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.
Music in a Foreign Language
Lloyd Cole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And this I don't deny
You are bold, beautiful, I'm always going to be in love with you
Amphetamines or none
You say - Give it to me straight
Well I already did
There isn't any more
But you don't want to hear that in a song
Music in a foreign language
Words that we don't understand
Melodies won't come between us
And even if you wanted - we can't sing along
La la la...
I heard a voice - resonant, born of Scandinavian descent
I didn't comprehend a single word, sentence
My stunted sensibility content
To listen without words
I'll try to give it to you straight
My heart is almost full - there's not a lot of space
And so forgive me if I'm less than awed
By your world weary twenty-six year old
Music in a foreign language
Words that we don't understand
Melodies won't come between us
And even if you wanted - we can't sing along
La la la...
You say I'm dry - a scientist
No mate for the lioness you are
Yes - I can hear you roar
The lyrics of the song "Music in a Foreign Language" by Lloyd Cole describe a relationship that is losing its spark. The singer admits that he is becoming more distant and resistant to his partner's advances, despite her beauty and boldness. He suggests that they are like two people listening to music in a foreign language: they cannot understand each other, and they cannot sing along. This metaphor suggests a fundamental disconnect between the two of them, which cannot be bridged by mere attraction or words.
The second verse introduces another metaphor, that of listening to music in a foreign language without understanding the words. The singer hears a voice speaking in Swedish or Norwegian, but he cannot comprehend any of the lyrics. However, he finds this experience satisfying in its own way, because he can appreciate the melody and the sound of the voice without being distracted by the meaning of the words. This suggests a certain resignation on the singer's part: he may have given up trying to understand his own relationship, and instead has found a kind of solace in listening to things that he cannot fully grasp.
The final verse sees the singer trying to come to terms with his partner's criticisms of him. She accuses him of being dry and scientific, and suggests that he is not passionate enough for her. He hears her "roar," but he does not feel intimidated or challenged by it. Instead, he acknowledges that he is not the right mate for her, and that their relationship may have run its course. The song ends with the refrain of "la la la," suggesting a kind of wordless acceptance of this fact.
Line by Line Meaning
I am cold, distant, increasingly resistant to your smile
I am not as infatuated with you as I used to be, and I am starting to distance myself even when you exhibit a positive attitude.
And this I don't deny
I am not trying to conceal this fact from you.
You are bold, beautiful, I'm always going to be in love with you
You have always been very confident and attractive to me, and I am going to be emotionally attached to you forever.
Amphetamines or none
Regardless of whether I am taking amphetamines or not, my feelings towards you remain the same.
You say - Give it to me straight
You want me to be honest with you.
Well I already did
I have already been truthful with you.
There isn't any more
I have shared everything with you.
And what pale fire I ever had is gone
Any passion or excitement I may have once had for you has dissipated.
But you don't want to hear that in a song
You do not want to listen to me express these feelings through music.
Music in a foreign language
Listening to music in a language that we do not understand.
Words that we don't understand
Listening to music without understanding the lyrics.
Melodies won't come between us
The melody of the music will not cause us to become romantically involved.
And even if you wanted - we can't sing along
Even if you wanted to sing along with the music, we cannot as we do not understand the words.
La la la...
Syllables that we can chant as we listen to music without understanding the lyrics.
I heard a voice - resonant, born of Scandinavian descent
I heard a Scandinavian-sounding voice that has stayed with me.
I didn't comprehend a single word, sentence
I did not understand any of the words being sung.
My stunted sensibility content
My inability to comprehend the lyrics did not bother me.
To listen without words
To appreciate the music without being distracted by the lyrics.
I'll try to give it to you straight
I will attempt to be totally honest with you.
My heart is almost full - there's not a lot of space
I am almost emotionally full and cannot take on any more.
And so forgive me if I'm less than awed
Please excuse me if I am not as impressed by your accomplishments as you might expect.
By your world weary twenty-six year old
By your jaded and cynical nature despite your young age.
You say I'm dry - a scientist
You describe me as being unemotional and analytical.
No mate for the lioness you are
Perhaps not a match for your bold and dominant personality.
Yes - I can hear you roar
Yes - I am aware of your strong and vocal personality.
Contributed by Riley O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.