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.
Radio City Music Hall
Lloyd Cole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now this may not be what you had in mind
Would you love me to death my dear
Oh no no she said better alive than dead
When are you gonna come home
(when are you gonna come home)
Are you waiting for the end of the world
(when are you gonna come home)
And be loved by the ones you love
It's a senseless thing desire
To be loved by everyone
It's a senseless thing desire
To be loved by everyone
When are you gonna come home
(when are you gonna come home)
Are you waiting for the end of the world
(when are you gonna come home)
When are you gonna come home
And be loved by the ones you love
Ah ah ah oh
You won't take my money
You don't find my jokes that funny do ya
If I took you to the hollywood bowl
Oh no no she said radio city music hall
Ah ah ah oh
And be loved by the ones you love
Ah ah ah oh
Come on love the ones you love
It's a senseless thing desire
To be loved by everyone
It's a senseless thing desire
To be loved by everyone
(when are you gonna come home)
When are you gonna come home, ah oh
(when are you gonna come home)
When are you gonna come home
(when are you gonna come home)
When are you gonna come home, ah oh
(when are you gonna come home)
When are you gonna come home
And be loved by the ones you love
The song "Radio City Music Hall" by Lloyd Cole is a melancholic tune about longing and desire for home and love. The lyrics speak of a senseless longing to be loved by everyone, but the most important love one can receive is that of the ones they actually love. The song starts with a reference to having one's life saved by someone, perhaps metaphorical, but with the ambiguity of not knowing what the savior has in mind. The singer then asks if they would be loved to death or simply better alive than dead. The reply is that it is better to be alive than dead, suggesting that there is still something worth living for, maybe the love of someone they cherish.
The chorus repeats the question of when the singer will come home and be loved by the ones they love. The desire to be loved by everyone is again dismissed as senseless. The song then takes a slightly comical turn as the singer offers money and jokes to win the affection of their love interest, only to be told they prefer a different music venue, Radio City Music Hall, to the Hollywood Bowl. The song closes on the same chorus as before, with an emphasis on loving the ones you love.
Overall, the song touches on themes of longing, desire, love, and senseless aspirations. It's a beautifully crafted piece of music that showcases Lloyd Cole's skill as a songwriter.
Line by Line Meaning
You just saved my life
I am grateful for what you've done for me. You've helped me out of a difficult situation.
Now this may not be what you had in mind
What I'm about to say may be different from what you were expecting or hoping for.
Would you love me to death my dear
Are you willing to love me so much that it will be the death of me?
Oh no no she said better alive than dead
No, I don't want you to love me to death. I'd rather be alive and loved by you.
When are you gonna come home (when are you gonna come home)
When are you going to come back to me? I miss you and I want you to be by my side.
Are you waiting for the end of the world (when are you gonna come home)
Are you waiting for something cataclysmic to happen before you come home? Why aren't you coming back to me now?
And be loved by the ones you love
I want you to come home and be surrounded by the people who love you.
It's a senseless thing desire to be loved by everyone
It's pointless to try and be loved by everyone. It's better to focus on the love of those who matter most to you.
You won't take my money
You're not interested in my money. It's not something that you care about or want from me.
You don't find my jokes that funny do ya
It seems like you don't really enjoy my sense of humor. I'm not making you laugh like I used to.
If I took you to the hollywood bowl
If I were to take you somewhere special, like the Hollywood Bowl (a famous music venue), would you like that?
Oh no no she said radio city music hall
No, I don't want to go to the Hollywood Bowl. I'd rather go to Radio City Music Hall (another famous music venue).
Come on love the ones you love
I'm encouraging you to focus on loving the people who matter most to you.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind