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.
She's A Girl And I'm A Man
Lloyd Cole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And so she guessed he was deep
She swore he'd never been to college
And was too tall to be
So as she led him to the slaughter
Thinking she'd be laughing last
Now the lady in the question is his better half
She's gotta be the stupidest girl I've ever seen
She's got a right to be
With all that's wrong with me
But she doesn't want to understand
That she's a girl, and I'm a man
He thought that women and drink would make a man out of him
But the extent of his studies left a jaded man
So as she led him to the altar, he was easily led
And when they asked him if he did
Wwell then this is what he said
She's gotta be the stupidest girl I've ever seen
She don't care who, why, where I've been
She's got a right to be
With all that's wrong with me
But she doesn't want to understand
That she's a girl, and I'm a man
Well she's a girl, and I'm a man
She's a girl, and I'm a man
She's a girl, and I'm a man
She's a girl, and I'm a man
She's a girl, and I'm a man
She's a girl
She's gotta be the stupidest girl I've ever seen
She don't care who, why, where I've been
She's got a right to be, with all that's wrong with me
But she doesn't want to understand
That she's a girl, and I'm her man
Every time she's near me
She gives me any reason to be alive
Try to get right
Yeah, she looks right through me
She says you're not cool
You're just like me
You're a stupid man
Get over here, hold my stupid hand
She's all right, yeah
You wouldn't understand
Sister is a man fan
She's gotta be the stupidest girl I've ever seen
She don't care who, why, where I've been
She's got a right to be
With all that's wrong with me
But she doesn't want to understand
That she's a girl, and I'm a man
The song "She's A Girl And I'm A Man" by Lloyd Cole is a commentary on the societal expectations and misunderstandings between men and women in relationships. The lyrics suggest that the woman in the relationship sees the man as deep and mysterious, simply because he doesn't fit into a typical mold of a college-educated, average-sized male. However, the man goes along with this perception, even though he knows it's not accurate, leading him to the altar with a woman who doesn't truly understand him.
The chorus of the song repeats that the woman is "the stupidest girl I've ever seen," suggesting a frustration with her lack of understanding of the relationship dynamics. The lyrics also hint at the man's own issues with alcohol and jadedness from a lack of education. Overall, the song seems to be cautioning against getting into a relationship based on false pretenses and misunderstandings.
Line by Line Meaning
She said she didn't understand
The woman claimed that she couldn't grasp the man's personality.
And so she guessed he was deep
Due to her inability to understand him, she assumed that he was highly intellectual.
She swore he'd never been to college
The woman was certain that the man had never attended college.
And was too tall to be
She also thought that he was unusually tall for a college-educated man.
So as she led him to the slaughter
Unaware of the consequences, the woman steered the man into a bad situation.
Thinking she'd be laughing last
She believed that she would ultimately emerge as the victor.
Now the lady in the question is his better half
The woman in question is now the man's spouse.
She's gotta be the stupidest girl I've ever seen
The man thinks that the woman is incredibly foolish.
She don't care who, why, where I've been
The woman doesn't take an interest in the man's life or history.
She's got a right to be
Despite her lack of concern, the woman still has a valid reason to be with the man.
With all that's wrong with me
Despite his flaws and shortcomings.
But she doesn't want to understand
The woman isn't interested in learning more about the man or his personality.
That she's a girl, and I'm a man
The two are of different genders, which could potentially create misunderstandings and conflicts.
He thought that women and drink would make a man out of him
The man believed that becoming romantically involved and drinking would help him mature and become more of a man.
But the extent of his studies left a jaded man
His educational background left him feeling disillusioned and disenchanted.
So as she led him to the altar, he was easily led
The man was easily misled by the woman, leading him down a path to marriage.
And when they asked him if he did
During the wedding ceremony, when asked if he agreed to marry her.
Wwell then this is what he said
This is how he responded.
Every time she's near me
Whenever the woman is in his presence.
She gives me any reason to be alive
She provides him with a reason to live and be happy.
Try to get right
He attempts to improve himself and become a better partner to her.
Yeah, she looks right through me
Despite his efforts, the woman doesn't seem to notice or appreciate his changes.
She says you're not cool
She criticizes him for not being trendy or fashionable.
You're just like me
She sees a similarity between the two of them.
You're a stupid man
She insults him, calling him stupid.
Get over here, hold my stupid hand
Despite her insults, she still wants physical affection from him.
She's all right, yeah
Overall, he thinks that the woman is decent and tolerable.
You wouldn't understand
He believes that she wouldn't be able to comprehend his perspective or feelings.
Sister is a man fan
She likes men and is drawn to masculine traits.
She's a girl, and I'm a man
A reference to the difference in gender between the two partners.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LLOYD COLE, ROBERT QUINE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind