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.
How Wrong Can You Be
Lloyd Cole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I paid the full lip service to the repercussions
Which is to say I weighed the risk reward
But who can budget for a fallout of these proportions?
Take your shot
That’s what you pay me for
Nobody said
Here, smile into the hidden camera
with your friend
She didn’t ask
If we were on or off the record
Or what that may
Or what that may not mean
When you went away
I thought that I was free
How wrong can you be?
How wrong can you be?
Fortune hits the wall
And the whole 500 fall
How wrong can you be?
How wrong can you be?
I didn’t see it at the time as a conflict of interests
A pretty girl at the wheel of a German car
It isn’t hard to surrender to market forces
Take your seat
Become the passenger
Nobody said
We’re getting away with murder
No looking in the rear view mirror
Foot to the floor
She didn’t say
I’m working for the competition
A pretty girl at the wheel of a German car
When you went away
I thought that I was free...
In the lyrics to Lloyd Cole's song "How Wrong Can You Be," Cole seems to be reflecting on a mistake that he made in his past. He talks about having paid lip service to the potential repercussions of his actions, but ultimately taking the risk anyway. He seems to have been caught up in a situation involving a pretty girl who was driving a German car, and who may have been working for Cole's competition. The song suggests that Cole may have made a choice that cost him dearly.
The lyrics of this song seem to be exploring the theme of the consequences of our actions. Cole seems to be reflecting on a decision that he made in his past, one that he may have known was risky but pursued anyway. He recognizes that he may have been blinded by his attraction to a pretty girl and the thrill of the situation, and that he may have failed to adequately consider the potential outcomes of his actions. The line "take your shot, that's what you pay me for" suggests that Cole may have been acting on behalf of someone else, perhaps a client or employer, which may have added to the pressure of the situation.
Overall, "How Wrong Can You Be" is a song about the choices that we make and the potential consequences of those choices. It's a cautionary tale about being willing to take risks without fully understanding the potential fallout, and about the danger of becoming too caught up in the excitement of the moment.
Line by Line Meaning
I paid the full lip service to the repercussions
I gave complete attention to the potential consequences
Which is to say I weighed the risk reward
Which means I evaluated the risks and benefits
But who can budget for a fallout of these proportions?
But who can predict the extent of the damage that may occur?
Take your shot, that’s what you pay me for
Take your chance, that's why you hired me
Nobody said you’re getting away with murder
No one said you would escape the consequences
Here, smile into the hidden camera with your friend
Here, smile for the secret recording with your friend
She didn’t ask if we were on or off the record
She didn't inquire if the conversation was for public or private use
Or what that may or what that may not mean
Or what the implications may or may not be
When you went away I thought that I was free
When you departed I believed I was liberated
How wrong can you be? How wrong can you be?
How inaccurate can you be? How mistaken can you be?
Fortune hits the wall and the whole 500 fall
Misfortune hits hard and everything goes downhill
I didn’t see it at the time as a conflict of interests
I didn't realize at the moment that it was a contradiction between my personal and professional interests.
A pretty girl at the wheel of a German car
An attractive woman driving a luxury car
It isn’t hard to surrender to market forces
It's not difficult to yield to the influence of business trends
Take your seat become the passenger
Take your place and be the non-active participant
No looking in the rear-view mirror foot to the floor
Don't look back just keep going at full speed
She didn’t say I’m working for the competition
She didn't reveal that she's part of the rival team
When you went away I thought that I was free...
When you left I believed I was at liberty...
Contributed by Zoe V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Javier Carrasco
My favourite song by the amazing genius Lloyd Cole.
Sady Maher
Lloyd cole really knows to use the right words ....What a great songwriter and storyteller too.
BOURHIS Dominique
Such an underrated song !