All These Things I Thought I Knew is a compilation tribute album to LD Beghtol, his life and music. Beghtol is, for many, best known for his role as one of the lead vocalists featured on The Magnetic Fields' now classic album 69 Love Songs, having voiced heartfelt tracks like "All My Little Words" and "The Way You Say Goodnight.” But LD was a creative force and a prolific artist in his own right, leading the NYC chamber-pop outfit Flare, and all its subsequent incarnations, for over a decade, as well as releasing music under various other monikers like LD & The New Criticism. He was also a part of the experimental pop duo Moth Wranglers and TMF offshoot The Three Terrors. In addition, LD worked as an art director for the Village Voice and wrote about pop culture for Gail O’Hara’s revered fanzine Chickfactor, as well as for Time Out New York, The Oxford American, The Advocate and the Memphis Flyer, his local paper for a time.

Beghtol’s passing inspired friend and singer-songwriter Linda Smith to connect with his former Flare bandmate and producer Charles Newman with the intention of compiling a tribute album of his songs.