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.
Sentimental Fool
Lloyd Cole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Could you make mine straight absolute?
The more I fail the less I try
Ask not of me the reason why
Oh, my Sentimental Fool
Have I got a tale for you
Oh, my Sentimental Fool
The woman I love is not content
The life I made - it ain't what I meant
The space I'm in is filled with love
The state I'm in is pitiful
Oh, my Sentimental Fool
Have I got a tale for you
Oh, my Sentimental Fool
Have I got a tale for you...
But, when she calls my name
We're almost happy - she's almost like you
Yes, when she calls my name
We're almost there, man - she's almost like you
The longer I live the less I believe
And all I lost is all I need
The life I made is filled with regret
And I can't tell the half of it
The woman I love has lost her faith
And I just watch as she fades away
The space I'm in is filled with love
The shape I'm in ain't beautiful
Oh, my Sentimental Fool
Have I got a tale for you...
I`m draining the glass for you
Do you see my girl?
She's almost like you...
Lloyd Cole's "Sentimental Fool" reflects the universal paradox of having a heart full of love but knowing that life is short, rough, and can sometimes leave you unfulfilled. The opening couplet of "The more I learn the less I know, could you make mine straight absolute?" is a reminder that as we age and gain knowledge, the world seems more complicated, and certainty is rare. Cole's protagonist feels lost in life, and yet he is still driven by love, driven to search for meaning and fulfillment in his romantic and emotional connections.
The singer's central character flaw is a lack of alignment between his intentions and his actions; he speaks of "The life I made - it ain't what I meant," and "The life I made is filled with regret." The woman he loves has lost her faith, and he feels powerless to stop her from fading away. The space he occupies with love is precious, but his own state of being is pitiful, and the shape he is in isn't beautiful. Even so, when his lover calls his name, he finds comfort and a fleeting sense of happiness that almost resembles the fulfilment of his past.
Overall, Sentimental Fool is a poignant reflection on the human condition; it shows that even when things fall apart, our emotional connections sustain us, they provide us with hope and comfort in a world fraught with uncertainty, disaffectation, and disappointment.
Line by Line Meaning
The more I learn the less I know
Despite continuous learning, my knowledge seems to be reducing instead of increasing
Could you make mine straight absolute?
Can you make me understand everything and have a clear perspective?
The more I fail the less I try
As I encounter failures, I lose motivation to keep trying
Ask not of me the reason why
Please do not question me about the reason behind my actions
The woman I love is not content
My loved one is not satisfied with her life
The life I made - it ain't what I meant
The life I have created is not in line with my intentions
The space I'm in is filled with love
Although my immediate surroundings are filled with affection, my state of mind is not positive
The state I'm in is pitiful
I am in a pathetic emotional state
But, when she calls my name
However, when my beloved calls out to me
We're almost happy - she's almost like you
For a brief moment, we experience joy and my loved one seems almost like the person I desire
The longer I live the less I believe
As I age, my beliefs are dissipating
And all I lost is all I need
I realize that everything I lost is everything I required in life
The life I made is filled with regret
I am full of remorse due to the life I have created
And I can't tell the half of it
My sadness and remorse is beyond measure and I can't even explain half of it
The woman I love has lost her faith
My beloved has lost her belief in something
And I just watch as she fades away
I can't do anything but watch as she fades away
The shape I'm in ain't beautiful
I am in a bad physical and emotional shape
Oh, my Sentimental Fool
Oh, my dear emotional person
Have I got a tale for you...
I have a story to tell you
I'm draining the glass for you
I am pouring myself a drink for you
Do you see my girl?
Do you see the woman I am with?
She's almost like you...
She, to some extent, reminds me of you
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LLOYD COLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind