Williams' Blood
Encyclopedia
"Williams' Blood" is the second single from Grace Jones
' tenth studio album Hurricane
.
, explaining how Jones takes after her mother's, Marjorie Jones née Williams, musical side of the family rather than that of her disciplinarian father Reverend Robert Jones. According to the lyrics, Jones' mother reveals that her grandfather was a musician who traveled with Nat King Cole
, womanizing and drinking from town to town. The song describes her family's lament that she isn't more of a Jones like her sister or brother Noel
while she expresses her desire to be free.
Time Out London describes the composition as "among the most personal songs she’s ever recorded, celebrating the contradictions between Grace’s religious family background and outré public persona." The Independent
says the song "employs handclaps and choral refrain to build up an almost gospel fervour".
In the song's introduction Jones distorts a line from the first stanza of "Amazing Grace
" declaring, "You can't save a wretch like me." At the end of the track when Jones sings the first two lines of "Amazing Grace
" Jones' mother Marjorie, a lyric soprano
, can be heard singing the same hymn in church.
The song's working title
was "Keeping up with the Joneses
", an idiom heard in the lyrics.
Jones performed the number live on Later... with Jools Holland with her son, Paulo Goude, on percussion.
Belgian duo Stephen Fasano and Vito De Luca of the band Aeroplane produced a Balearic disco
remix of the single which was initially rejected by Jones' label but eventually approved. 1,000 12" singles were released featuring mixes by Aeroplane, Mad Professor
, Greg Wilson and Ivor Guest.
showing clips of Jones performing on her tour premiered on her album's official website in early January 2009 The same video premiered on YouTube
on February 5, 2009. A Chris Cunningham
-directed music video was reportedly in production in late 2008 but remains unreleased.
Grace Jones
Grace Jones is a Jamaican-American singer, model and actress.Jones secured a record deal with Island Records in 1977, which resulted in a string of dance-club hits. In the late 1970s, she adapted the emerging electronic music style and adopted a severe, androgynous look with square-cut hair and...
' tenth studio album Hurricane
Hurricane (Grace Jones album)
Hurricane is the tenth studio album by singer Grace Jones and her first album of new material in nineteen years.-Creation:Jones had decided not to do another album again before meeting music producer Ivor Guest by mutual friend Philip Treacy. After becoming acquainted Guest played Jones a track he...
.
Song information
"Williams' Blood" is an autobiographical song, written by Jones and Wendy & LisaWendy & Lisa
Wendy & Lisa are a music duo consisting of Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman. They began working with Prince in the early 1980s and were part of his band The Revolution, before branching out on their own and releasing their debut album in 1987...
, explaining how Jones takes after her mother's, Marjorie Jones née Williams, musical side of the family rather than that of her disciplinarian father Reverend Robert Jones. According to the lyrics, Jones' mother reveals that her grandfather was a musician who traveled with Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole
Nathaniel Adams Coles , known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres...
, womanizing and drinking from town to town. The song describes her family's lament that she isn't more of a Jones like her sister or brother Noel
Bishop Noel Jones
Noel Jones is the senior pastor of the City of Refuge Church in Gardena, California. The City of Refuge has about 17,000 members and was formerly the Greater Bethany Community Church which had 1,500 members under the leadership of Bishop Robert McMurray who became ill and appointed Bishop Noel...
while she expresses her desire to be free.
Time Out London describes the composition as "among the most personal songs she’s ever recorded, celebrating the contradictions between Grace’s religious family background and outré public persona." The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
says the song "employs handclaps and choral refrain to build up an almost gospel fervour".
In the song's introduction Jones distorts a line from the first stanza of "Amazing Grace
Amazing Grace
"Amazing Grace" is a Christian hymn with words written by the English poet and clergyman John Newton , published in 1779. With a message that forgiveness and redemption are possible regardless of the sins people commit and that the soul can be delivered from despair through the mercy of God,...
" declaring, "You can't save a wretch like me." At the end of the track when Jones sings the first two lines of "Amazing Grace
Amazing Grace
"Amazing Grace" is a Christian hymn with words written by the English poet and clergyman John Newton , published in 1779. With a message that forgiveness and redemption are possible regardless of the sins people commit and that the soul can be delivered from despair through the mercy of God,...
" Jones' mother Marjorie, a lyric soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
, can be heard singing the same hymn in church.
The song's working title
Working title
A working title, sometimes called a production title, is the temporary name of a product or project used during its development, usually used in filmmaking, television production, novel, video game, or music album.-Purpose:...
was "Keeping up with the Joneses
Keeping up with the Joneses
"Keeping up with the Joneses" is an idiom in many parts of the English-speaking world referring to the comparison to one's neighbor as a benchmark for social caste or the accumulation of material goods...
", an idiom heard in the lyrics.
Jones performed the number live on Later... with Jools Holland with her son, Paulo Goude, on percussion.
Belgian duo Stephen Fasano and Vito De Luca of the band Aeroplane produced a Balearic disco
Balearic Beat
Balearic Beat or either Balearic House and Balearic Trance is an eclectic blend of DJed dance music that originally emerged in the mid-1980s. It later became the name of a more specific style of electronic dance music that was popular into the mid-1990s...
remix of the single which was initially rejected by Jones' label but eventually approved. 1,000 12" singles were released featuring mixes by Aeroplane, Mad Professor
Mad Professor
Mad Professor is a dub music producer and engineer known for his original productions and remix work. He is considered one of the leading producers of dub music’s second generation and was instrumental in transitioning dub into the digital age. He is a prolific producer, contributing to or...
, Greg Wilson and Ivor Guest.
Music video
A music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
showing clips of Jones performing on her tour premiered on her album's official website in early January 2009 The same video premiered on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
on February 5, 2009. A Chris Cunningham
Chris Cunningham
Chris Cunningham is an English music video film director and video artist. He was born in Reading, Berkshire in 1970 and grew up in Lakenheath, Suffolk....
-directed music video was reportedly in production in late 2008 but remains unreleased.
Charts
| Chart (2008) | Position |
|---|---|
| Belgian Singles Chart (Flanders) Ultratop Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium, and it is also the name of most of those charts... |
44 |
| Belgian Tip Chart (Wallonia) | 12 |
| Belgian Dance Chart Ultratop Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium, and it is also the name of most of those charts... |
2 |
Track listings
- UK Vinyl, 12", Promo (JONES001)
- "Williams' Blood" (Yam Who? Electric Dub) (6:34)
- "Williams' Blood" (Yam Who? Cosmic Jam) (7:43)
- Limited Edition UK Vinyl, 12" (WOS042T)
- "Williams' Blood" (Aeroplane Remix) (7:24)
- "Williams' Blood" (Feat Mad Professor & Joe Ariwa - The Trixters Mix) (5:55)
- "Williams' Blood" (Greg Wilson Version) (7:31)
- "Williams' Blood" (Ivor Guest Breaks Version) (4:23)
- UK Digital Single
- "Williams' Blood" (Edit) (4:02)
- "Williams' Blood" (5:58)
- "Williams' Blood" (The Trixters Mix featuring Mad Professor / Joe Ariwa) (6:01)
- "Williams' Blood" (The Trixters Dub Mix 1 featuring Mad Professor / Joe Ariwa) (6:03)
- "Williams' Blood" (Greg Wilson Version) (7:36)
- "Williams' Blood" (Ivor Guest Remix) (4:25)
- "Williams' Blood" (Aeroplane Remix) (7:28)
- "Williams' Blood" (Aeroplane Remix Dub) (7:27)