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.
Downtown
Lloyd Cole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where the sun doesn't shine and the moon isn't pretty
The slow train crawls in the nights and the days
Are as warm as the smoke and the heat haze
Yes and neon here twenty-four hours of the day
And you're sure looking pretty when it's hitting on your face
Looker on the corner take that dog for a donor
Well she's only doing what her mother told her
I want to take you down
I want to take you right down
I... I want to take you down
I want to take you down
I want to take you right down
I want to see a touch of evil in your eye
But all that I'm getting babe is sweetness and lies
I want to see something that I might desire
I want to take you down babe into the mire
Deals going down no chance no masking
One thing's for sure never get what you're asking
They're coming with johnsons, they're coming with knives
They're robbing your boots when they give you a shoe shine
I... I want to take you down
I want to take you down
I want to take you right down
I... I want to take you down
I want to take you down
I want to take you right downtown
Slow train down, babe, try twenty-nine
There's no looking back when there's no sense of time
'Cause it's neon here twenty-four hours of the day
And you're sure looking pretty when it's hitting on your face
With a touch of evil in your eye
With a touch of evil in your eye
I want to take you down to the side of the city
I want to take you down to the blur of the city
I... I want to take you down
I want to take you down
I want to take you right down
I... I want to take you down
I want to take you down
Yes I want to take you right down
I... I... I... I want to take you
I... I... I... I want to take you
I... Yes I want to take you right downtown
The song "Downtown" by Lloyd Cole is a nostalgic track that talks about a desire to take someone to a different side of the city. The side of the town Cole refers to is the darker and seedier side of urban life. He talks about the slow train that crawls in the night and day. The tone of the song is well explained in the line, "where the sun doesn't shine and the moon isn't pretty." The phrase indicates a desire to take us to a place outside our reality, an area of secret pleasures and taboo delights.
The song's lyrics also specifically talk about the neon-lit side of the urban landscape where things are artificial, and even the nights are bright. Cole's lyrics underline the dark underbelly of the side he wants to take us. He talks about deals going down, people not getting what they're asking for, and even robbers. The song builds up to a climax where he asks the listener to let go of their desires and let him take them down to the mire. It's a wish to experience something different, blasphemous, and dark.
Line by Line Meaning
I want to take you down to the side of the city
I want to take you to the gritty, less glamorous side of the city
Where the sun doesn't shine and the moon isn't pretty
This side of the city is always bleak and not glamorous like the main parts
The slow train crawls in the nights and the days
The trains run slow and the city is always moving at a sluggish pace
Are as warm as the smoke and the heat haze
Despite the heat, there is no sense of warmth in this place
Yes and neon here twenty-four hours of the day
Neon lights surround this part of the city and it never sleeps
And you're sure looking pretty when it's hitting on your face
Despite the grit, you still look beautiful in the neon glow
Looker on the corner take that dog for a donor
A woman on the corner is trying to make money by using her dog for donations
Well she's only doing what her mother told her
She's following in her mother's footsteps to make a living
I want to see a touch of evil in your eye
I want to see that you can handle the dark side of this city
But all that I'm getting babe is sweetness and lies
All you're giving me is a façade of being able to handle the darkness
I want to take you down babe into the mire
I want to show you the grime and ugliness of this part of the city
Deals going down no chance no masking
Deals are being made here and there's no way to hide them
One thing's for sure never get what you're asking
You never get what you want in this part of the city
They're coming with johnsons, they're coming with knives
People are coming with weapons, it's not safe here
They're robbing your boots when they give you a shoe shine
Even when you think someone is helping you, they could still be stealing from you
Slow train down, babe, try twenty-nine
Slow your pace and take your time, don't rush in this part of the city
There's no looking back when there's no sense of time
Time doesn't exist in this place, it's like being in a time warp
With a touch of evil in your eye
I want to see that you can handle the darkness and danger of this place
I want to take you down to the blur of the city
I want to take you to the part of the city where everything is foggy and harder to see
I want to take you right down
I really want to show you what it's like down here
Yes I want to take you right downtown
I want to show you the main part of the city and how different it is from this place
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BLAIR GRAY COWAN, LLOYD COLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
wobble108
One of my all time favourites of Coles perfectly arranged great harmonica.
John S
Great song from great artist!
ted norton
that layering of Hammond into the harmonica notes is really singular. don't think I've ever heard it anywhere else.
Adam Kovynia
I got this soundtrack just recently because I love the movie so much. Great song!
Fallout Freeman
Although I'm revolted by the lyrics, they do show an intelligence of a certain kind. I admire the candour so much I fist pumped the air.
Trip*Like*I*Do
Great, great, great under appreciated song 🎵
Mirko Sasic
What a great stuff ! Smacks of the 80s !
steve hewitt
Love this.
Booji Boy
Great Music! Great Time Period!!
1M
This song is pretty damn good