Williams' Blood
Grace Jones Lyrics


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You can't save me, you can't save a wretch like me

When she was seventeen
She married a Preacher Man
And she settled down
In a little part of town
Followed him all around
Having little babies
Singing in a little Church
In a little ghost town

She's so happy
(I don't want to keep up I can't keep up)
She's so happy, keeping up
(I don't wanna keep up, keeping up with the Jones')

Finally she told me
Grandpa Dan travelled
Playing on the road
With Nat King Cole
And he womanised
Staying up all night
Cruisin'up around the town
From town to town to town

(Let me go, ah ah Hurricane)
(Just let me go, ah ah I'm going to care)

Why don't you be a Jones like your Sister and your brother Noel
When are you gonna be a Jones your just like your Dad
God bless his soul

I've got the William's blood in me
I've got the William's blood in me
I've got the William's blood in me
(I've got the Williams' blood)
I've got the William's blood in me
In me, in me, in me, running though my veins
William's blood in me

In a room full of doves
I'm waiting for the Angels
Spreading my wings
So I can fly




(Let me fly ah ah, hurricane) (Let me go, ah ah Hurricane)
Why don't you be a Jones like your Sister and your brother Noel

Overall Meaning

The song "Williams Blood" by Grace Jones explores the idea of family legacy and bloodline through the lens of a woman who reflects on her past and the choices she's made. The opening line, "You can't save me, you can't save a wretch like me," sets the tone for the rest of the song as the singer acknowledges her imperfections and implies that no one can save her from them.


The second verse introduces the idea of marriage and motherhood, where the woman settles down and follows her preacher husband, having children and singing in a church in a small town. However, the singer's contentment doesn't last long, as she's reminded of her grandfather's wild past as a traveling musician who womanized and stayed up all night. The first chorus introduces the repetition of the line "I've got the William's blood in me," suggesting that her grandfather's legacy lives on through her.


In the final verse, the singer expresses a desire to break free from her past and fly, but is reminded of the pressure to conform to the Jones family legacy, further emphasizing the idea of bloodline and family expectations. Overall, "Williams Blood" is a reflective song that touches on themes of legacy, conformity, and the struggle to break free from one's past.


Line by Line Meaning

You can't save me, you can't save a wretch like me
I am beyond help and redemption, you cannot rescue me from my misery


When she was seventeen
At the age of seventeen


She married a Preacher Man
She wedded a man of the cloth


And she settled down
She made a home for herself and her family


In a little part of town
In a small community


Followed him all around
She accompanied him wherever he went


Having little babies
She bore children


Singing in a little Church
She sang hymns in a small church


In a little ghost town
In an abandoned and desolate place


She's so happy
She appears to be elated


(I don't want to keep up I can't keep up)
(I do not have the energy to maintain my facade)


She's so happy, keeping up
She is attempting to maintain the image of her happiness


(I don't wanna keep up, keeping up with the Jones')
(I do not wish to maintain the facade of keeping up with societal expectations)


Finally she told me
She eventually confided in me


Grandpa Dan travelled
Her grandfather Dan was a traveler


Playing on the road
He was a musician on the go


With Nat King Cole
He performed with the legendary Nat King Cole


And he womanised
He engaged in sexual relationships with multiple women


Staying up all night
He spent many late nights awake


Cruisin'up around the town
He drove around town


From town to town to town
He traveled extensively


(Let me go, ah ah Hurricane)
(Allow me to be free, like a gust of wind)


(Just let me go, ah ah I'm going to care)
(Release me, I am going to take care of myself)


Why don't you be a Jones like your Sister and your brother Noel
Why don't you live up to your familial name like your siblings, Sister and Brother Noel?


When are you gonna be a Jones your just like your Dad
When will you live up to your family name like your father did?


God bless his soul
May he rest in peace


I've got the William's blood in me
I possess the bloodline of the Williams family


(I've got the Williams' blood)
(I have the lineage and legacy of the Williams family)


In me, in me, in me, running though my veins
It flows through my body as if coursing through my veins


William's blood in me
I am a part of the William's family


In a room full of doves
Within a space filled with peace and harmony


I'm waiting for the Angels
I am anticipating the arrival of heavenly beings


Spreading my wings
I am extending my reach and potential


So I can fly
So I can soar towards my dreams


(Let me fly ah ah, hurricane)
(Let me be free and unbridled like the force of nature)


(Let me go, ah ah Hurricane)
(Release me from my constraints, like a storm on the horizon)




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Grace Jones, Lisa Coleman, Wendy Melvoin

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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