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.
Morning Is Broken
Lloyd Cole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You used to be cruel
But you were laughing then
And it was no accident
Where did the mean man go
Is he chasing his shadow
Is he unhappy to report
That the gentleman he found is a terrible bore
You know it all
You've got all the answers
But if that's the case
What's with the long face
It's very easy to be brave
With your good foot in the grave
It's very easy to be cold
When there's no one in the world you want to know
It's very easy to be suave
When you're on your guard
Like you always are
The sun goes down and now the shadows arise
And morning is broken as you mourn your life
You smile at your neighbors as you lock your doors
You face up the mirror, mister pimp or whore
Is it hard to let go
At the foot of the rainbow
Just to be informed
That the chase was your reward
Here have a crock of gold
Keep it for when you're old
Like a week on Tuesday
Hey wise man say
It's very easy to be brave
With your good foot in the grave
It's very easy to be cold
When there's nowhere in the world you want to go
It's very easy to be suave
When you're on your guard
Like you always are
The sun goes down and now the shadows arise
And morning is broken as you mourn your life
You smile at your neighbors as you lock your doors
You face up the mirror, mister pimp or whore
The sun goes down and now the shadows arise
And morning is broken as you mourn your life
You smile at your neighbors as you lock your doors
The morning is broken, mister pimp or whore
Put me in the ground
Put me in the ground
Come on put me in the ground
The morning is broken
(The morning is broken as you mourn your life)
Come on put me in the ground
(The sun goes down and now the shadows arise)
Come on come on put me in the ground
(The morning is broken as you mourn your life)
The morning is broken
The sun goes down and now the shadows arise
And morning is broken as you mourn your life
The song "Morning is Broken" by Lloyd Cole presents a reflection on life and death, on the choices we make and the paths we choose to follow. The lyrics suggest that the "mean man" has vanished, leaving behind a "gentleman" who turns out to be a "terrible bore." The song asks what is the value of being right and having all the answers, and yet still feeling empty and unsatisfied. It’s easy to put up a brave face and be suave when you're on guard, but when you have nowhere to go and no one to know, what's the point?
The song also explores the meaning of reward and success. It questions whether chasing the rainbow and the crock of gold at its foot is worth it in the end. When you do catch up and acquire all that was sought, it may turn out to be empty or unsatisfying. The song refers to a sense of mourning for a life that may have been lived differently but also subtly suggests all is not lost.
Cole uses metaphors such as "morning is broken," "shadows arise," and "put me in the ground" to suggest a sense of finality and loss. These metaphors give the song an eerie and melancholy tone, underscoring the idea that the pursuit of happiness may ultimately be futile.
Line by Line Meaning
You used to be mean
In the past, you were unkind
You used to be cruel
In the past, you were harsh and hurtful
But you were laughing then
Despite your previous behavior, you found pleasure in it
And it was no accident
Your behavior wasn't unintentional
Where did the mean man go
What happened to the person who was unkind before
Is he chasing his shadow
Is he trying to catch up with his past
Is he unhappy to report
Is he dissatisfied with the person he has become
That the gentleman he found is a terrible bore
The person he has become is dull and uninteresting
You know it all
You believe you have all the knowledge
You've got all the answers
You think you have a solution to every problem
But if that's the case
If you have all the answers
What's with the long face
Why are you so sad if you have all the answers
It's very easy to be brave
It's simple to be courageous
With your good foot in the grave
When you're facing your death
It's very easy to be cold
It's effortless to show no emotion
When there's no one in the world you want to know
When you have no one close to you
It's very easy to be suave
It's easy to be charming
When you're on your guard
When you're being cautious
Like you always are
As you typically are
The sun goes down and now the shadows arise
As the day ends, darkness emerges
And morning is broken as you mourn your life
As you realize your existence, you're grieving
You smile at your neighbors as you lock your doors
You act friendly, but you're retreating
You face up the mirror, mister pimp or whore
You confront yourself, the flashy or immoral person you have become
Is it hard to let go
Is it difficult to move on
At the foot of the rainbow
At the base of a miraculous find
Just to be informed
Only to discover
That the chase was your reward
The pursuit was the prize
Here have a crock of gold
Here's a pot of gold
Keep it for when you're old
Save it for later
Like a week on Tuesday
Like something that never happens
Hey wise man say
As a knowledgeable person once said
Come on put me in the ground
Bury me already to end this misery
The morning is broken
Life has taken a painful turn
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LLOYD COLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jean Vùvù
🎼
Hi Lloyd,
I was thinking that :
- "Bad Vibes" is the "Salvator Mundi" of Lloyd Cole ...
Take care, Maestro
Kind Regards,
From France,
One of your fans,
Salim ~
🎸
Song Shed
Fantastic song. Why is this guy not more widely known and celebrated?
Marcelo Volcato
Because he's too good for the pop music scene.
Alan Schulz
He has had persistent trouble getting and keeping an American distributor.
Ste.
Lloyd has been incredibly consistent over his entire career... Thanks for posting...
pantherlogic
Most underrated artist of the 20th Century
wnt2cmor
This made my day! I have been listening to Lloyd Cole since '87 and had no idea these videos even existed.
GDS
the same for me it all started in fab 80's
Dun Can
I know, this is like a hidden gem from 1993.
nitedreamer23
same here!
MusicSkyHigh
Neither had I , I love this song