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.
Weeping Wine
Lloyd Cole Lyrics
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Could turn around would you take one
Or would you really rather be alone
And full of wrath and when you might please
Well I don't know babe if you ever have been told
But you're a tough one to play for
I tried to be what you were looking for
Now I'm not sure if you ever really knew
You know the world won't wait, babe you're crying too late
And you're drinking on borrowed time
And the last thing you need is me and my weeping wine
I guess that the last thing you need is me and my weeping wine
You sit around sticking pins in dolls
What's there to fall down and die for?
You're looking fine baby it's well known
Why does your story have to be so short?
Well pretty soon babe you're gonna show your age
'Cause you're drinking on borrowed time
And then the last thing you need is me and my weeping wine
I guess the last thing you need is me and my weeping wine
You know the world won't wait, babe you're crying too late
You're drinking on borrowed time
And the last thing you need is me and my weeping wine
Yeah I guess that the last thing you need is me and my weeping wine
Me and my weeping wine
Me any my weeping wine
In Lloyd Cole's song "Weeping Wine," the lyrics address an individual who appears to be struggling with loneliness and romance. The song poses a question to the individual- if they had the chance to be with any former lover, would they take up the opportunity or choose to remain alone? The lyrics acknowledge the individual's toughness and add how the singer had attempted to be what they wanted in a partner but is now unsure if they ever truly understood.
The song highlights how the person's current situation is not ideal, as they are drinking too much and crying too often while stuck in a consumer cycle. Their obsession with being youthful and attractive is addressed as the singer sings "you're gonna show your age" and the lyrics insinuate that the individual sees relationships as disposable. However, the singer ultimately accepts that their presence is unwanted, as "the last thing you need is me and my weeping wine." The choice of words makes it clear that their situation is not sustainable, and they must find a way out of it.
Line by Line Meaning
If every lover that you'd ever known
If you had the chance to revisit past relationships,
Could turn around would you take one
Would you rekindle any of those relationships,
Or would you really rather be alone
Or would you prefer to be by yourself,
And full of wrath and when you might please
And indulge in your anger whenever you feel like it,
Well I don't know babe if you ever have been told
I'm not sure if anyone has told you before,
But you're a tough one to play for
But you're not easy to satisfy in a relationship,
I tried to be what you were looking for
I attempted to meet your expectations,
Now I'm not sure if you ever really knew
But I don't think you ever truly realized,
You know the world won't wait, babe you're crying too late
You can't delay taking action, you're too slow to react,
And you're drinking on borrowed time
You're doing things that will lead to negative consequences,
And the last thing you need is me and my weeping wine
And having me and my emotions around won't help you,
I guess that the last thing you need is me and my weeping wine
I suppose I'm not the solution to your problems,
You sit around sticking pins in dolls
You are engaging in vengeful behavior,
What's there to fall down and die for?
What's so important that it's worth risking everything for?
You're looking fine baby it's well known
You seem to be doing well visually,
Why does your story have to be so short?
Why do your actions lead to negative outcomes so quickly,
Well pretty soon babe you're gonna show your age
You'll start to demonstrate the negative effects of your actions soon enough,
'Cause you're drinking on borrowed time
Because you're doing things that will lead to negative consequences,
And then the last thing you need is me and my weeping wine
And having me and my emotions around won't help you,
I guess the last thing you need is me and my weeping wine
I suppose I'm not the solution to your problems,
Me and my weeping wine
My emotions and I,
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LLOYD COLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind