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.
To The Church
Lloyd Cole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With child-bearing hips and a wedding veil
But i'm saddened to report sir, it's not easy
This town is full of those cynical girls
Walking two steps behind forty-five-year-olds
I can't bear to hear those church bells ring again
So driver can't you drive me a little more slowly
I've gotta go
I've gotta go, can't say no, to the church
In Lloyd Cole's song "To The Church", he sings about his search for a religious girl with "child-bearing hips and a wedding veil". He expresses how difficult it has been to find a girl who fits this description in the town he is in, as most girls there are "cynical" and walk two steps behind "forty-five-year-olds". He then talks about his aversion to church bells, saying he "can't bear to hear those church bells ring again". The lyrics convey a sense of disillusionment with the people and places around him, and a desire to escape.
The song can be interpreted in different ways, depending on one's religious beliefs and personal experiences. Some might see it as a commentary on the difficulty of finding a partner who shares one's religious views, while others might see it as a criticism of the restrictions and expectations placed on people by religious institutions. The line "I can't bear to hear those church bells ring again" could be seen as a rejection of traditional religious practices, or simply as a personal preference.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm looking for a religious girl
I am searching for a woman who is devout in her religious convictions
With child-bearing hips and a wedding veil
I want a woman who is capable of bearing children and dressed in a bridal outfit
But i'm saddened to report sir, it's not easy
Unfortunately, finding such a woman is proving to be a difficult task
This town is full of those cynical girls
The women in this town are not as pious as I desire and exhibit a lack of faith
Walking two steps behind forty-five-year-olds
These women are often in relationships with much older men, who may serve as their spiritual leaders
I can't bear to hear those church bells ring again
The sound of church bells cause me distress and I cannot stand to hear them
So driver can't you drive me a little more slowly
I am pleading with the driver to reduce the speed of the vehicle
I've gotta go
I must leave this location immediately
Can't you find me some george jones on your radio
Would you please play some George Jones music on the car stereo for me?
I've gotta go, can't say no, to the church
I must depart quickly, but I cannot refuse the call to attend church.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LLOYD COLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jewel G
He is an institution, and very beautiful, all at once,
HMYAGUE
I'm looking for a religious girl
With child-bearing hips and a wedding veil
But I'm saddened to report, sir
It's not easy
This town is full of those cynical girls
Walking two steps behind of forty five year olds
And I can't bear to hear those church bells ringing
So driver can't you drive me a little more slowly
I've gotta go
Can't you find me some George Jones on your radio
I've gotta go, can't say no
To the church
OzVegan
I shaped my beard just like his :-) Love Lloyd Cole!
Isobel Gormley
Just absolutely love his music... He has seen me through my darkest times in life. You rock baby.