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.
Westchester County Jail
Lloyd Cole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sure I ain't worth quite that much
But you get the point
To see through me
Baby, you need transparency
A once in a lifetime deal
If you don't bite then someone else
To take your place
and then you're going to be mad as hell
(in) Westchester County Jail
It's just a rock 'n' roll hotel
We've done nothing wrong
We just moved that little point
'till it said
I look like a million bucks
And that's good looking looks
(in) Westchester County Jail
It's just a champagne party, hell,
We've done nothing wrong
We just moved that little pawn
'till it said
I look like a million bucks
(he looks like a million bucks)
Sure I ain't worth quite that much
But you get the point
To see through me
Baby, you need transparency
In Lloyd Cole's song Westchester County Jail, the singer starts by acknowledging that he looks wealthy and affluent but admits that he is not quite as rich as he looks. He emphasizes that to see through him, one needs to look beyond his appearance and seek transparency. In the second verse, the singer talks about a deal that only happens once in a lifetime and the need to seize the opportunity before someone else does. He warns that if someone fails to do so, they will undoubtedly regret it.
In the chorus, the singer compares his experience in jail to a rock 'n' roll hotel or a champagne party, highlighting the irony that they have done nothing wrong - they only moved a little piece in a strategic game. He reiterates that he looks like a million bucks, an aspect that stands out despite his current situation. Therefore, the song's theme revolves around the idea of appearances being deceptive and emphasizes the importance of transparency.
Line by Line Meaning
I look like a million bucks
I have a very attractive appearance and seem wealthy.
Sure I ain't worth quite that much
However, my actual value is lesser than that appearance.
But you get the point
But you understand the concept.
To see through me
To realize that I am not what I appear to be.
Baby, you need transparency
You need clarity and honesty from me.
A once in a lifetime deal
An opportunity that comes only once in life.
If you don't bite then someone else is standing in line
If you do not take the opportunity, someone else will take your place.
To take your place and then you're going to be mad as hell
They will take your place, and you will be angry about it.
(in) Westchester County Jail
Referring to a jail in Westchester County, New York.
It's just a rock 'n' roll hotel
A humorous way of describing the jail as a temporary lodging for musicians.
We've done nothing wrong
We have not committed any crime.
We just moved that little point 'till it said
We just manipulated the situation, so it appeared favorable to us.
It's just a champagne party, hell,
Another humorous way of describing the jail as a place where people celebrate with champagne.
We just moved that little pawn 'till it said
We manipulated the situation, so it appeared favorable to us.
(he looks like a million bucks)
Referring to another individual's attractive appearance.
Contributed by Nathan L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.