Sir Thomas Jones Woodward, KBE (born 7 June 1940), best known by his stage … Read Full Bio ↴Sir Thomas Jones Woodward, KBE (born 7 June 1940), best known by his stage name, Tom Jones, is a Welsh pop singer particularly noted for his powerful voice. He was born in Treforest, near Pontypridd in South Wales.

He rose to fame in the mid-1960s, with an exuberant live act which included wearing tight breeches and billowing shirts, in an Edwardian style popular amongst his peers at the time. He was known for his overt sexuality, before this was as common as it became in subsequent years.

In 1963 he became the frontman for Tommy Scott and the Senators, a local beat group. Clad all in black leather, Tom soon gained a reputation in the South Wales area. The Senators were still all unheard of in London.

In 1964 they laid down a few tracks with maverick Telstar producer Joe Meek, and took them to various labels in an attempt to get a record deal. The plan was to release a single, Lonely Joe / I Was A Fool, but the ever-flighty Meek refused to release the tapes. The group returned to South Wales and continued to play gigs at dance halls and working mens clubs. One night, at the Top Hat in Cwmtillery, Tom was spotted by Gordon Mills, a London-based manager originally from South Wales. Mills became Tom's manager, and took the young singer to London. He also renamed him Tom Jones. The Senators became the Playboys, and later still the Squires.

Jones was awarded the Grammy Award for Best New Artist for 1965. It's Not Unusual, after the song having first been offered to Sandie Shaw. Jones recorded what was intended to be a demo for Shaw, but when she heard it she was so impressed with Jones' delivery that she declined the song and recommended that Jones release it himself. The record was the second Decca single Jones released, reaching number one in the UK charts in 1965. It was also the first hit for Jones in the US, peaking at #10 in May of that year. The single was released in the US on the Parrot label and also reached #3 on Billboard's easy listening chart. Jones used this song as the theme for his late 1960s-early 1970s musical variety series This Is Tom Jones. It has since become Jones' signature song.

In 1965 Tom sang the theme tune to the James Bond film Thunderball.

Jones' recording career slumped on the pop charts during the 1970s and 80s, although he placed 16 singles on the Billboard Country Music charts between 1976 and 1985, the biggest of which was "Say You'll Stay Until Tomorrow" (# 1 Country, # 15 pop) in 1977, and his touring continued successfully. When his son Mark became his manager in 1987, his musical style was taken in a different direction. His recording career was revived with his first major hit single in over a decade, "A Boy From Nowhere", taken from the musical Matador. In 1988 he collaborated with The Art of Noise to record Prince's popular song "Kiss". Following this, he started to record in collaboration with a younger generation of musicians

His Reload album, released in 2000, became the biggest hit of his career. An album of cover versions recorded as duets with contemporary artists, using their record producers, and utilising their recording methods, it reached number one in the United Kingdom, and sold over 4 million copies worldwide.[1] In 2002, he released the album Mr. Jones, which was produced by Wyclef Jean and included the singles "Tom Jones International" and "Black Betty". In 2003, he was honored with a BRIT Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music. In 2004, his "Sex Bomb" single became a major club hit.

On New Year's Eve 2000 President Bill Clinton invited Tom to perform at the Millennium Celebrations in Washington. Throughout 2000, Tom garnered several honours for his work, including a Brit Award for Best Male. In 2001 Tom toured throughout the Middle East and Europe. In subsequent years Tom recorded albums in collaboration with such artists as Wyclef Jean and Jools Holland.

In celebration of his 65th birthday, on 28 May 2005 Tom returned to his homeland to perform a spectacular concert in Ynysangharad Park, Pontypridd. This was Tom's first performance in Ponty since 1964.

For his contribution to the recording industry, Tom Jones has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6608 Hollywood Blvd.

In 2005 the album Together In Concert, was recorded live with John Farnham and his band.

He has collaborated with Chicane for "Stoned in Love", a dance track that was released 24 April 2006. It entered at number eight in the UK charts the following Sunday.

In 2007, he signed to New York-based independent label S-Curve, owned by music executive Steve Greenberg.

The singer was awarded an OBE in 1999 and a Knight Bachelor in the 2006 New Years Honours list for his services to music and was subsequently knighted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace, London on 29 March 2006.[7]

On 1 July 2007, Jones was one of the invited artists who performed at Wembley Stadium at the Concert for Diana, joined on stage by guitarist Joe Perry of Aerosmith and British soul singer Joss Stone. He sang the British National Anthem before Ricky Hatton's fight against Floyd Mayweather in Las Vegas on 8 December 2007. On 19 April 2008 he sang the Welsh National Anthem at the Calzaghe-Hopkins fight in Las Vegas.

Although his manager and public relations staff have attempted to change his sex-bomb image and neutralize the knicker-throwing fans, to the delight of his audiences Jones has never felt the need to tone down his behavior in the shows. Tom Jones has remained highly respected by other singers and continues to attract audiences of all ages. As of 2008, Jones continues to tour and record. A major portion of the year he regularly performs his show at the MGM Grand hotel, located on the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, USA. His show at the MGM is performed in a cabaret-style theater. Other venues on his yearly schedule include numerous shows at Atlantic City, NJ and appearances in the USA, United Kingdom and Canada. In February 2007, Jones made a long-awaited South American tour.

On 17 September 2008, Jones announced the release of his retro-tinged album "24 Hours" on S-Curve Records, his first for 15 years in the US; notably, this is the first record in which he's had a direct song-writing input. It was produced largely by drum'n'bass stalwarts Future Cut.

"It's all very well just singing songs," says Jones, "but for this record I really wanted to get properly personal. I've been getting reflective recently, looking over my journey through life, and I wanted to get that down on song. This time I wanted to make something that was all about me, my stories, my life. In other words, you listen to this album and you get the real me."

Satisfaction
Tom Jones Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I can't get no satisfaction
I can't get no satisfaction
'Cause I try and I try
Yes, I try, I try

I can't get no satisfaction
I can't get no satisfaction

When I'm cruisin' in my car
And the man comes on the radio
He's tellin' me more and more
About some useless information

Supposed to fire my imagination
And I can 't get no satisfaction
Oh, no, no, no, hey, hey, hey
Ooh, baby, tell me what I say

Oh, well, when I'm watching my TV
And this man comes on and tells me
What drink would be good for me
But he can't be a man 'cause he doesn't smoke

The same cigars as me
And I can't get no satisfaction
No, no, no, hey, hey, hey, hey
Tell me what I say

When I'm ridin' 'round the world
And I'm doin' this and I'm signin' that
And I'm tryin' to meet some girl
Who tells me, baby, baby, come back, maybe next week

Can't you see I'm on a losing streak
I can't get no satisfaction
Oh, no, no, no, hey, hey, hey
Baby, tell me what I say

Come here, baby
What do ya mean
You don't know what will satisfy me
Yes, you do

I've been all around the world
Looking for some girl

And I can't get no satisfaction
And I've got to have some satisfaction

Overall Meaning

Tom Jones’ “Satisfaction” is a cover of the Rolling Stones’ classic hit that debuted in 1965. Like the original, Jones' version talks about his struggle to find satisfaction in life. The lyrics speak to a never-ending search for happiness in different aspects of life, from music to television to relationships. The chorus “I can’t get no satisfaction… cause I try and I try” repeats throughout the song, and is a relatable feeling many people experience.

The verses explore different scenarios where Jones feels unfulfilled, like when a man on the radio talks about useless information or when he watches a TV commercial that suggests a drink that he thinks won’t suit him. The final verse finds Jones lamenting about his search for love, “I'm ridin' 'round the world and I'm doin' this and I'm signin' that and I'm tryin' to meet some girl who tells me, baby, come back maybe next week”. While he may be doing many exciting things and meeting new people, he still can’t shake the feeling that there’s something missing.

Line by Line Meaning

I can't get no satisfaction
I am unable to find contentment and happiness in life.

'Cause I try and I try
Even though I keep making an effort to find satisfaction, it eludes me.

Yes, I try, I try
Despite repeated attempts, I am still left dissatisfied.

When I'm cruisin' in my car
While I'm out driving my vehicle

And the man comes on the radio
And a male voice starts playing on the radio.

He's tellin' me more and more
He is providing me with additional information.

About some useless information
However, the information that he is sharing is completely worthless to me.

Supposed to fire my imagination
The radio host intends to spark my creativity and interest.

Oh, no, no, no, hey, hey, hey
An expression of disbelief and frustration at the situation.

Ooh, baby, tell me what I say
I am asking for input and guidance on how to resolve this issue.

Oh, well, when I'm watching my TV
Similarly, when I'm watching television

And this man comes on and tells me
Another man appears on the screen and starts to address me personally.

What drink would be good for me
He is recommending a specific beverage for me to try.

But he can't be a man 'cause he doesn't smoke
However, I cannot take this advice seriously because the man does not smoke, which I perceive as a flaw.

No, no, no, hey, hey, hey, hey
A repetition of the earlier expression of frustration.

When I'm ridin' 'round the world
As I am traveling through different countries

And I'm doin' this and I'm signin' that
I am engaged in various activities and signing documents during my travels.

And I'm tryin' to meet some girl
I am attempting to make a connection with a woman.

Who tells me, baby, baby, come back, maybe next week
However, the woman is not interested in me and tells me to come back another time.

Can't you see I'm on a losing streak
I am having a series of failures and disappointments in my attempts to find satisfaction in life.

Come here, baby
I am attempting to make a connection with yet another woman.

What do ya mean
I am asking for clarification.

You don't know what will satisfy me
I am expressing my frustration that no one seems to understand what I need to feel satisfied in life.

I've been all around the world
I have traveled extensively in search of satisfaction.

Looking for some girl
I am specifically looking for a romantic partner.

And I've got to have some satisfaction
I am desperate for satisfaction and feel that it is necessary to my well-being.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Abkco Music Inc.
Written by: Keith Richards, Michael Jagger

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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