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.
What
Lloyd Cole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you know I could not tie my own shoe
This does not please me, no not exactly
Guess you do not give a damn for my love
Everybody knows that she's worse than religion
No you do not cross a woman in love
Everybody knows that the turn of the season
No, no no, no
You beat me up, you put me down
You're slamming my name all over town
Guess I'm big enough to roll with the punches
But you bruise me, you abuse me damn good
Everybody knows that she's worse than religion
No you do not cross a woman in love
Everybody knows that the turn of the season
Paris in the spring doesn't do a damn thing
I love you so, so much
You love me so, so what
I love you so, so
You love me so, so what
La la la la la, la la la la
La la la la la, la la la la
La la la la la, la la la la
La la la la la, la la la la la
In these lyrics, Lloyd Cole is expressing his frustration and disappointment with a woman who abruptly ended their relationship despite his vulnerability and dependence on her. He uses the metaphor of being left "cold turkey" to emphasize the suddenness of her departure and how ill-prepared he was to handle it. He also recognizes that she may not care about the impact her actions have on him or his love for her.
The chorus, with the lines "Everybody knows that she's worse than religion/No you do not cross a woman in love/Everybody knows that the turn of the season/Paris in the spring doesn't mean a damn thing to my baby," suggests that this woman is particularly ruthless and unforgiving when it comes to matters of love. Despite the romantic cliches of Paris in the spring or the turn of the season, nothing can sway her actions or feelings.
In the final verse, Cole seems to convey conflicting emotions about his love for this woman. He repeats the line "I love you so, so much/You love me so, so what" which could suggest that he still cares deeply for her, but is resigned to the fact that his love may not be reciprocated or valued.
Overall, the lyrics show Cole grappling with the pain and confusion of being rejected by someone he loves deeply, while also acknowledging the uniqueness of this woman's cold-heartedness and lack of sentimentality in matters of love.
Line by Line Meaning
You up and leave me cold turkey
You left me suddenly and abruptly, without warning or preparation
When you know I could not tie my own shoe
You left me even though you know that I am incapable of taking care of myself
This does not please me, no not exactly
I am not happy about what you did, not even close
Guess you do not give a damn for my love
I suppose you do not care at all about the love I have for you
Everybody knows that she's worse than religion
Everyone is aware that she is more strict and demanding than any religion
No you do not cross a woman in love
You should never make a woman who is in love with you angry or upset
Everybody knows that the turn of the season
Everyone is aware that the change of the season happens regularly
Paris in the spring doesn't mean a damn thing to my baby
The fact that it is springtime in Paris does not matter at all to my lover
You beat me up, you put me down
You physically and emotionally hurt me
You're slamming my name all over town
You are ruining my reputation by spreading lies and rumors about me
Guess I'm big enough to roll with the punches
I suppose I am strong enough to handle difficult situations
But you bruise me, you abuse me damn good
However, you still cause me pain and hurt me severely
I love you so, so much
I have an intense and deep love for you
You love me so, so what
You are indifferent to my love for you
La la la la la, la la la la
This is a nonsensical line, possibly indicating frustration or not knowing what to say
La la la la la, la la la la
This is a nonsensical line, possibly indicating frustration or not knowing what to say
La la la la la, la la la la
This is a nonsensical line, possibly indicating frustration or not knowing what to say
La la la la la, la la la la la
This is a nonsensical line, possibly indicating frustration or not knowing what to say
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Animal Justice
Fantastic song. I remember buying the cassette in 1990!