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.
I Didn't Know That You Cared
Lloyd Cole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you feel so alone
And everybody`s got to tell you what you already know
It`s alright, it`s all wrong, it`s alright
There`s a riot going on, maybe i`m going under and
I didn't know that you cared
The lyrics to Lloyd Cole's song "I Didn't Know That You Cared" seem to be addressing the theme of feeling misunderstood and alone in the midst of chaos. The opening lines acknowledge the listener's emotional pain by stating "Yes, you're taking it badly" but immediately follow with "And you feel so alone," which highlights the disconnect between the person experiencing the emotions and those around them. The next few lines suggest a sense of frustration with people trying to offer advice or sympathy that doesn't feel helpful or necessary, as the listener already knows what they're going through. The chorus, "It's alright, it's all wrong, it's alright," seems to suggest a sense of ambivalence and confusion about the situation - there's a sense that there's no clear answer or solution to the emotional turmoil.
The next verse introduces the idea of a "riot going on" and the singer potentially "going under," which creates a sense of urgency and danger. However, the final line - "I didn't know that you cared" - is a bit of a surprise, and makes it unclear who the "you" in the sentence is referring to. Is it someone specific who the singer is addressing, who they didn't realize cared about them? Or is it a more general statement about feeling alone and unsupported?
Overall, the song seems to be exploring the messy and ambiguous nature of emotions and relationships. It suggests that sometimes, there's no clear answer or solution to the difficulties we face - but at the same time, there's a sense that maybe it will all be okay in the end.
Line by Line Meaning
Yes, you`re taking it badly, I know, I know,
I understand that you're not handling the situation well
And you feel so alone
You're experiencing loneliness
And everybody`s got to tell you what you already know
Others are reminding you of what you're already aware of
It`s alright, it`s all wrong, it`s alright
Things aren't necessarily good or bad, it's just the way they are
There`s a riot going on, maybe i`m going under and
There's chaos happening and I might not make it out okay
I didn't know that you cared
I wasn't aware that you were concerned for me
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LLOYD COLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
runningtap12
This guy is a musical and lyrical genius. Thank you Lloyd!
Daniel
Awesome tune.
romeosyne
bought this cassette for 59 cents in a bargain bin at Hastings (a now-defunct chain). didn't get it first time I popped the tape in...2nd time through I got it, tho….obviously I bought all of Lloyd's albums I could find and have admired him ever since...
Kenneth Collins
Authentic one of a kind gut soul reaching kind of guy, I’m not star stricken s real lot but this is one guy I’d love to get a chance to meet him and tell him how much I appreciate his work
Roger Clarke
Thank you.