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.
No Truck
Lloyd Cole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't mind the birds and I don't mind the bees
I don't mind the lovers and the love they make
For I'm leaving here today
Do I know where I'm going to?
No I don't know where
But it's plain for all to see
I have seen the high road and the low
I found no satisfaction
I have seen the mountains sweep down to the sea
I heard the music
It's not moving me
And I will find no peace I fear
No peace I fear
For as far as I can see
She won't have no truck with me
And from this motel yonder
I may take me to a'wandering
Beneath the blinking neon signs
I will lay me down and see what's mine
And I won't mind the flowers and the trees
I won't mind the birds and I wont miss the bees
I won't mind the lovers and the love they make
For I'm leaving here today
The first stanza of Lloyd Cole's song No Truck seems to evoke a sense of detachment from the natural world. The singer declares his ambivalence towards the beauty that surrounds him, showing that his mind is elsewhere. The second stanza speaks of his uncertainty about where he is headed. He may be leaving behind something, but he does not know what lays ahead. He acknowledges that the woman he loves will not be following him. As such, he is resigned to his situation and his fate.
The last stanza is a mixture of accepting his situation but also expressing a desire to escape it. He says he will wander around, perhaps even live on the road, without anything tying him down. He is not sure what he will find or what he is looking for, but he knows that staying put is not an option. He reiterates his detachment from the world by saying he won't miss the flowers, trees, birds, and bees, and that he won't mind the lovers either. He is not rejecting them outright, but rather acknowledging that they have no bearing on his current predicament.
No Truck is a song about trying to escape oneself and one's problems. The lyrics paint a picture of a man who is searching for something, but he does not know what. The song is full of existential questions and a sense of resignation, but also a glimmer of hope. The upbeat tempo and the whimsical nature of the melody underscore the lyrics' themes of uncertainty and detachment.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't mind the flowers and the trees
I am not bothered by nature, no matter how beautiful it may be.
I don't mind the birds and I don't mind the bees
I am indifferent to the presence of birds or bees.
I don't mind the lovers and the love they make
Seeing couples in love does not affect me.
For I'm leaving here today
I am departing from this place right now.
Do I know where I'm going to?
I have no idea where my destination is.
No I don't know where
It's a complete mystery to me.
But it's plain for all to see
My situation is obvious to anyone who looks.
She wont have no truck with me
The woman I desire has rejected me completely.
I have seen the high road and the low
I've experienced both the good and bad times.
I found no satisfaction
My experiences did not bring me contentment.
I have seen the mountains sweep down to the sea
I've witnessed the powerful beauty of nature.
I heard the music
I listened to songs and melodies.
It's not moving me
The music didn't have an emotional impact on me.
And I will find no peace I fear
I am worried that I will never find inner calm.
No peace I fear
I am frightened by the idea of never experiencing peace.
For as far as I can see
From my current perspective, it appears unlikely.
She won't have no truck with me
The woman I desire has firmly rejected me.
And from this motel yonder
I plan to depart from the nearby motel.
I may take me to a'wandering
I might embark on a wandering journey.
Beneath the blinking neon signs
In the city, surrounded by flashing lights.
I will lay me down and see what's mine
I will rest and explore what the future has in store for me.
And I won't mind the flowers and the trees
I will remain unfazed by the natural world around me.
I won't mind the birds and I wont miss the bees
The presence or absence of animals will not affect me.
I won't mind the lovers and the love they make
Even seeing people in love won't bother me anymore.
For I'm leaving here today
I am set on leaving this place for good.
Writer(s): Lloyd Cole
Contributed by Anthony H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
runningtap12
Sublime Lloyd as always!