Cut Me Down

"Cut Me Down"
Single by Lloyd Cole and the Commotions
from the album Easy Pieces
B-side	"Are You Ready to Be Heartbroken?"
Released	10 January 1986 (1986-01-10)[1]
Studio	Westside Studios (Shepherd's Bush, London)
Length	4:30 (album version) 4:18 (single version) 6:05 (extended version)
Label	Polydor
Songwriter(s)	Lloyd Cole
Producer(s)	Clive Langer Alan Winstanley
Lloyd Cole and the Commotions singles chronology
"Lost Weekend" (1985) "Cut Me Down" (1986) "Rich" (1986)
Music video
"Cut Me Down" on YouTube

"Cut Me Down" is a song by the British rock and pop band Lloyd Cole and the Commotions, released in 1986 as the third single from their second studio album Easy Pieces. The song was written by Lloyd Cole and produced by Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley. It peaked at number 38 on the UK Singles Chart and remained in the top 75 for four weeks.

Background

In a 2009 interview with Time Out, Cole said, "'Cut Me Down' was a lovely song, just three chords, which was ruined by the arrangement we gave it."[2]

Critical reception

Upon its release, Karen Swayne of Number One felt "Cut Me Down" was a welcome choice as a single after its "too-jaunty" predecessor "Lost Weekend". She commented, "It's a return to what he does best – all moody angst and careworn vocals alongside a dreamy beat." She added, "It may be too low key to win him any new supporters, but the bedsit brigade will be kept entertained."[3] James Belsey of the Bristol Evening Post picked it as the newspaper's "single of the week" and described it as "subtle, elegantly thoughtful music with an infectious lilt".[4]

Track listing

7–inch single (UK, Europe and Australasia)[5][6]

1. "Cut Me Down" (Remix) – 4:18
2. "Are You Ready to Be Heartbroken?" (Live – September '85) – 2:50

7–inch limited edition double pack single (UK)[7]

1. "Cut Me Down" (Remix) – 4:18
2. "Are You Ready to Be Heartbroken?" (Live – September '85) – 2:50
3. "Perfect Blue" (Instrumental) – 4:16
4. "Forest Fire" (Live – December '84) – 4:41

12-inch single (UK, Europe and Australasia)[8][9]

1. "Cut Me Down" (Extended Remix) – 6:05
2. "Cut Me Down" (7" Remix) – 4:18
3. "Are You Ready to Be Heartbroken?" (Live) – 2:50
4. "Forest Fire" (Live) – 4:41

12-inch single (Canada)[10]

1. "Cut Me Down" (Extended Remix) – 6:05
2. "Lost Weekend" (Extended Mix) – 4:20
3. "Forest Fire" (Live) – 4:23
4. "Perfect Skin" (Live) – 3:00

Personnel

Lloyd Cole and the Commotions

• Lloyd Cole – vocals, guitar
• Neil Clark – guitar
• Blair Cowan – keyboards
• Lawrence Donegan – bass
• Stephen Irvine – drums

Production

• Clive Langer – producer ("Cut Me Down", "Perfect Blue"), remixer ("Cut Me Down", "Perfect Blue")
• Alan Winstanley – producer ("Cut Me Down", "Perfect Blue"), remixer ("Cut Me Down", "Perfect Blue")
• Pete Dauncey – producer of "Are You Ready to Be Heartbroken? (Live)"
• Paul Nixon – producer of "Are You Ready to Be Heartbroken? (Live)"
• The Commotions – producers of "Forest Fire" (Live) and "Perfect Skin" (Live)

Other

• Peter Anderson – sleeve
• Clare Cameron – sleeve

Charts

Chart (1986)	Peak position
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[11]	92
Ireland (IRMA)[12]	12
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[13]	49
UK Singles (OCC)[14]	38

References

1. Massey, Paul (4 January 1986). "Get into the New Year Groove". Evening Express. p. 8. Retrieved 11 March 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
2. "Lloyd Cole at the Basement". Time Out. 5 November 2009. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
3. Swayne, Karen (11 January 1986). "Singles". Number One. No. 134. p. 36.
4. Belsey, James (4 January 1986). "Single of the week". Bristol Evening Post. p. 9. Retrieved 11 March 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
5. Cut Me Down (Remix) (UK 7-inch single sleeve). Lloyd Cole and the Commotions. Polydor Records. 1986. COLE 6.
6. Cut Me Down (Remix) (European and Australasian 7-inch single sleeve). Lloyd Cole and the Commotions. Polydor Records. 1986. 883 703-7.
7. Cut Me Down (Remix) (UK 7-inch limited edition double pack single sleeve). Lloyd Cole and the Commotions. Polydor Records. 1986. COLEG 6.
8. Cut Me Down (Remix) (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Lloyd Cole and the Commotions. Polydor Records. 1986. COLEX 6.
9. Cut Me Down (Remix) (European and Australasian 12-inch single sleeve). Lloyd Cole and the Commotions. Polydor Records. 1986. 883 703-1.
10. Cut Me Down (Remix) (Canadian 12-inch single sleeve). Lloyd Cole and the Commotions. Geffen Records. 1986. 92 04720.
11. "European Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Eurotipsheet. Vol. 3, no. 4. 1 February 1986. p. 21. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 11 March 2023 – via World Radio History.
12. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Cut Me Down". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
13. "Lloyd Cole & The Commotions – Cut Me Down". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
14. "Lloyd Cole: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 March 2023.

External links

• "Cut Me Down" at Discogs (list of releases)