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.
Let's Get Lost
Lloyd Cole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Said, she just couldn't face another poor man
Every juke box stuck on, "Who's next"
They almost got me when Jimmy said
Let's get lost
But we're gonna fall
A change of weather couldn't do you no harm
Pick up your feet
Don't tempt late, boy, get a pair of cheap skates
Penny walked in with that love in vain look
Said, 'Every last man should be hangin' from a meat hook'
She looked in my eye singin', "Marry me Bill"
I loosened my tie just as Jimmy said
Let's get lost
Go work on a farm
A change of weather couldn't do you no harm
Let's get lost
Pick up your feet
Don't tempt late, boy, get a pair of cheap skates
And I was so depressed today
Yeah, I was so depressed today
Bobby said, "We're goin' to get rich quick"
You buy a brand new car, you get automatic cash back
Pick up a parkin' lot, no money down
He was countin' the cost just as Jimmy said
Let's get lost
Go work on a farm
A change of weather couldn't do you no harm
Let's get lost
Pick up your feet
Don't tempt late, boy, get a pair of cheap skates
Get lost, let's get lost
Come on, let's get lost
Let's get lost
Go buy a pair of cheap skates
The lyrics of Lloyd Cole's song "Let's Get Lost" tell the story of a group of people hanging out at a bar or club and contemplating their lives. The first verse mentions Lucy jumping from the thirty-ninth floor because she couldn't face another poor man and the fact that every jukebox was stuck on "Who's Next." This paints a picture of a world where nothing good happens and where people feel hopeless. However, Jimmy suggests they get lost, and they all agree.
The second verse introduces Penny, who believes that every last man should be hanging from a meat hook. She then asks Bill to marry her, but he immediately wants to get away from it all. Bobby suggests they can all get rich quick by buying a brand new car and getting automatic cash back. However, Jimmy once again suggests they get lost and go work on a farm, suggesting that maybe a change of scenery will help them all feel better.
The chorus of the song is an anthem for escaping one's current situation and finding a new one. The repeated phrase "Let's get lost" is a call to action for the characters in the song and anyone who feels trapped in their own life. The suggestion to "pick up your feet" and "get a pair of cheap skates" shows that it doesn't have to be a glamorous escape, but a simple change can make a big difference.
Overall, "Let's Get Lost" is a song about feeling lost and hopeless and wanting to escape. The repeated suggestion from Jimmy to get lost is a reminder that sometimes the best thing we can do is walk away from it all and start fresh.
Line by Line Meaning
Lucy jumped from the thirty ninth floor
Lucy committed suicide by jumping from a high building
Said, she just couldn't face another poor man
She was tired of being with poor men
Every juke box stuck on, "Who's next"
All the jukeboxes were playing the same song
They almost got me when Jimmy said
Jimmy almost convinced me to follow his ideas
Let's get lost
Let's leave our current lives behind and go somewhere new
But we're gonna fall
We might fail or face consequences if we do this
A change of weather couldn't do you no harm
A change of scenery could be refreshing
Pick up your feet
Hurry up, don't waste time
Don't tempt late, boy, get a pair of cheap skates
Don't procrastinate, take action now
Penny walked in with that love in vain look
Penny looked unhappy or desperate in love
Said, 'Every last man should be hangin' from a meat hook'
She was angry or frustrated with men
She looked in my eye singin', "Marry me Bill"
She proposed to Bill
I loosened my tie just as Jimmy said
I relaxed or gave in just as Jimmy suggested something
And I was so depressed today
I felt really sad or unhappy today
Bobby said, "We're goin' to get rich quick"
Bobby had a scheme for making money fast
You buy a brand new car, you get automatic cash back
Buying a car could lead to easy money
Pick up a parkin' lot, no money down
Investing in parking lots could be profitable without initial investment
He was countin' the cost just as Jimmy said
Bobby was calculating the potential profits and risks of his plan as Jimmy suggested something
Get lost, let's get lost
Get lost and start anew
Come on, let's get lost
Encouraging someone to join in the idea of starting fresh
Go buy a pair of cheap skates
Take action and don't be held back by material possessions
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LLOYD COLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Just a Guy
This song is instant happiness! 😊