Summer Lies
The Magnetic Fields · The Wayward Bus [1991]
When you loved me for a while
And I remember every word you ever said, every kiss
We used to sing all the oldest songs we knew
But the words were never true for you
Or was it all a game of solitaire played in the dark?
All the sweetest things you said
And I believed were summer lies
Hanging in the willow trees
Like the dead were summer lies
I'll never fall in love again
I whispered too but the things I said were true
And I gave up my whole world for you
I gave you all the best years of my life
And half the worst and now you're gone
I pine and wane, pale and wan, never knowing
When it's dawn, curtains drawn
Hiding in my room, wasting away, cutting myself
All the sweetest things you said
And I believed were summer lies
Hanging in the willow trees
Like the dead were summer lies
I'll never fall in love again
Summer Lies
Summer Lies stands as a notable early recording from The Magnetic Fields, appearing on their 1991 album The Wayward Bus. During this period, the band was refining the distinctive blend of indie pop, chamber pop, and electronic textures that would later define their celebrated discography. The track captures the group's emerging ability to merge witty, observational songwriting with delicate arrangements, showcasing the artistic direction that would eventually lead to their landmark 1999 release, 69 Love Songs. As part of their early catalogue, the song reflects the experimental spirit of the band's formative years, establishing a foundation for the complex emotional landscapes and genre-bending production that characterize their extensive body of work.