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.

Happy For You
Lloyd Cole Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Lay your head upon my shoulder
Let it rest there for a while
I guess that i`m still good for something
Once in a while

And if you need someone to talk to
Just give a call i`ll be around
And if you want me to avoid you

Just say the word

If you love him you should leave me
That`s the best thing to do
And if you need him you don`t need me
Like you used to
And if you believe you`ll be happy
Then i`m happy for you

Yes and it`s just kind of funny
Ain`t it me who never cried?
I guess that i`ll still kind of love you
For a little while

If you love him you should leave me
That`s the best thing to do
And if you need him you don`t need me
Like you used to
And if you believe you`ll be happy
Then i`m happy for you

You silly thing
Don`t you apologize
No, no,

You,
You don`t owe me

Overall Meaning

The song "Happy For You" by Lloyd Cole is an emotional number that depicts the pain of letting go of someone you love. The opening lines "Lay your head upon my shoulder. Let it rest there for a while" seem to convey a sense of longing and nostalgia for the time when the loved one was still with the singer. He then goes on to declare that he is still good for something "Once in a while," implying that he understands that his presence is no longer necessary in the life of the person he loves.

The singer also offers to be there for the person even if she chooses to be with someone else. The lyric "If you need someone to talk to, just give a call I'll be around" is a poignant reminder of how much the singer cares for his loved one despite knowing that she might leave him for someone else. The chorus is particularly powerful, where the singer acknowledges that his loved one's happiness is more important than his own. He says, "If you believe you'll be happy, then I'm happy for you."

Throughout the song, the singer displays a deep understanding of love's complexities and the sacrifices that one must make to ensure the happiness of the person they love the most. In conclusion, "Happy For You" is a beautifully written and thought-provoking song that explores the complexities of love, loss, and sacrifice.

Line by Line Meaning

Lay your head upon my shoulder
Rest your head on my shoulder

Let it rest there for a while
Be comforted by me for a bit

I guess that i'm still good for something
I must still have some value to you

Once in a while
From time to time

And if you need someone to talk to
I'm here if you want to talk

Just give a call i'll be around
Call me and I'll be there for you

And if you want me to avoid you
If you want space, just say so

Just say the word
Let me know

If you love him you should leave me
You should leave me if you love him

That's the best thing to do
It's the right choice

And if you need him you don't need me
If you have him, you don't need me