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.
Butterfly
Lloyd Cole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And all that pain that you held inside
Was just waiting to bloom in a darkened room
And you just flew right into the light and came alive
My little butterfly
Well you'd never known love and you'd never known pain
But you found out that they were just like wine and champagne
And you get that butterfly feeling underneath your dress
And your promises will turn into lies
Then you will fly
My little butterfly
Now I'm lying here babe on your side of the bed
And I've got unclean thoughts flying through my head
And I'm thinking about love, yes I'm thinking about pain
And I'm thinking about some way that I might feel good again
Yes I'm thinking about my little butterfly
The lyrics to Lloyd Cole's song "Butterfly" are complex and are open to multiple interpretations. The central theme of the song is the impact that a person can have on another's life. The song seems to be describing a relationship between two individuals, where one has changed the other's life significantly. The song opens with the lines "You were an innocent child before I laid my hands on you." These lines could be interpreted as the singer's confession that he had an adverse effect on the other person's life. The following lines "And all that pain that you held inside was just waiting to bloom in a darkened room" seem to indicate that the person had been in pain earlier, which had deepened over time. However, after the singer entered the other person's life, the dark room turned into light, and the person started feeling alive again.
The second verse of the song has a bittersweet tone, describing the nature of addiction to love and pain. The singer seems to suggest that once someone has experienced love and pain, they become addicted to it, as if it were a drug. The lines "But you found out that they were just like wine and champagne, You could drink a little more, then you hurt a little less" seem to suggest that the person has become so used to the feeling of love and pain that they can bear more of it each time. The repeated refrain of "My little butterfly" could be interpreted as both an endearment and a possessive term.
There are different interpretations of the meaning of the last verse of the song. The lines "Now I'm lying here babe on your side of the bed, And I've got unclean thoughts flying through my head" could suggest that the singer is feeling guilty and ashamed about the impact he has had on the other person's life. Alternatively, the song could be interpreted as the singer's lament for the loss of his partner, who has moved on, leaving him with unfulfilled desires.
Line by Line Meaning
You were an innocent child before I laid my hands on you
Before I had any influence on you, you were pure and devoid of any negative emotions.
And all that pain that you held inside
You were suppressing your pain inside.
Was just waiting to bloom in a darkened room
Your pain was always there and was just waiting for the right moment to surface.
And you just flew right into the light and came alive
You found a way out of the sadness and darkness and felt reborn.
My little butterfly
I see you as a fragile and beautiful creature.
Well you'd never known love and you'd never known pain
You were inexperienced in matters of the heart and pain before we met.
But you found out that they were just like wine and champagne
You learned that love and pain could be addictive.
You could drink a little more, then you hurt a little less
You indulged in love and pain to numb the emotions you were feeling.
And you get that butterfly feeling underneath your dress
You experienced a sense of excitement and anticipation.
And your promises will turn into lies
At some point, you will break your promises.
Then you will fly
You will leave or move on.
My little butterfly
My view of you as a delicate and captivating creature remains.
Now I'm lying here babe on your side of the bed
I am in your place on the bed.
And I've got unclean thoughts flying through my head
I am having impure or inappropriate thoughts.
And I'm thinking about love, yes I'm thinking about pain
I am reflecting on the emotions we experienced.
And I'm thinking about some way that I might feel good again
I am trying to find a way to feel happy and content again.
Yes I'm thinking about my little butterfly
I am still thinking about you, my delicate and captivating creature.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LLOYD COLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@shepwatkins
Great album. Easy listen when you find yourself in that mood.
So nice
@christya3970
Zero comments? This song is unbelievably gorgeous.
@davidpuente2194
I was listening to this in 91. Lloyd is the real deal, always was.
@hayleyclarke9976
Recently discovered this artist, loving his music, have vinly and Cd's on order 😍
@ordinarypop
A long time favorite
@ecritsservices6337
Merveilleuse.... L'une de mes préférées du grand auteur qu'est Lloyd Cole.
@ButtonPhonics
The human species as it over populates, as is nature, weakens without culling.. hence we get the music of today.... yet we remain,those of our species who know great (not popular) music and great artists when we hear them. Lloyd is up there with the BEST that ever was. Not the greatest voice, great tho, but his superb craft and durability will see him listened to by all smart humans that remain, forever. Thank you Lloyd.
@johndavies8728
Fantastic track
@shepwatkins
Great two side album
@mariannepiiksi5317
So many memories to this album😭😭🌹🌹