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.
You Will Never Be No Good
Lloyd Cole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No you will never be no good
D`you know what I'd do if I could
Chop you up into firewood
Because you have sinned far too many times
You have sinned far too many times
And you will pay for all your crimes
You will never be no good
You know it's hard to sympathise
You know it's hard to sympathise
When you never tell nothing but lies
And it's hard to sympathise
You say you're born in the barrel of a gun
Some say you're born in the barrel of a gun
You were your mother's seventh son
And no excuse could be a good enough one
And don't you love her madly
You want to be her daddy
Well that won't do you no good
You might just slip into the priesthood
You will never be no good
No you will never be no good
D'you know what I'd do if I could
And then we'd all receive a knighthood
You'll never be no good
The song "You Will Never Be No Good" by Lloyd Cole and The Commotions is a poignant and melancholic reflection on a person who has committed too many mistakes and sins in their life to ever be redeemed. The lyrics are a scathing indictment of that person, expressed through cutting remarks and a desire to see them punished for their transgressions. The opening lines, "You will never be no good, no you will never be no good," immediately set the tone for the rest of the song, which is unrelenting in its criticism.
The singer goes on to declare that the person in question has "sinned far too many times" and that "you will pay for all your crimes." It's clear that the singer has no sympathy for this person, as they "never tell nothing but lies." The lyrics also reference the idea that the person was born into a violent and hopeless situation, with the line "You say you're born in the barrel of a gun, some say you're born in the barrel of a gun." However, even this background is not enough of an excuse for the person's behavior.
Ultimately, the song conveys a sense of hopelessness and resignation. The singer has given up on this person ever changing or improving, and instead fantasizes about chopping them up into firewood. The repeated refrain of "You will never be no good, not not ever no good" drives home the song's message of finality and condemnation.
Line by Line Meaning
You will never be no good
You will never become a good person
No you will never be no good
No matter what, you will never become a good person
D`you know what I'd do if I could
If given the chance, I would take action against you
Chop you up into firewood
I would take violent and aggressive action against you
Because you have sinned far too many times
You have committed too many wrongdoings
And you will pay for all your crimes
You will face the consequences of your actions
Not not ever no good
You will never become a good person, under any circumstances
You know it's hard to sympathise
It is difficult to feel sorry for you
When you never tell nothing but lies
You only ever tell lies, making it hard to trust you
You say you're born in the barrel of a gun
You claim to have been born in difficult circumstances
Some say you're born in the barrel of a gun
There are those who believe you were born into difficult circumstances
You were your mother's seventh son
You were born as the seventh son of your mother
And no excuse could be a good enough one
None of your excuses are sufficient
And don't you love her madly
You feel intense love for someone close to you
You want to be her daddy
You aspire to have authority and control over someone close to you
Well that won't do you no good
This desire for control will not benefit you
You might just slip into the priesthood
Your aspirations might lead you towards a career in priesthood
And then we'd all receive a knighthood
If you were to become a priest, we would all be rewarded with social status
You'll never be no good
You will never be a good person
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: BLAIR COWAN, LLOYD COLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind