Born in Buxton, Derbyshire, Cole grew up in nearby Chapel en le Frith and went to New Mills Grammar School. After failing in law at University College London, he later attended (but did not graduate from) the University of Glasgow where he studied philosophy and English and met the other members of band that would become The Commotions. Their 1984 debut, Rattlesnakes, contained numerous literary and pop culture references to figures like Norman Mailer, Grace Kelly, Eva Marie Saint, Truman Capote and Joan Didion. The group produced two more albums, Easy Pieces and Mainstream, before disbanding in 1989, when Cole re-located to New York to record with legendary musicians like Fred Maher and Robert Quine (as well as a then largely unknown Matthew Sweet).
This solo setting produced two acclaimed albums, Lloyd Cole in 1990 and 1991's Don't Get Weird on Me Babe. The latter was recorded in two parts: one side continued the New York rock mastered on his first solo album, while the other side featured a session orchestra, much in the style of Burt Bacharach or Scott Walker. Although some reviewers have claimed Don't Get Weird on Me Babe (the title being a quote from the American neo-realism poet Raymond Carver) to be a creative peak, it produced significantly lesser record sales, and the contract with Capitol Records ended.
Subsequently signed by Rykodisc, Cole continued redefining his sound with Bad Vibes (1993), a collaboration with producer/remixer Adam Peters using a harder, grunge and psychedelica inspired sound. Love Story (1995) established stripped-down, largely acoustic sound landscapes with the help of Stephen Street (famous for his work with Blur and The Smiths) and former Commotions Neil Clark and Blair Cowan; the album produced a minor hit with the song "Like Lovers Do".
In 2000, after years without a contract, Cole recorded a disc with the New York band The Negatives, featuring Jill Sobule and Dave Derby of the Dambuilders. He has since released solo albums on smaller independent labels. Sanctuary Records, the company responsible for the revival of Morrissey, released Music in a Foreign Language (2003) in the U.K. Recorded largely by Cole himself (including tracks recorded directly into a Mac), the songs had a stark, folk-inspired singer-songwriter style. One Little Indian, home of Björk, released Music in a Foreign Language in the U.S.; they also collected a number of outtakes (recorded from 1996 to 2000) on 2004's Etc. and released an instrumental ambient electronica album, Plastic Wood, the same year.
Cole continued to tour, playing intimate club venues in a one-man acoustic setting. In 2004, to mark the 20th anniversary of the release of Rattlesnakes, Lloyd Cole and the Commotions reformed to perform a one-off, sell-out tour in the U.K. and Ireland. An avid golfer, he is also known for playing concerts in towns suspiciously close to famous golf courses. He also shares a passion for this sport with Alice Cooper who is said to introduce the song "Only Women Bleed" claiming "not even Lloyd Cole has written a song about menstruation" when playing live.
Cole's album "Antidepressant" was released in 2006 featuring the former Commotions guitarist Neil Clark on some tracks.
The follow-up Broken Record, released in September 2010, marked a departure from his solo recordings, as it was performed by a band of longstanding friends and working partners, including Fred Maher, Joan Wasser, Rainy Orteca, Dave Derby and Blair Cowan – as well as two musicians, Matt Cullen (guitar; banjo) and Mark Schwaber (guitar; mandolin).
An album co-funded by fans, Standards, was released in June 2013.
A studio album – Guesswork – was released on July 26, 2019 by earMUSIC.
39 Down
Lloyd Cole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was laughing and crying
My eyes were sore
39 down
One lucky strike more
And I didn't have a care
I had eleven thousand words
There were movers and shakers
on Wannermaker Place
I was holding my own
Between the dives and the steakhouses
and furthest from my mind
Was the thought of my refection
Coming back from the machine
which said
Everything is gone
No more carry on
I was bound to fall
I had it all
I half way through the song
And not a stone unturned
True life revelations
for the at least concerned
And I said to my wife
Do you think I've said too much?
She said
Well, isn't that what your job is?
Then when I got into furniture
It was curtains for me
But I can blame it on Upper Street
and my Ambrose Heal
and still, furthest from my mind
Was the thought of my refection
Coming back from the machine
which said
Everything is gone
No more carry on
I was bound to fall
I had it all
I was laughing and crying
My eyes were sore
39 down
One lucky strike more
And I didn't have a care
I had eleven thousand words
I could roll them off just like dice
Just like dice
The song "39 Down" by Lloyd Cole is a reflection on the fleeting nature of success and the potential for unexpected loss. Cole describes a moment of personal triumph, where he was "holding [his] own" among "movers and shakers," carrying "eleven thousand words" with ease. At the pinnacle of his success, he momentarily forgets about the possibility of failure, but is abruptly reminded of his mortality when he receives the news that "everything is gone" and he has "no more carry on." Despite his success, his words, and his accomplishments, he is bound to fall.
The lyrics are rich with literary and cultural references, suggesting that Cole is a man who is well-read and well-versed in the arts. The line "True life revelations for the at least concerned" is a reference to the 18th century British novel "Tristram Shandy" by Laurence Sterne, where the singer berates his audience for not being interested enough in his story. The mention of Ambrose Heal is a reference to a prominent British furniture designer and manufacturer of the early 20th century, and Upper Street is a prominent thoroughfare in London.
The chorus "39 down, one lucky strike more" is a reference to the game of tenpin bowling, where knocking down 39 pins with two rolls of the ball leaves one pin to knock down with the third and final roll. The phrase "I had it all" is reminiscent of the famous line from Citizen Kane, "Rosebud," as both expressions suggest that the singer had everything and yet something was still missing.
Line by Line Meaning
I was laughing and crying
I had contrasting emotions of happiness and sadness
My eyes were sore
My eyes were tired from experiencing intense emotions
39 down
Refers to a crossword puzzle clue
One lucky strike more
Refers to successfully solving a difficult crossword puzzle clue
And I didn't have a care
I was carefree and unconcerned about anything
I had eleven thousand words
I had an extensive vocabulary
I could roll them off just like dice
I could easily use my vocabulary to communicate effectively
There were movers and shakers on Wannermaker Place
There were important people and events happening nearby
I was holding my own
I was doing well and maintaining my position
Between the dives and the steakhouses
Refers to the different types of establishments nearby
and furthest from my mind
I wasn't thinking about
Was the thought of my reflection coming back from the machine
I wasn't concerned with how I looked or appeared to others
which said everything is gone
Refers to losing all my possessions or possessions being taken away
No more carry on
There's nothing left to continue with or to pursue
I was bound to fall
I was destined to fail or experience a setback
I had it all
I was successful and had everything going for me
I half way through the song
Refers to the progress of the song being halfway done
And not a stone unturned
I left no detail or opportunity unexplored
True life revelations for the at least concerned
The song contains insightful and honest revelations for those interested
And I said to my wife, Do you think I've said too much?
I asked my spouse if I had shared too many personal details
She said, Well, isn't that what your job is?
My spouse affirmed that it was my job to share personal details
Then when I got into furniture it was curtains for me
Refers to becoming unsuccessful in a new endeavor
But I can blame it on Upper Street and my Ambrose Heal
I can attribute my failure to external factors
And still, furthest from my mind
I wasn't thinking about despite other things happening
Was the thought of my reflection coming back from the machine
I wasn't concerned with how I looked or appeared to others
which said
Refers to the reflection or the machine
Everything is gone
All my possessions or opportunities are lost
No more carry on
There's nothing left to continue with or to pursue
I was bound to fall
I was destined to fail or experience a setback
I had it all
I was successful and had everything going for me
I was laughing and crying
I had contrasting emotions of happiness and sadness
My eyes were sore
My eyes were tired from experiencing intense emotions
39 down
Refers to a crossword puzzle clue
One lucky strike more
Refers to successfully solving a difficult crossword puzzle clue
And I didn't have a care
I was carefree and unconcerned about anything
I had eleven thousand words
I had an extensive vocabulary
I could roll them off just like dice
I could easily use my vocabulary to communicate effectively
Contributed by Cameron E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.