Raised in Syracuse, New York, she found success in the 70s as a model, working in New York and Paris (where she shared an apartment with Jerry Hall and Jessica Lange), before rising to public prominence as a singer and personality.
Jones secured a record deal with Island Records, which resulted in a string of club hits. The three disco albums she recorded - Portfolio (1977), Fame (1978), and Muse (1979) - generated dance singles such as Sorry That's The Trouble, I Need A Man, and a classic cover of La Vie En Rose. During this period, she also became a muse to Andy Warhol, appearing in his portraits and accompanying him to Studio 54 on many occasions.
As the 70s drew to a close, Jones adapted the emerging New Wave music to suit a different style, a significant departure from her previous output that resulted in some of her strongest work. Still with Island, and now working with producers Alex Sadkin and Chris Blackwell at Compass Point Studios, and with the considerable talents of Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare (Sly & Robbie) behind her, she released the acclaimed Warm Leatherette (1980) and Nightclubbing (1981). These included re-imaginings of songs by Sting, Iggy Pop, The Pretenders, Roxy Music, Flash And The Pan, The Normal, and Tom Petty, as well as originals like the innuendo-filled Pull Up To The Bumper and the haunting I've Seen That Face Before (Libertango). Parallel to her musical shift was an equally dramatic visual departure; Jones - working heavily with style artist Jean-Paul Goude - adopted a severe, androgynous look that enhanced her already striking presence, the iconic cover of Nightclubbing exemplifying this new identity. Her collaboration with Sadkin and Blackwell continued with the dub reggae-influenced album Living My Life, which featured Nipple To The Bottle, The Apple Stretching, and the Jones-penned and much-sampled My Jamaican Guy.
Later in the 80s, she worked with Trevor Horn for the conceptual musical collage Slave to the Rhythm (1985), and with Nile Rodgers for Inside Story (1986) - her first album away from the Island label. Inside Story produced her last US Hot 100 hit to date, I'm Not Perfect (But I'm Perfect For You), while Bulletproof Heart in 1989 produced the #1 US club hit Love on Top of Love - Killer Kiss, produced by C+C Music Factory's David Cole and Robert Clivilles. Though a chart regular in the UK Grace Jones never achieved mainstream musical success in the US, but most of her singles became huge hits in the dance underground.
Jones' strong visual presence was extended to her stage work. Her performances were unique spectacles as she adopted various personas and wore outlandish costumes throughout, particularly during her years with Goude. Her most memorable performances include the Paradise Garage in 1985, wherein she collaborated with legendary visual artist Keith Haring for her costume and the extraordinary One Man Show filmed in Drury Lane Theatre London and in New York and released on video in 1982 (it is yet to be re-released).
In 2008 she returned with the album "Hurricane".
Cry Now Laugh Later
Grace Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's time now to return the favor,
Cry now, laugh laugh later.
I dont know why I'm laughing,
I'm still wet from the rain,
I dont know why I'm laughing,
I dont know why I'm laughing,
I'm burning from the flame,
I dont know why I'm laughing,
Theres a storm running through my veins.
Cry now, laugh later,
Cry now, laugh later,
Sign out, I'll see you later,
Time now to return the favor.
You know I aint lying,
Its so unreal on the other side,
I'll tell you why I'm crying,
Dad's ten grand on a 4 wheel drive,
I thought they wanted money,
Two thieves as they were passing by,
They tied me up so lonely,
And took the car out from under my eyes.
Cry now, laugh later,
Cry now, I'll get you later,
I'm just too tired now to return the favor,
Cry now laugh later.
I dont know why I'm laughing,
Immigration breathing down my back,
Aint got no money for a pay off,
Stay in jail until they send me back,
I dont know why I'm laughing,
I'm still hurting from the pain,
A foreigner in this hell hole,
He aint never gunna touch me again.
Cry now, laugh later,
It's time now to return the favor,
You'e got me crying now,
I'll laugh at you later,
Time now to return the favor.
I dont know why I'm laughing,
I'm still wet from the rain,
I dont know why I'm crying,
I'm still spotted from the stain.
You know I ain't lying,
Im burning burning up from the flame,
I dont know why I'm laughing,
I've got the storm running through my veins.
Cry now, laugh later,
Baby got to sign out return later,
Just too tired now to return the favor.
Cry now, laugh later...
The lyrics to Grace Jones's Cry Now Laugh Later can be interpreted as a message of resilience and perseverance through adversity. The chorus, "Cry now, laugh later," implies the idea that it is important to allow yourself to experience and process the pain and hardships in the moment, but ultimately to keep moving forward with a positive attitude towards the future. The verses paint a picture of various struggles the singer is facing, from financial troubles to immigration issues, but despite these difficulties, she continues to push through and find reasons to laugh rather than cry. "I'm burning from the flame," she sings, acknowledging the pain she feels, but still finding a way to laugh later.
The line "It's time now to return the favor" can be interpreted as a determination to persevere and come out stronger on the other side of hardship. The verses that follow describe specific situations where the singer has been wronged or hurt, and yet she still finds a way to turn the situation around and "return the favor" by overcoming the adversity. The song ends with a repeated call to "sign out" and return later, implying that there is always forward momentum and hope for a better future.
Overall, Cry Now Laugh Later is a powerful song about finding strength in difficult times and pushing through adversity with a positive attitude.
Line by Line Meaning
Cry now, Laugh later.
The chorus is a reminder to stay strong and persevere through tough times, knowing that eventually things will get better and one will be able to laugh about the hardships they faced.
It's time now to return the favor,
It is an opportunity to pay back someone who helped in the past, or to do good deeds for others as a way of spreading kindness and positivity in the world.
I dont know why I'm laughing,
I'm still wet from the rain,
I dont know why I'm laughing,
I'm still spotted from the stain.
Despite physical discomfort and being visibly marked by a difficult experience, the singer finds humor and absurdity in the situation. It is a way of coping with stress and finding resilience.
I dont know why I'm laughing,
I'm burning from the flame,
I dont know why I'm laughing,
Theres a storm running through my veins.
The emotional pain is overwhelming and intense, but instead of breaking down the artist is using laughter as a shield against the pain. The storm within them is channeled into a defense mechanism.
Sign out, I'll see you later,
Time now to return the favor.
Saying goodbye for now but with the intention of coming back stronger and more capable of helping others. It is a reminder that kindness and good deeds are cyclical, and everyone has the power to make a positive impact.
You know I aint lying,
Its so unreal on the other side,
I'll tell you why I'm crying,
Dad's ten grand on a 4 wheel drive,
The singer is recounting a traumatic experience involving someone they care about being stolen from, leading to a sense of betrayal and sorrow. It is a reminder that greed and cruelty can exist even in seemingly safe or mundane situations.
I thought they wanted money,
Two thieves as they were passing by,
They tied me up so lonely,
And took the car out from under my eyes.
The image of being bound and helpless while someone else takes what belongs to them is one of powerlessness and injustice. It is a traumatic experience that can lead to feelings of vulnerability and fear.
Cry now, I'll get you later,
I'm just too tired now to return the favor,
Cry now laugh later.
It is okay to feel sorrow and pain in the moment, and there is no rush to return a favor or help someone else until one has the physical and emotional capacity to do so. Laughter and resilience will come in time.
Immigration breathing down my back,
Aint got no money for a pay off,
Stay in jail until they send me back,
I dont know why I'm laughing,
I'm still hurting from the pain,
The threat of legal consequences or punishment can be a source of anxiety and despair. Even when there seems to be no way out, finding humor and resilience can be a way of pushing through and maintaining hope.
A foreigner in this hell hole,
He aint never gunna touch me again.
The feeling of empowerment and defiance in a challenging environment where one is surrounded by hostility or violence. It is a way of taking control of one's own safety and well-being.
Baby got to sign out return later,
Just too tired now to return the favor.
Accepting the reality that sometimes one needs to step back and rest, even when there are duties and responsibilities to attend to. Self-care and healing should not be postponed for the sake of others.
Contributed by Lucas L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.