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.
Blame Mary Jane
Lloyd Cole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She's getting prettier by the ....
She says I should care more for
The rich and the poor but I
Can't find the energy blame Mary Jane
I'm gonna close my eyes to the morning papers
Shut my ear to the news
I'm gonna lose my soul in the lonesome afternoon
Speak plain Mary Jane
Could you give your hand to a man that
Never gave a damn
That's why I rather sleep than thinking
Nothing more than drinking
All I want is to blame Mary Jane
I'm gonna close my eyes to the morning papers
Shut my ear to the news
I'm gonna lose my soul to the long lonesome
Afternoons, yes I am
I'm gonna close my eyes to the morning papers
Shut my ear to the news
I'm gonna lose my soul to the lonesome afternoon
Oh maybe I won't be your whipping boy
I won't be your whipping boy
Shame baby shame oh shame sweet Mary Jane
I truly do love you
She said that I should care more
For that body of yours
If you carry the weight of the world oh my
I'm gonna close my eyes to the morning papers
Shut my ear to the news
I'm gonna lose my soul in the long lonesome afternoon
Yes I am
I'm gonna close my eyes to the morning papers
Shut my ear to the news
I'm gonna lose my soul in the lonesome afternoon
Maybe I will be your whipping boy
Maybe I will
The song "Blame Mary Jane" by Lloyd Cole is about a man who is using marijuana to escape his problems and responsibilities in life. He drinks cheap while blaming Mary Jane for his inability to care about the rich and the poor. He finds it hard to find the energy to care about anything or to take any action in his life. The singer wants to shut out the real world, its problems, and its news by losing himself in the lonesome afternoon with the help of Mary Jane.
The use of Mary Jane is a metaphor for the marijuana, which is a common trope in music. The singer is so immersed in his foggy world that he struggles to focus on anything but his immediate needs, which is to blame his problems on Mary Jane. He wants to sleep his way through life, avoiding any responsibility, and distracting himself with alcohol and drugs. The song suggests that the man is emotionally numb and doesn't have the desire or motivation to make any positive changes in his life.
Overall, "Blame Mary Jane" is a melancholic tune that explores the effects of addiction and the dwindling sense of purpose in a person's life. It tells the story of a man who is using Mary Jane as an escape from his problems but is not realizing that he is digging himself deeper into a hole.
Line by Line Meaning
Blaming Mary Jane I'm drinking cheap
I'm drinking cheap alcohol while blaming Mary Jane
She's getting prettier by the ....
Despite my substance abuse, Mary Jane is becoming more appealing
She says I should care more for The rich and the poor but I Can't find the energy blame Mary Jane
Mary Jane advises me to be more empathetic, but I'm too exhausted and would rather blame her
I'm gonna close my eyes to the morning papers
I will avoid reading the news in the morning
Shut my ear to the news
I will avoid listening to the news
I'm gonna lose my soul in the lonesome afternoon
I'll spend my afternoons wallowing in loneliness
Could you give your hand to a man that Never gave a damn
Mary Jane, would you help someone who has never cared before?
That's why I rather sleep than thinking Nothing more than drinking All I want is to blame Mary Jane
I choose to sleep and drink instead of thinking, and all I want to do is blame Mary Jane
Oh maybe I won't be your whipping boy I won't be your whipping boy
Perhaps I won't let Mary Jane treat me poorly anymore
Shame baby shame oh shame sweet Mary Jane I truly do love you
I criticize Mary Jane, but I still love her
She said that I should care more For that body of yours If you carry the weight of the world oh my
Mary Jane thinks I should take better care of my body since I am carrying a heavy burden
Maybe I will be your whipping boy Maybe I will
I may still let Mary Jane treat me poorly despite my previous statement
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BLAIR COWAN, LLOYD COLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind