7" single.  Vocals by Stephin.

1. I Die
2. I Don't Believe You
3. I Don't Really Love You Anymore
4. I Looked All Over Town
5. I Thought You Were My Boyfriend
6. I Was Born
7. I Wish I Had an Evil Twin
8. If There's Such a Thing as Love
9. I'm Tongue-Tied
10. In an Operetta
11. Infinitely Late at Night
12. Irma
13. Is This What They Used To Call Love?
14. It's Only Time

The Magnetic Fields
I Thought You Were My Boyfriend: Remixes
EP, CD: Nonesuch, 29 Jun 2004
This isn't so much a single of the song (the original doesn't appear) as it is three remixes (one of which is semi-confusingly titled "Single Edit") by Rob Rivers.

1. I Thought You Were My Boyfriend (Extended Mix)
2. I Thought You Were My Boyfriend (Dub Mix)
3. I Thought You Were My Boyfriend (Single Edit)

The Magnetic Fields
"100,000 Fireflies"
Rough Trade Shops - Indiepop 1
Compilation Track, CD: Mute, 4 Oct 2004
Same as album track.
The Magnetic Fields
"I Don't Believe You"
The Cornerstone Player 055
Compilation Track, CD: Cornerstone Promotion, 2004
 
Same as album track.
The Magnetic Fields
"All I Want To Know"
The Nonesuch Collection
Compilation Track, CD: Nonesuch, 2004
Same as album track.
The Magnetic Fields
"Born on a Train"
New Music for 2005
Compilation Track, CD: Uncut Magazine, Feb 2005
Same as album track.  A CD that came with Uncut Magazine.
The Magnetic Fields
"I Don't Believe You"
Word of Mouth 26
Compilation Track, CD: Word Magazine, Apr 2005
Same as album track.  A CD that came with Word Magazine.
Future Bible Heroes
"Blond Adonis"
Gentle Electric
Compilation Track, CD: Mogul Electro, May 2005
Same as album track.
Stephin Merritt
The Orphan of Zhao
Album, Digital Download: Nonesuch, 16 Mar 2006
The complete musical from 2003, available through digital download.  Selections appear on the more widely released compilation Showtunes.

1. Theme from The Orphan of Zhao
2. In This Rain
3. Has the World Gone Insane?
4. Han Jue Sings a Lullabye
5. All of This I Give You...
6. Tai Ping in the Spring
7. Gongsun Sings a Lullabye
8. Little Clouds Go By
9. In the Spring When I Was Young
10. What a Fucking Lovely Day!
11. Train Song
12. Enter the Orphan of Zhao
13. The Song of the Assassin
14. The Song of the Humble Serf
15. The Man in the Purple Dashed Out of the Castle
16. The Story So Far
17. The World Is Not Made of Flowers
18. Revenge of the Orphan of Zhao

Stephin Merritt
Peach Blossom Fan
Album, Digital Download: Nonesuch, 16 Mar 2006
The complete musical from 2004, available through digital download.  Selections appear on the more widely released compilation Showtunes.

1. At Madam Plum's
2. I Am Yang Long You
3. Fan Dance Cha-Cha
4. This Is Hou Fang You
5. The Menu
6. This Is Shiang-Jun
7. Shall We Sing a Duet?
8. I Am Yuen Da Cheng
9. Sounds Expensive
10. Shall We Sing a Duet?
11. I Am Ma Shih Ying
12. And He Would Say...
13. The View from Above
14. Hail! Son of Heaven
15. It's Hard To Be the Emperor
16. One Little Flower More or Less
17. Ukulele Me!
18. Behold the Lonely Centipede
19. And She Would Say...
20. This Is Shih Ko Fa
21. Sorry, Wrong Show
22. Come Away With Me Now
23. Barbarians

Stephin Merritt
My Life as a Fairy Tale
Album, Digital Download: Nonesuch, 16 Mar 2006
The complete musical from 2005, available through digital download.  Selections appear on the more widely released compilation Showtunes.

1. Tweet
2. The Ugly Little Duck
3. The Red Shoes
4. The Ballad of the Snow Queen
5. The Little Maiden of the Sea
6. The Collar and the Garter
7. The Little Hebrew Girl
8. The Storks
9. The Little Matchstick Girl
10. The Top and the Ball
11. The Story of the Mother
12. In the Almsyard
13. Auntie Toothache
14. In China, Said the Moon...
15. Odious Odense

Stephin Merritt
Showtunes
Album, CD: Nonesuch, 16 Mar 2006
A CD compilation of highlights from Stephin Merritt's three musicals -- The Orphan of Zhao, Peach Blossom Fan, and My Life as a Fairy Tale -- all of which are available in their entirety through digital download.

1. Theme from The Orphan of Zhao
2. At Madam Plum's
3. The Top and the Ball
4. What a Fucking Lovely Day!
5. Auntie Toothache
6. It's Hard To Be the Emperor
7. Sounds Expensive
8. The Red Shoes
9. Fan Dance Cha-Cha
10. The Little Maiden of the Sea
11. Ukulele Me!
12. Train Song
13. The Little Hebrew Girl
14. Shall We Sing a Duet?
15. The Song of the Humble Serf
16. The Collar and the Garter
17. Shall We Sing a Duet?
18. Sorry, Wrong Show
19. The Storks
20. In the Spring, When I Was Young
21. The Ugly Little Duck
22. And He Would Say...
23. The World Is Not Made of Flowers
24. Behold the Lowly Centipede
25. In China, Said the Moon...
26. Hail! Son of Heaven

Future Bible Heroes
"Mr. Punch"
Neil Gaiman: Where's Neil When You Need Him?
Compilation Track, CD: Dancing Ferret Discs, 18 Jul 2006
Part of a collection that pays tribute to the works of Neil Gaiman, in this case the book (and puppet) Mr. Punch.  Vocals by Claudia.

1. Rasputina: Coraline
2. ThouShaltNot: When Everyone Forgets
3. Tapping the Vein (featuring Greg Mackintosh of Paradise Lost): Trader Boy
4. Lunascape: Raven Star
5. Deine Lakaien: A Fish Called Prince
6. Thea Gilmore: Even Gods Do
7. Rose Berlin (featuring Dean Carcia of Curve): Coraline
8. Schandmaul: Magda Treadgolds Marchen
9. Hungry Lucy: We Won't Go
10. Voltair (with The Oddz): Come Sweet Death
11. Future Bible Heroes: Mr. Punch
12. Razed in Black: The Endless
13. The Cruxshadows: Wake the White Queen
14. Ego Likeness: You Better Leave the Stars Alone
15. Azam Ali: The Cold Black Key
16. Joachim Witt: Vandemar
17. Tori Amos: Sister Named Desire (Remastered Version)

Stephin Merritt
"The Meaning of Lice"
Plague Songs
Compilation Track, CD: 4AD, 7 Nov 2006
Plague Songs features an artist doing a song for each plague in the book of Exodus.  Merritt (on vocals) handles the third plague, lice.

1. Klashnekoff: Blood
2. King Creosote: Relate the Tale
3. Stephin Merritt: The Meaning of Lice
4. Brian Eno with Robert Wyatt: Flies
5. Laurie Anderson: The Fifth Plague
6. Cody ChesnuTT: Boils
7. The Tiger Lillies: Hailstones
8. Imogen Heap: Glittering Cloud
9. Scott Walker: Darkness
10. Rufus Wainwright: Katonah

The 6ths
"Crows"
Uncut - The Playlist November 2006
Compilation Track, CD: Uncut Magazine, 5 Oct 2006
Same as what eventually appeared on the album version.  A CD that came with Uncut Magazine.
The Gothic Archies
The Tragic Treasury: Songs from A Series of Unfortunate Events
Album, CD: Nonesuch, 10 Oct 2006
Collection of songs released on the Series of Unfortunate Events audio books as well as two bonus tracks: "Freakshow" (alternate song for The Carnivorous Carnival) and "We Are the Gothic Archies."  Featuring the previously-released song "Smile! No One Cares How You Feel."  Vocals by Stephin.

1. Scream and Run Away - from The Bad Beginnings
2. In the Reptile Room - from The Reptile Room
3. The World Is a Very Scary Place - from The Wide Window
4. Dreary, Dreary - from The Miserable Mill
5. When You Play the Violin - from The Austere Academy
6. This Abyss - from The Ersatz Elevator
7. Crows - from The Vile Village
8. Smile! No One Cares How You Feel - from The Hostile Hospital
9. Freakshow - from The Carnivorous Carnival
10. How Do You Slow This Thing Down? - from The Slippery Slope
11. A Million Mushrooms - from The Grim Grotto
12. Things Are Not What They Appear - from The Penultimate Peril
13. Shipwrecked - from The End
14. Walking My Gargoyle - original song from The Carnivorous Carnival
15. We Are the Gothic Archies

The Gothic Archies
"Crows"
The Nonesuch Collection Vol. 1
Compilation Track, CD: Nonesuch, 16 Oct 2006
Same as album version.
Stephin Merritt
"The Wheels on the Car"
2007
Volvo hired Stephin to write a song for two commercials.  This was the first, which you can pretty much only "get" by watching the commercial YouTube or whatever.  The second, "I'm in a Lonely Way," was eventually released as a single through digital download.
Stephin Merritt
"I'm in a Lonely Way"
Single, Digital Download: Nonesuch, 2 Oct 2007
This is the second song Stephin recorded for a Volvo commercial.  This one was released as a single through digital download.

1. I'm in a Lonely Way

Stephin Merritt
"The Man of a Million Faces (NPR Version)"
Nov 2007
NPR issued a challenge to different artists to write and record a song in two days in their studio.  (Why this is considered a "challenge," I don't know.)  Stephin's version was "The Man of a Million Faces" (sometimes called "Man of a Million Faces" or "A Man of a Million Faces," depending on where you look).  This was released as a streaming video on NPR's website (along with a "making of" video).  A different single version later emerged.
The Magnetic Fields
"California Girls"
Single, Digital Download: Nonesuch, 16 Dec 2007
This song eventually appears on Distortion.  It was released through digital download as a single a few month before the album came out.

1. California Girls

The Magnetic Fields
"Three Way"
Single, Digital Download: Nonesuch, 1 Jan 2008.
This song eventually appears on Distortion.  It was released through digital download as a single a few days before the album came out.

1. Three Way

The Magnetic Fields
Distortion
Album, CD: Nonesuch, 15 Jan 2008
The 2008 album, featuring Stephin and Shirley on vocals.  A version of "California Girls" with Stephin singing is available as a bonus track to this album in digital download only.

1. Three-Way
2. California Girls
3. Old Fools
4. Xavier Says
5. Mr. Mistletoe
6. Please Stop Dancing
7. Drive On, Driver
8. Too Drunk To Dream
9. Till the Bitter End
10. I'll Dream Alone
11. The Nun's Litany
12. Zombie Boy
13. Courtesans

14. "California Girls (Alternate Vocal Track)"

The Magnetic Fields
"California Girls"
Paste Magazine Sampler Issue 40
Compilation Track, CD: Paste Magazine, Mar 2008
Same as album version.
Stephin Merritt
"The Man of a Million Faces"
Single, Digital Download: Nonesuch, 8 Apr 2008
This is a redone (and shorter) version of the NPR version that was written and recorded in two days.  Released as a single through digital download.

1. The Man of a Million Faces

The Magnetic Fields
"Please Stop Dancing"
Single, Digital Download: Nonesuch, 15 Jun 2008
This is a single of "Please Stop Dancing" (same version as album) backed with a Stephin-sung version of "The Nun's Litany," available only through digital download.

1. Please Stop Dancing
2. The Nun's Litany (Alternate Vocal Track)

The Magnetic Fields
"Long Vermont Roads"
2009 Merge Records Promotional Sampler
Compilation Track, CD: Merge, 2009
Same as album version.
The Magnetic Fields
"Swinging London"
London Pride!
Compilation Track, CD: Uncut Magazine, Apr 2009
Same as album version.  A London-themed CD that came with Uncut Magazine.
The Magnetic Fields
"Come Back from San Francisco"

The Magnetic Fields
"A Chicken With Its Head Cut Off"

The Magnetic Fields
"The Saddest Story Ever Told"

The Magnetic Fields
"Washington D.C."

The Magnetic Fields
"I Have the Moon"

The Gothic Archies
"City of the Damned"

The Magnetic Fields
"I Think I Need a New Heart"

The Magnetic Fields
"Meaningless"

The Magnetic Fields
"100,000 Fireflies"

The Magnetic Fields
"Love in the Shadows"

The Magnetic Fields
"I Don't Want To Get Over You"

The Magnetic Fields
"The Luckiest Guy on the Lower East Side"

The Magnetic Fields
"I'm Sorry I Love You"
SCORE! Twenty Years of Merge Records
Compilation Tracks, CD Box Set: Merge, 7 Apr 2009

In 2009, Merge Records released a 20th anniversary collection featuring fourteen compilation CDs "curated" by various musicians and other celebrities.  This box set also included two CDs that could be bought separately.  The first was "The Remixes" (see below) in which Merge songs were remixed, and the second was "The Covers" in which non-Merge artists covered Merge artists (on which Bright Eyes did "Papa Was a Rodeo").  All of the following are the album versions.

Volume 1 was curated by Peter Buck who chose "Come Back from San Francisco."

Volume 3 was curated by David Chang who chose "A Chicken with Its Head Cut Off."

Volume 5 was curated by Jonathan Lethem who chose "The Saddest Story Ever Told."

Volume 6 was curated by Alex Ross who chose "Washington D.C." and "I Have the Moon."

Volume 7 was curated by Zack Galifianakis who chose "City of the Damned."

Volume 8 was curated by Marcel Dzama who chose "I Think I Need a New Heart."

Volume 10 was curated by Miranda July who chose "Meaningless" and "100,000 Fireflies."

Volume 11 was curated by Kara Walker who chose "Love in the Shadows."

Volume 12 was curated by Amy Poehler who chose "I Don't Want To Get Over You."

Volume 13 was curated by Mindy Kaling who chose "The Luckiest Guy on the Lower East Side."

Volume 14 was curated by Andrea Zittel who chose "I'm Sorry I Love You."

 

The 6ths
"Volcana! (I Hope Your Train Crashes Remix)"

The Magnetic Fields
"Washington D.C."
Score! 20 Years of Merge Records: The Remixes
Compilation Track, CD: Merge, 7 Apr 2009

This 20th anniversary collection from Merge Records came with a special remix album featuring a Xiu Xiu remix of "Volcana!" and a Mark Robinson remix of "Washington D.C."

1. Polvo: Kalgon
2. Pram: Mother of Pearl
3. Guv'ner: Baby's Way Cruel
4. Portastatic: Drill Me (I Was So There Remix)
5. Spoon: The Ghost of You Lingers
6. Arcade Fire: No Cars Go
7. The 6ths: Volcana! (I Hope Your Train Crashes Remix)
8. The Rosebuds: Bow to the Middle
9. Caribou: Irene
10. The Magnetic Fields: Washington D.C.
11. Lambchop: Nashville Parent

Stephin Merritt
"Beauty"
Stroke: Songs for Chris Knox
Compilation Track, CD: A Major, Nov 2009
This is a 2 CD benefit and tribute album for Chris Knox after he had a stroke.  Stephin's recording of "Beauty" was originally recorded in 1988.

1. Jay Reatard: Pull Down the Shades
2. The Checks: Rebel
3. The Bleeding Allstars: Ain't It Nice
4. Peter Gutteridge: Don't Catch Fire
5. The Chills: Luck or Loveliness
6. David Kilgour: Nothing's Going To Happen
7. The Crying Wolfs: All My Hollowness To You
8. Stephin Merritt: Beauty
9. Portastatic: Nostalgia's No Excuse
10. The Mint Chicks: Crush
11. Jay and Sam Clarkson: I've Left Memories Behind
12. Skygreen Leopards: Burning Blue
13. Shayne Carter: The Slide
14. Pumice: Grand Mal
15. Hamish Kilgour: Knoxed Out

1. Boh Runga: Not Given Lightly
2. Red and Zeke: Bodies
3. Jeff Mangum: Sign the Dotted Lines
4. Bill Gallahan: Lapse
5. Genghis Smith: Growth Spurt
6. Yo La Tengo: Coloured
7. AC Newman: Dunno Much About Life But I Know How To Breathe
8. Alec Bathgate: Glide
9. Don McGlashan: Inside Story
10. Sean Donnely: The Outer Skin
11. Lambchop: What Goes Up
12. The Mountain Goats: Brave
13. The Tokey Tones and Friends: Bound These Walls
14. The Bats: Just Do It
15. Bonnie "Prince" Billy: My Only Friend
16. The Pyjama Party: It's Love
17. Jordan Luck: Becoming Something Other
18. The Verlaines: Driftwood
19. Lou Barlow: Song of the Tall Poppy
20. The Nothing: Nappin' in Lapland
21. Tall Dwarfs: Sunday Song

The Magnetic Fields
Realism
Album, CD: Nonesuch, 26 Jan 2010

The Magnetic Fields
"When Will You Love Me Again?"

Realism
Bonus Track, Digital Download: Nonesuch, 26 Jan 2010

The 2010 album, featuring Stephin, Claudia, Shirley, and Daniel Handler on vocals.  The song "When Will You Love Me Again?" is available as a bonus track to this album through digital download only.

1. You Must Be Out of Your Mind
2. Interlude
3. We Are Having a Hootenanny
4. I Don't Know What To Say
5. The Dolls' Tea Party
6. Everything Is One Big Christmas Tree
7. Walk a Lonely Road
8. Always Already Gone
9. Seduced and Abandoned
10. Better Things
11. Painted Flower
12. The Dada Polka
13. From a Sinking Boat

14. When Will You Love Me Again?

Peter Gabriel / Stephin Merritt
"The Book of Love" / "Not One of Us"
Single, Digital Download: Nonesuch, 30 Jan 2010
Single, 7": Nonesuch, 2010

Stephin Merritt
"Not One of Us"
Single, Digital Download: Nonesuch, 30 Jan 2010

On this single, Peter Gabriel covers the Stephin Merritt song "The Book of Love" while Stephin covers the Peter Gabriel song "Not One of Us."  This double A side was available through digital download and eventually released as a 7" for Record Store Day.  "Not One of Us" is also available as digital download by itself.

1. Peter Gabriel: The Book of Love
2. Not One of Us

1. Not One of Us

Stephin Merritt
Coraline
Album, CD: Ghostlight, 18 Feb 2010
The original Off-Broadway cast recording of this musical, based on the novel by Neil Gaiman.

1. Overture
2. A New House
3. I Am Miss Spink (And I Am Miss Forcible)
4. A Mouse Circus
5. Mum and Dad
6. At the Other End
7. Song of the Rats
8. When We Were Young and Trod the Boards
9. Fluorescent Green Gloves
10. Welcome Home
11. A Lot of Noise
12. Song of the Rats
13. Theatre Is Fun
14. Stay With Us
15. The Ballad of the Wasps
16. Oh, What a Lovely Trip!
17. Go To Sleep
18. We Were Children Once
19. When You're a Cat
20. Song of the Rats
21. Recollections
22. Whatever You Want
23. Song of the Rats
24. The World Goes Flat
25. I Saw a Show on Telly Once
26. Falling... Falling...
27. One Long Fairytale

Stephin Merritt
Obscurities
Album, CD: Merge, 23 Aug 2011
Credited to Stephin Merritt, this compilation features previously released obscurities from The Magnetic Fields, The 6ths, The Gothic Archies, and (appearing on CD for the first time) Buffalo Rome.  The five Stephin Merritt songs are previously unreleased.  "Forever and a Day," "The Song from Venus," and "When You're Young and in Love" is from The Song from Venus, an unfinished musical by Stephin and Daniel Handler.  "Rats in the Garbage of the Western World" was the B-side to the "All the Umbrellas in London" 7".  "I Don't Believe You" was a 7" single, backed with "When I'm Not Looking, You're Not There."  "Plant White Roses" was from the K Records cassette Cooking for the Priests.  "Rot in the Sun" was the B-side for the "Heaven in a Black Leather Jacket" 7".  "Yet Another Girl" was from the Wasps' Nest 6 and 6/6ths 7" box set.  "Beach-a-Boop-Boop" was the B-side to the "Long Vermont Roads" 7".  "Take Ecstasy with Me" is the Susan version from the Oh, Merge compilation.  "You Are Not My Mother and I Want To Go Home" was from the Neil Gaiman audiobook Coraline.  "The Sun and the Sea and the Sky" is an outtake from 69 Love Songs.  "Scream (Till You Make the Scene)" is the song mentioned in the Strange Powers documentary as Stephin's one "heavy metal" song (yeah, right), intended for the unformed group Hag.

1. Stephin Merritt: Forever and a Day
2. The Magnetic Fields: Rats in the Garbage of the Western World
3. The Magnetic Fields: I Don't Believe You
4. Buffalo Rome: Plant White Roses
5. The 6ths: Rot in the Sun
6. Stephin Merritt: The Sun and the Sea and the Sky
7. The 6ths: Yet Another Girl
8. Stephin Merritt: Scream (Till You Make the Scene)
9. Stephin Merritt: The Song from Venus
10. The Magnetic Fields: Beach-a-Boop-Boop
11. The Magnetic Fields: When I'm Not Looking, You're Not There
12. The Magnetic Fields: Take Ecstasy with Me
13. Stephin Merritt: When You're Yound and in Love
14. The Gothic Archies: You Are Not My Mother and I Want To Go Home

The Magnetic Fields
"Andrew in Drag"
Single, 7" and Digital Download: Merge, 31 Jan 2012
Same as what appeared on album version, backed with "When Next in Love I Fall," which only appears here.

1. Andrew in Drag
2. When Next in Love I Fall

The Magnetic Fields
Love at the Bottom of the Sea
Album, CD: Merge, 6 Mar 2012
The 2012 album by The Magnetic Fields, featuring the previously-released single "Andrew in Drag."  Stephin, Claudia, and Shirley on vocals.

1. God Wants Us To Wait
2. Andrew in Drag
3. Your Girlfriend's Face
4. Born for Love
5. I'd Go Anywhere with Hugh
6. Infatuation (With Your Gyration)
7. The Only Boy in Town
8. The Machine in Your Hand
9. Goin' Back to the Country
10. I've Run Away to Join the Fairies
11. The Horrible Party
12. My Husband's Pied-à-Terre
13. I Don't Like Your Tone
14. Quick!
15. All She Cares About Is Mariachi

Stephin Merritt and Future Bible Heroes Remixes

Stephin Merritt Guest Appearances

Songwriter-Only Credits


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