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.
Writers Retreat!
Lloyd Cole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I won’t be waiting
When you head out to the shack in the woods
I won’t be there
I won’t be lying beside your pool
I won’t be watching the world turn blue because
I’m already gone
You could write the book while falling apart
You can have it all save the one you want
Going for a song
Did you have nothing to do on this fine afternoon
But to write?
But you’ve got nothing today so you crank out Another screenplay
About a writer without ideas
And her lover she pushes away when he gets too near
You can get a beat from a broken heart
You could write the book while falling apart
You can have it all save the one you want
Going for a song
Who did you meet at the writers retreat?
Where did you sleep at the writers retreat?
What did you write at the writers retreat?
You can get a beat from a broken heart
You could write the book while falling apart
You can have it all but the one that you want is
Going for a song
The first stanza of the song speaks of someone going on a writers retreat and the person he is in a relationship with not waiting for him upon his return. The retreat is described as taking place in a shack in the woods, and the person left behind won't be watching the world turn blue or lying beside a pool. The phrase "I'm already gone" gives the impression that the person has mentally and emotionally checked out of the relationship. In the second verse, the writer sings about being able to create something meaningful despite a broken heart or feeling lost, but ultimately, if the one they want is not by their side, it's like they've lost everything. The chorus repeats this sentiment, underscoring that the writer is willing to let everything else go if they can have the one they love.
Line by Line Meaning
When you get back from the writers retreat
I won't be around when you return from your trip to the writers retreat
I won't be waiting
I won't be eagerly expecting your arrival
When you head out to the shack in the woods
When you go on your expedition to the cabin in the forest
I won't be there
I won't be accompanying you on your journey
I won't be lying beside your pool
I won't be lying next to you by your poolside
I won't be watching the world turn blue because
I won't be observing the world's blue hue because
I'm already gone
I've already left and won't be present
You can get a beat from a broken heart
You can derive inspiration from your heartache
You could write the book while falling apart
You can write a book in a time of personal crisis
You can have it all save the one you want
You could have everything except the one thing you truly desire
Going for a song
It's going on sale or being given away for cheap
Did you have nothing to do on this fine afternoon
Did you have no plans on this lovely day?
But to write?
Except to write?
But you've got nothing today so you crank out another screenplay
But you can't think of anything to write, so you hastily put together another screenplay
About a writer without ideas
Concentrating how a writer without inspiration functions
And her lover she pushes away when he gets too near
And how she neglects her significant other when he comes too close
Who did you meet at the writers retreat?
Whom did you encounter during your stay at the writers retreat?
Where did you sleep at the writers retreat?
Where did you stay overnight during your trip to the writers retreat?
What did you write at the writers retreat?
What did you compose during your visit to the writers retreat?
Contributed by Xavier O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@kentune38
Irresistible. Great lyric. Great tune. The mandolin is a killer touch.
@totoro933
So right, so beautiful.
@MARKSVIGIL
Love this CD. Lloyd Cole gets better and better as time goes on. I know I've said this before but he is quite the story teller. No one tells a story quite like Lloyd Cole! I wish he would come to Los Angeles to perform.
@gogomck
Lloyd Cole saved my life. Thank you, Lloyd.
@dionvanalem6996
One of my favourite Lloyd Cole songs. Also a prime example of intentional intertextuality in music, as it clearly echoes some early seventies Rod Stewart songs. A respectful nod.
@LookHereFilms
Just gorgeous. Song. Video. Performance. Magic! Keep on Rockin, Lloyd.
@kentoncanary
Heard this for the first time in ages as it was the theme tune for “State of the Game” golf podcast. What a beautiful song
@MarkDMongie
Lloyd's most creative song. So much creativity in instrumentation and such delightful beat variety.
@RicardoCesarPM
Really love every song Lloyd wrote!
@bobbygasoline
Just found this. Been out of the loop for about a decade. Very nice. What a greatson