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.
Like Lovers Do
Lloyd Cole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Eating out of tuna cans
Mobile home
With my dairy queen
Tied me a knot
But she had to cut me loose
I liked her a lot, yeah
I liked her a lot, like lovers do
Julia came
Eating a tangerine
Friday the third
Four-thirty
She tore out a page
Of my magazine
Then she went away, yeah
Like lovers do, like lovers do
She went away like lovers do
Saturday girls
Keep you warm a while
But Sunday sunshine
Kills all conversation
You look in her eyes
And you see circles
Then she lets you get away, yeah
Like lovers do, like lovers do
You get away yeah, like lovers do
Everyday you're so sad to see me
And I'm so glad to take the blame
It's always going to be that way
Living on juice
Eating out of tuna cans
Mobile home
With my dairy queen
Tied me a knot
But she had to cut me loose
Now I'm looking at you yeh
Like lovers do, like lovers do
I'm looking at you now, like lovers do
And I'm looking right at you now, just like lovers do
And I'm looking right at you now girl
Just like lovers do, like lovers do
Like lovers do
The lyrics of "Like Lovers Do" by Lloyd Cole tell a story of relationships, love, and loss. The song describes the experience of the singer living in a mobile home with his lover, eating from tuna cans and drinking juice. Although he is content in this situation, it is not to last, as his lover leaves him. The singer then meets someone new, Julia, who seems intriguing, but ultimately leaves as well. The singer then sees the transience of relationships with the line "Saturday girls keep you warm a while, but Sunday sunshine kills all conversation." The song concludes with the singer still searching for love, looking at someone new "like lovers do."
The song demonstrates Lloyd Cole's knack for telling intimate and relatable stories. The lyrics are straightforward, but filled with poetic details, such as the mention of a tangerine or circles in someone's eyes. The chorus, "like lovers do," drives home the universal experience of being in romantic relationships: the ups and downs, the fleeting moments, and the search for something lasting.
Line by Line Meaning
Living on juice
Living off of very little sustenance
Eating out of tuna cans
Eating cheap, canned food
Mobile home
Living in a mobile home, likely traveling frequently
With my dairy queen
With his girlfriend or wife, who he loves dearly
Tied me a knot
Got married or entered into a serious relationship
But she had to cut me loose
His partner had to end things with him for whatever reason
I liked her a lot, yeah
Despite the breakup or separation, he still had feelings for her
Julia came
A new woman entered his life
Eating a tangerine
Enjoying something sweet and possibly indulgent
Friday the third
A specific date
Four-thirty
A specific time of day
She tore out a page
She took something from him or damaged something he valued
Of my magazine
Something he owned and likely valued
Then she went away, yeah
Just as quickly as she entered his life, she left
Saturday girls
Women he spends time with on Saturdays, likely casual relationships
Keep you warm a while
They make him happy temporarily
But Sunday sunshine
The reality of his situation sets in the next day
Kills all conversation
There's nothing left to talk about
You look in her eyes
He finds something compelling about her
And you see circles
There's nothing there, no substance or depth to her
Then she lets you get away, yeah
She doesn't want to be with him anymore, similar to his previous relationship
Everyday you're so sad to see me
The repetition of his situation
And I'm so glad to take the blame
He's accepting responsibility for his situation
It's always going to be that way
Things are unlikely to change
Now I'm looking at you yeh
He's found someone new, someone he's interested in
I'm looking at you now, like lovers do
Despite the failures of his previous relationships, he's still hopeful and in love
And I'm looking right at you now, just like lovers do
He's completely invested in this new person and their relationship
And I'm looking right at you now girl
He's addressing his new partner directly
Just like lovers do, like lovers do
He's fully embracing the cliches and tropes of being in love
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JUDE ANTHONY COLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind