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.
My Way To You
Lloyd Cole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He was walking out on you
To the point of no return
Where I found you
When I couldn't find my way home
I could always make my way to you
When I couldn't drink myself sober
I found you
I found you
Well the last thing that you need now
Is a shoulder there to bleed on
But I believe I've seen light
Coming through you, yeah yeah
When I couldn't find my way home
I could always make my way to you
When I couldn't drink myself sober
I found you
Baby I found you
I found you
When I couldn't find my way home
I could always make my way to you
When I couldn't drink myself sober
I found you
I found you
I couldn't find my way home
But I found you
I couldn't find my way home
But I found you
I couldn't find my way home
But I found you
I couldn't find my way home
I couldn't find my way home
But I found you
I couldn't find my way home
But I found you
I couldn't find my way home
The lyrics of Lloyd Cole's "My Way To You" describe a relationship between two people who found solace in one another during difficult times. The singer describes how, when he was lost and couldn't find his way home, he could always make his way to the person he is singing to. She has helped him through tough times, providing comfort and support when he needed it most. The song also touches on the idea of finding light in the darkness, with the singer believing that he has seen a glimmer of hope in the person he is singing about.
The chorus of the song, which is repeated throughout, emphasizes the importance of this person in the singer's life. When he "couldn't find [his] way home", he "found" her. The repetition of these lines creates a sense of dependability and stability, suggesting that this person is a rock in the singer's life. The final lines of the song, where the singer mentions how he "couldn't find [his] way home" several times before saying that he "found" her, emphasize the importance of her role in his life, suggesting that her presence has helped him find his way.
Line by Line Meaning
Well the last thing that you knew
The last piece of information that you had was about him walking out on you.
He was walking out on you
He was leaving you behind and moving away from you.
To the point of no return
He left to a level that is impossible to return from or to fix.
Where I found you
The place where I discovered you alone and vulnerable.
When I couldn't find my way home
When I was lost and unable to return to my home, my safe zone.
I could always make my way to you
I could always find my way to you, as you are my shelter in times of confusion and uncertainty.
When I couldn't drink myself sober
When I was numb or trying to escape reality by drinking to excess, to a point of losing consciousness.
I found you
I turned to you for help and support, and you were there for me.
Well the last thing that you need now
Right now, the least helpful thing for you would be someone to cry on.
Is a shoulder there to bleed on
You don't need someone who will only allow you to cry and vent without offering practical help or solutions.
But I believe I've seen light
But I see a glimmer of hope or a solution, despite the tough times you are facing.
Coming through you, yeah yeah
I see the light coming from within you, as you have the strength and resources to overcome this challenge.
Baby I found you
My baby, I discovered you as my beacon of light, hope, and support during my tough moments.
I couldn't find my way home
I was lost and unable to return to my comfort zone.
But I found you
But I found you, my savior and helper in times of distress and confusion.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LLOYD COLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind