Emily
Kelly Jones Lyrics


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Emily worked at the diamond store
She wanted all the rings that she couldn't afford
One long day a tall man came
Asked her to marry him and he bought her a ring

He whisked her off to the seven seas
Wined and dined her till she could barely see
One long night the tall man came home
To find Emily in bed with the hotel boy

Oh Emily, what have you done?
It's all come undone
Tell me who lost and who won

Caught in bed with another man's girl
Not just screwing, they were kissing as they moaned
One long knife, the tall man drew
And he stuck the hotel boy cold right through

Cops came along and Emily wept
As they took away all of her fancy things
One long lie the tall man heard
So he took back the ring before they took him to jail

Oh Emily, what have you done?
It's all come undone
Tell me who lost and who won

Oh Emily, what have you done?
Tell me who lost and who won




It's all come undone
Oh Emily

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Emily" by Kelly Jones tell a story of a young woman who works at a diamond store and dreams of being able to afford the rings she admires, but can't. One day, a tall man comes into the store and proposes to her, buying her a ring and taking her away to travel with him. The man spoils her and they enjoy their time together until one night when the man returns to their hotel to find Emily in bed with the hotel boy. The man kills the boy out of rage and is taken to jail, while Emily loses everything she gained from her relationship with the man and ends up weeping.


The song expresses the downfall of Emily's actions and decisions, in a narrative that is both tragic and cautionary. It suggests that Emily may have been blinded by her desire to have the things she wanted and did not consider the consequences of her choices. The lyrics may also highlight the danger of being with someone who is possessive and controlling.


One of the interesting things about "Emily" is that it was inspired by a true story that Kelly Jones heard from a friend. The song was released in 2007 as a part of his debut solo album "Only the Names Have Been Changed". Some fans have speculated that the song may be connected to the Stereophonics song "Dakota" which features the lyrics "thinking 'bout where we’re going, not about where we’ve been". However, Kelly Jones has never confirmed or denied this.


Line by Line Meaning

Emily worked at the diamond store
Emily was employed at the diamond store.


She wanted all the rings that she couldn't afford
She desired to acquire all the rings but was unable to purchase them due to financial constraints.


One long day a tall man came
A tall man arrived one fine day.


Asked her to marry him and he bought her a ring
The man offered to marry her and presented her with an engagement ring.


He whisked her off to the seven seas
He took her away for a romantic vacation.


Wined and dined her till she could barely see
He treated her with lavish meals and drinks until she was almost incapacitated.


One long night the tall man came home
One night, the tall man returned to their residence.


To find Emily in bed with the hotel boy
To discover Emily in a state of undress with an employee of the hotel they were staying at.


Oh Emily, what have you done?
Expressing surprise and shock upon discovering Emily's infidelity.


It's all come undone
Everything has fallen apart.


Tell me who lost and who won
Seeking to know who is at a disadvantage and who comes out on top.


Caught in bed with another man's girl
Emily was caught in the act of cheating with someone who belongs to another woman.


Not just screwing, they were kissing as they moaned
Their act of intimacy was not limited to just sexual intercourse, and also involved kissing and audible expressions of pleasure.


One long knife, the tall man drew
The man produced a long knife.


And he stuck the hotel boy cold right through
The man stabbed the hotel worker in a lethal manner.


Cops came along and Emily wept
The police arrived and Emily cried.


As they took away all of her fancy things
The officers confiscated all her luxury possessions.


One long lie the tall man heard
The man was told a long fib.


So he took back the ring before they took him to jail
Consequently, he repossessed the engagement ring before getting arrested.


Oh Emily, what have you done?
Reiterating the shock and surprise of the situation


Tell me who lost and who won
Asking once again who has benefited and who has not.


It's all come undone
Everything has fallen apart, and is now beyond repair.


Oh Emily
Addressing Emily one last time.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN TALLON JONES

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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