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.
Period Piece
Lloyd Cole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'd line here in the dark I had a face
gone station coming alive ...
I am not afraid to die
Born 1961 just like you, while a hundred fifty nine thousand mettre...
Comming to the left on me, flying to my rights, these was the best of times
It was my... to find the age
Next to me the ...
Welcome to my funeral... you wouldn't guess me ...
These was the best of times
Ooh hansome my lover where will you gaves fall now
Come back ...is where I fall will you cry?
These was the best times
With the promis of better times
The lyrics of "Period Piece" by Lloyd Cole depict a sense of reminiscing about the past, with a mixture of nostalgia and acceptance. The phrase "Mamma I guess I just found my match" suggests a realization of being content and satisfied with one's life. The following lines describe a train station coming to life, possibly indicating a metaphor for the past experiences and memories that are resurfacing. The singer talks about being unafraid to die, suggesting a sense of peace and closure.
The lyrics then delve into a personal story, mentioning the singer's birth year being the same as their mother's. The phrase "Comming to the left on me, flying to my rights" may be a reference to unexpected changes in one's life path. The line "It was my... to find the age" implies searching for meaning and significance in one's life. Another person, an old man, enters the scene, welcoming the singer to his funeral, possibly indicating a reminder of the transience of life.
The final lines, "Ooh hansome my lover where will you gaves fall now/Come back ...is where I fall will you cry?/These was the best times/With the promis of better times" express a sense of closure, with the singer acknowledging that the past was the best times but with a promise of better times to come.
Line by Line Meaning
Mamma I guess I just found my match
I feel like I have found someone who complements me perfectly
I'd line here in the dark I had a face
I have been waiting here in the dark, imagining what my perfect match would be like
gone station coming alive ...
I feel like I'm at a train station that suddenly comes to life with the arrival of my perfect match
I am not afraid to die
I'm not scared of what may come after death, as long as I have found my perfect match
Born 1961 just like you, while a hundred fifty nine thousand mettre...
We were both born in the same year, but we have traveled vastly different distances in life
Comming to the left on me, flying to my rights, these was the best of times
Life has had its ups and downs, but this moment with my perfect match feels like the best of times
It was my... to find the age
It was time for me to find my perfect match
Next to me the ...
My perfect match is now by my side
That old man come and say ...
An old man came up to us and said...
Welcome to my funeral... you wouldn't guess me ...
The old man welcomed us to his own funeral and said that we wouldn't recognize him when he's gone
These was the best of times
This moment with my perfect match is truly the best of times
Ooh hansome my lover where will you gaves fall now
Oh, my handsome lover, where will your allegiances lie now?
Come back ...is where I fall will you cry?
If I were to fall, would you come to my rescue and cry for me?
These was the best times
This moment with my perfect match is still the best of times
With the promis of better times
Our future together holds the promise of even better times to come
Contributed by Camilla A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Sills & Smith
An absolutely gorgeous song. An instant classic amongst so many brilliant Lloyd Cole tunes. Love it.
Martin Vincent
Best line from the wordsmith “Infiltrating the cabinets of the Western Union”
Marcus der Fürst
This is a very nice song. It always brings me a good mood, although it is sentimental either. I like "Standards" better than the 1980’s records. The sound is clearer, straight forward, no 80’s reminiscence in it (despite the lyrics ;-). I somehow had lost interest in Lloyd Cole in the past 10 years or so. But recently my wife gave me a ticket to one of his acoustic shows as a present. Since then I am again a great admirer of his music and skills and re-discovered also the albums “The Negatives” and “Music in A Foreign Language”. Lloyd deserves much more media attention. It is sad that commercial success of the later albums seems to be very low. I really hope that he never stops recording.
floppyd0g
Consistently brilliant as ever.
Bianca Leão
Muito bom, na mesma pegada...desde sempre música boa, leva longe...
Patrick Oneil
If I had heroes Lloyd would be pretty high on my list. Still making great songs 😊
framodcole
Until you hear an interview when he defends the Boston Bombers. Yup. He's one of THOSE.
nitedreamer23
Every few years, for some reason, Lloyd is my fall soundtrack. This fall will be no exception. Love this track.
Tico Solares
Great stuff, Lloyd! Can't wait for my double disc copy of Standards!
Tom Lloyd
Great to hear Lloyd sing while the distinct bass guitar of Matthew Sweet plays. Great work!