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".
On My Way
Grace Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hey, want to give me a ride?
Got to get to where I'm going real fast
Ain't got no time to waste
Thing here, I'm not about to stay here
There are children on the street with no food to eat
I see them there, I said, got to get away
I gotta escape this poverty, I gotta find a new reality
Don't try and stop me, boy, I'm on my way
So light me a cigarette, cruise in a plane
Take a trip to Paris, maybe Spain, yeah
Hey, hey, hey, oh, I've got to get there
Take me away, I'm on my way
I'm on the way, I'm on the way
[Inaudible]
Hey, I'm on my way
You can stay, I'll leave you here
You'd be a fool if you like what's here, hey
I got to get there, hey, hey, hey, I'm on my way
Many places you can go
No one ever said, I never told you so
I'm on my way
I've got to get there, got to get there
Hey, hey, hey, I'm on my way
[Incomprehensible]
Don't give a damn, don't really care
Given you all I've got to share, yeah
I'm on my way
Shut the door, you can lock me out
I don't give a damn, I'm heading south, hey
I'm on my way, I'm on my way
I'm on my way, I'm on my way
[Incomprehensible]
The song "On My Way" by Grace Jones is about the desire to escape poverty and find a new reality. The singer is looking for a way out and is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve that goal. The song starts off with the singer asking for a ride and expressing the urgency of the situation, and she proceeds to explain that she can't stay where she is because there are children on the street with no food to eat. She sees the poverty surrounding her and realizes that she needs to get away.
The singer is determined to escape her circumstances and find a new reality. She is willing to go to drastic lengths and travel to different countries to achieve this goal. The chorus of the song repeats "I'm on my way" as a statement of determination and willpower. The singer is not going to let anything stop her from achieving her goal.
The lyrics of "On My Way" by Grace Jones express the frustration and desperation of poverty and the need to escape it. The song is a powerful statement about the determination of the human spirit to overcome obstacles and find a new reality.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, baby, where're you going, baby?
I'm in need of a ride to get to where I want to be quickly.
Got to get to where I'm going real fast
I have an urgent need to reach my destination as soon as I can.
Ain't got no time to waste
I don't have any time to spare on this journey, I need to get there immediately.
Thing here, I'm not about to stay here
I don't want to remain in this place any longer than necessary.
There are children on the street with no food to eat
I can see children who are living in poverty and are hungry.
I see them there, I said, got to get away
This situation is unbearable, and I have to leave to find a better place.
I gotta escape this poverty, I gotta find a new reality
I am determined to leave behind the poverty and find a new life elsewhere.
Don't try and stop me, boy, I'm on my way
Nobody can stop me from leaving, I am determined to go.
So light me a cigarette, cruise in a plane
I want to relax and experience luxury on my trip, such as smoking a cigarette or flying in a plane.
Take a trip to Paris, maybe Spain, yeah
There are many places I want to visit, such as Paris or Spain.
You can stay, I'll leave you here
I won't force anyone to come with me, those who stay can remain.
You'd be a fool if you like what's here, hey
Those who choose to remain are foolish because there's nothing good here.
Many places you can go
There are numerous other places to visit in this world.
No one ever said, I never told you so
I have warned you, but it's your own choice to stay behind.
Don't give a damn, don't really care
I don't care what anyone thinks, I'm going regardless.
Given you all I've got to share, yeah
I've done my best to give what I can, but I still need to go.
Shut the door, you can lock me out
You can try to stop me, but I'm leaving regardless.
I don't give a damn, I'm heading south, hey
I don't care what happens, I'm going.
I'm on my way, I'm on my way
I'm making progress towards my destination.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, O/B/O DistroKid, Bluewater Music Corp.
Written by: DANIEL JONES, OLIVER JONES, JAMIE SULLIVAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
GoddessMother SupaQueen
I had this on tape. I hope she performs songs from this next time I go see her.
Rodolfo Peña
This one did it for me