Lloyd Cole (born in Buxton on 31 January 1961) is an English-born singer an… Read Full Bio ↴Lloyd Cole (born in Buxton on 31 January 1961) is an English-born singer and songwriter, known for his role as lead singer of Lloyd Cole and the Commotions from 1984 to 1989 and for his subsequent solo work.

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.

Cut Me Down
Lloyd Cole Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I've been bought and sold
I've been hung upside down
So you can hear me breathing
Do you think it`s easy
I've been aching all through summer
I've been aching just to fall
Cut me down
I've been billy name and filled my pockets with sand

I've seen everything I hang upon your pretty frown
I have wasted all my summer
I've been aching just to fall
Cut me down
All she had too much class to mention
Were the things he never knew
All the things she left unspoken
Were the things he needed
So I'm not hurting anymore
I've been bought and sold and I've been hung upside down
Can you hear me breathing do you think it`s easy
I may find it hard to follow

I've been aching just to fall
Cut me down

Overall Meaning

In the song "Cut Me Down" by Lloyd Cole and The Commotions, the lyrics seem to be discussing a feeling of being controlled and compromised in order to please someone else. The song begins by stating "I've been bought and sold / I've been hung upside down / So you can hear me breathing / Do you think it's easy" which reflects a feeling of being trapped and unable to move freely due to the expectations of others. The line "cut me down" could be interpreted to mean a desire to be released from this pressure and control.

This feeling of being trapped and compromising oneself continues throughout the song with lines like "I've seen everything I hang upon your pretty frown" which suggests that the singer is willing to sacrifice their own desires and happiness in order to please someone else. However, there is also a sense of frustration and a desire to break free from this dynamic. The lines "All she had too much class to mention / Were the things he never knew / All the things she left unspoken / Were the things he needed" suggest that there are important things left unsaid and unfulfilled in this relationship, leading to a sense of disconnect.

Overall, "Cut Me Down" is a song that explores the complexities of relationships and the ways in which we can feel trapped or compromised in order to please others. The lyrics suggest a desire for freedom and authenticity, even if it means breaking away from what is expected or comfortable.

Line by Line Meaning

I've been bought and sold
I have been traded like a commodity

I've been hung upside down
I have been put in a situation where I am helpless

So you can hear me breathing
You have put me in a position where I am vulnerable

Do you think it`s easy
You underestimate the difficulty of my situation

I've been aching all through summer
I have been experiencing pain for a long period of time

I've been aching just to fall
I have been hoping for the release of death

Cut me down
Free me from my pain and suffering

I've been billy name and filled my pockets with sand
I have lived a meaningless life and accumulated nothing of value

I've seen everything I hang upon your pretty frown
I have sacrificed everything for someone who has been unappreciative or uninterested in my efforts

All she had too much class to mention
She was too polite or dignified to express her dissatisfaction

Were the things he never knew
The other party was unaware of the things they could have done to meet her needs