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.
Vin ordinaire
Lloyd Cole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I think she's trying to bare her soul
And I don’t mind just looking at her
But she's just taking off her clothes
She's in love with him
I'm in love with her
More vin ordinaire
June is smoking with a vengeance
She's trying to look like Patti Smith
I think she's trying to make a statement
But neither she nor I knows what it is
She's in love with him
I'm in love with her
Here we go again
More vin ordinaire
She's sitting on my bed
Having taken off her dress
After everything she said
She's settling for less
She looks right through me
She knows it's moving me
But she doesn't want to know
And there's no beauty
There's no communion here
Just a time to fill a hole
She's in love with him
I'm in love with her
Here we go again
More vin ordinaire
She's sitting on my bed
Having taken off her dress
After everything she said
She's settling for less
The lyrics of Lloyd Cole's "Vin Ordinaire" tell the story of a man, likely a young adult or adolescent, who is pursuing an unattainable woman. He is seemingly attracted to her, but she is in love with someone else. Throughout the song, the singer expresses his feelings of infatuation and frustration, which are amplified by the consumption of alcohol (vin ordinaire translates to "ordinary wine" in French), as he observes the woman, named June.
June is described as a rebellious figure, smoking with a vengeance and trying to look like Patti Smith, a punk rock icon known for her androgynous style and outspoken views. The singer is enamored with her, but mistaking her desire for independence and courage as a reflection of her interest in him. Meanwhile, June seems to use him as a means of filling an emotional void, but would rather not confront his feelings.
The song touches upon themes of unrequited love, youth, and the vulnerabilities associated with romantic infatuation. It tells a story of a young person trying to find meaning and connection in a complex world, often influenced by external forces such as artistic trends or social norms.
Line by Line Meaning
June is busting out all over
The arrival of June is bringing a lot of changes and excitement
I think she's trying to bare her soul
June is expressing herself freely
And I don’t mind just looking at her
The singer enjoys watching June express herself
But she's just taking off her clothes
The artist feels that June is revealing too much of herself
She's in love with him
June is romantically interested in someone else
I'm in love with her
The singer is romantically interested in June
Here we go again
The situation is repeating itself
More vin ordinaire
Another ordinary, predictable situation
June is smoking with a vengeance
June is smoking cigarettes aggressively
She's trying to look like Patti Smith
June is trying to emulate a famous musician's style
I think she's trying to make a statement
The singer believes that June has a message to convey
But neither she nor I knows what it is
Neither June nor the artist understands the message that is being conveyed
She's sitting on my bed
June is physically present in the singer's space
Having taken off her dress
June has removed her clothing
After everything she said
Despite what June has previously expressed
She's settling for less
June is accepting a situation that doesn't meet her ideals or expectations
She looks right through me
June is ignoring or disregarding the artist's presence
She knows it's moving me
June is aware that her actions are having an effect on the singer
But she doesn't want to know
June is not interested in acknowledging the effect she is having on the singer
And there's no beauty
There is no aesthetic appeal or pleasing quality to the situation
There's no communion here
There is no sense of unity or shared purpose between the artist and June
Just a time to fill a hole
This situation is simply a way to pass the time or occupy oneself, without any deep meaning or purpose
Contributed by Matthew A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@annemariebrugger6564
Heart wrenching 💔 I love the the way Lloyd strings words together so delicately.
@matthew4694
All the reasons why Lloyd is so amazing all wrapped up in one gorgeous track.
@runningtap12
Pure genius xo
@markmontimurro8921
here we go again, that says it all
@81eagle
I just have to comment... She's in love with him, I'm in love with her....who doesn't relate to that?
@mrkemrk
Are you fucking kidding me? A song this good and no comments?
@81eagle
I KNOW! RIGHT?