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".
Nipple To The Bottle
Grace Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It makes me crazy
When you don't get what you want
You scream and you shout
You're still a baby
Don't give me a line
Keep the lid on the bottle this time
I won't do it tonight
I won't do it tonight
No way baby
I won't give in and I won't feel guilty
(I won't give in and I won't feel guilty)
Rant and rave to manipulate me
(Rant and rave to manipulate me)
From the nipple to the bottle never satisfied
(From the nipple to the bottle never satisfied)
From the nipple to the bottle now the cow must die
(From the nipple to the bottle now the cow must die)
Power and wealth surrendering myself
It ain't easy
Embarrassing my store by opening up my door
When it's breezy
You showed me your force
Exaggerated stamina and energy
No place for that
No place for that
It's not that easy
I won't give in and I won't feel guilty
(I won't give in and I won't feel guilty)
Rant and rave to manipulate me
(Rant and rave to manipulate me)
From the nipple to the bottle never satisfied
(From the nipple to the bottle never satisfied)
From the nipple to the bottle now the cow must die
(From the nipple to the bottle now the cow must die)
Ain't gon give it, you ain't gon get it
If I don't give it, you ain't gon get it
I won't give in and I won't feel guilty
(I won't give in and I won't feel guilty)
Rant and rave to manipulate me
(Rant and rave to manipulate me)
From the nipple to the bottle never satisfied
(From the nipple to the bottle never satisfied)
From the nipple to the bottle now the cow must die
(From the nipple to the bottle now the cow must die)
Color and warmth came into your world
It makes me crazy
When you don't get what you want
You scream and you shout
You're still a baby
Don't give me a line
Keep the lid on the bottle this time
I'm still a lady
I won't do it tonight
I won't do it tonight
No where baby
I won't give in and I won't feel guilty
(I won't give in and I won't feel guilty)
Rant and rave to manipulate me
(Rant and rave to manipulate me)
From the nipple to the bottle never satisfied
(From the nipple to the bottle never satisfied)
From the nipple to the bottle now the cow must die
(From the nipple to the bottle now the cow must die)
You ain't gon get it, I ain't gon give it
(I won't give in and I won't feel guilty)
(Hey)
If I don't give it, how you gonna get it?
(Hey)
(Rant and rave to manipulate me)
(Hey)
You ain't gon get it, I ain't gon give it
(Hey)
(From the nipple to the bottle never satisfied)
(Hey)
If I don't give it, how you gonna get it?
(Hey)
If I don't give it, how you gonna get it?
If I don't give it, how you gonna get it?
If I don't give it, you ain't gon get it?
In "Nipple To The Bottle," Grace Jones sings about the struggles of power dynamics in a relationship. The first verse describes the impact that the other person has on her emotions – their world brings "color and warmth" into her life but when they don't get what they want, they act like a "baby" and "scream and shout." Jones resists giving in to their manipulation and stays true to her values as a "lady." The chorus describes the other person's insatiable appetite for control, portraying them as a baby leeching from a nipple to a bottle, and Jones as the cow who must die because of their constant demands for more. The second verse alludes to the power and wealth dynamics in the relationship and hints that Jones has had to sacrifice some of her dignity to keep up. However, she pushes back against the other person's attempts to dominate her and insists that she won't give in and won't feel guilty. The song's final outro is a defiant statement of Jones's refusal to bend under the other person's manipulations and a warning that they won't get what they want if Jones doesn't consent.
Overall, "Nipple To The Bottle" is a powerful commentary on the effects of power dynamics in a relationship. Jones's lyrics paint a vivid picture of a person who never seems to be satisfied and constantly attempts to manipulate others to get what they want. Despite their attempts to control her, Jones refuses to give in and asserts her own power over the situation.
Line by Line Meaning
Color and warmth came into your world
Your life became more interesting and rich
It makes me crazy
It drives me insane
When you don't get what you want
When you're denied what you desire
You scream and you shout
You throw a tantrum
You're still a baby
You're childish and immature
Don't give me a line
Don't lie to me
Keep the lid on the bottle this time
Control yourself this time
I'm still a lady
I'm still a refined woman
I won't do it tonight
I won't give in tonight
No way baby
Absolutely not
I won't give in and I won't feel guilty
I won't surrender and I won't feel remorse
Rant and rave to manipulate me
Go on a tirade to try to control me
From the nipple to the bottle never satisfied
Never content, always wanting more
From the nipple to the bottle now the cow must die
The source of milk has run dry
Power and wealth surrendering myself
Giving up oneself for power and wealth
It ain't easy
It's difficult
Embarrassing my store by opening up my door
Making myself vulnerable and exposed
You showed me your force
You displayed your strength
Exaggerated stamina and energy
Overblown endurance and vitality
No place for that
That's not appropriate here
Ain't gon give it, you ain't gon get it
I won't give in and you won't get what you want
If I don't give it, you ain't gon get it
If I don't give in, you won't get what you want
Hey
Interjection
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GRACE JONES, SLY DUNBAR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Slavko Cosic
Grace Jones - Nipple to the Bottle Lyrics:
Colour and warmth came into your world
It makes me crazy
When you don't get what you want
You scream and you shout
You're still a baby
Don't give me a line
Keep the lid on the bottle this time
I'm still a lady
I won't do it tonight
I won't do it tonight
No way baby
I won't give in and I won't feel guilty
Rant and rave to manipulate me
From the nipple to the bottle
Never satisfied
From the nipple to the bottle
Now the cow must die
Power and wealth surrendering myself
It ain't easy
Embarassing my store by opening up my door
When it's breezy
You showed me your force
Exaggerated stamina and energy
No place for that
No place for that
It's not that easy
I won't give in and I won't feel guilty
Rant and rave to manipulate me
From the nipple to the bottle
Never satisfied
From the nipple to the bottle
Now the cow must die
You ain't gon get it, I ain't gon give it
You ain't gon get it, I ain't gon give it
Colour and warmth came into your world
It makes me crazy
When you don't get what you want
You scream and you shout
You're still a lady
Don't give me a line
Keep the lid on the bottle this time
I'm still a lady
I won't do it tonight
I won't do it tonight
No where baby
I won't give in and I won't feel guilty
Rant and rave to manipulate me
From the nipple to the bottle
Never satisfied
From the nipple to the bottle
Now the cow must die
I ain't gon give it, you ain't gon get it
If I don't give it, how you gonna get it?
I ain't gon give it, you ain't gon get it
If I don't give it, how you gonna get it? (fade) Light & Love...
Judy Gould
After all these years this still rocks like a boss! You go Grace!
Dhiren Johar
One of the best groove tracks of all time..... 🤩👍👏🏼❣
Ethan Hill
She's too tall for him. And PRINCE might had identified with subject of time. Sense he's a thwarted teenager compared with GRACE.
Koco Stamatis
Grace is truly da reeeal deeeeal.
For me there is no other female performer that can match her. She is unbendingly authentic and unique.
Cannot imagine the dance floor experience without her music.
Funky, rhythmic, beautiful and aaah so sexy. She danced to her own tune. She is a real chain breaker and walked her talk with grace, style and exquisite taste. Anything less than that would have been less than free.
Hvala tebi Grace...volimo te do srži 🇭🇷❤🇭🇷
Love you to the core.
Midgee213 Eastcoast
Sweetheart
Boom
Hrvatska❤️
Darryl Branch
From about the 5:45 point until the end of the song, there is an occasional scream.....each time I hear that scream along with that funky ass bass, I get pumped up more and more!! Been jamming to this cut ever since it originally came out.
Grace is baaaaaaad!!!!
penagon24
This bass line is so, so funky!
Jesse Gladden
Ant it tho
AHC63
Spectacular and unique in so many ways. "Everything - everything about Grace is perfect". - Nile Rogers