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."
9 To 5
Tom Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pour myself a cup of ambition
And yawn and stretch and try to come to life
Jump in the shower and the blood starts pumping
Out on the street the traffic starts jumping
With folks like me on the job from nine to five
Nine to five, what a way to make a living
They just use your mind, and they never give you credi
It's enough to drive you crazy, if you let it
They let you dream just to watch them shatter
You're just a step on the boss man's ladder
But you've got dreams he'll never take away
In the same boat with a lot of your friends
Waitin' for the day your ship'll come in
And the tide's gonna turn, and it's all gonna roll your way
Nine to five, for service and devotion
You would think that I would deserve a fair promotion
Want to move ahead, but the boss won't seem to let me
I swear sometimes that man is out to get me
Nine to five--they've got you where they want you
There's a better life and you dream about it, don't you?
It's a rich man's game no matter what they call it
And you spend your life putting money in his pocket
The song "Nine to Five" by Tom Jones reflects the monotony of a mundane job where one has to work from nine o'clock in the morning to five o'clock in the evening with no room for personal growth. The singer describes an ordinary routine starting with a struggle to wake up, which resonates with most of us trapped in jobs we don't love. He then paints a picture of a grueling yet mind-numbing day-to-day existence where people go about their business with no passion, and the city's hustle and bustle goes on like clockwork.
The chorus goes on to describe how the demands of the job require one to put in all their energy with little to no incentive or recognition - "barely getting by; it's all taking and no giving, they just use your mind, and they never give you credit." It's a sentiment that many people who feel unappreciated at their place of work can relate to.
The lyrics go on to suggest that no matter how hopeless the situation seems, everyone working the nine to five job has dreams and aspirations that cannot be taken away. These dreams may seem far-fetched, but the singer encourages the listeners to hold on to them and hope for a day when their hard work will finally pay off.
Line by Line Meaning
Tumble out of bed and stumble to the kitchen
After waking up, clumsily walk towards the kitchen
Pour myself a cup of ambition
Pour coffee to wake up and become motivated
And yawn and stretch and try to come to life
Stretch arms and mouth to awaken and start the day
Jump in the shower and the blood starts pumping
Taking a shower begin to feel really awake and alert
Out on the street the traffic starts jumping
Start the commute to work, and the traffic in the city is incredibly busy
With folks like me on the job from nine to five
Working with other people at a regular job from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Nine to five, what a way to make a living
Working from 9-5 as a means of earning money
Barely getting by; it's all taking and no giving
Earning very little money, and not receiving any reciprocation for the labor performed
They just use your mind, and they never give you credit
Your intellect/work is employed by your superiors, yet credit is never given to you
It's enough to drive you crazy, if you let it
It’s mentally draining, and If you allow it to be, it will make you mad
They let you dream just to watch them shatter
Your superiors provide you with false hope only to crush it later on
You're just a step on the boss man's ladder
You are a mere pawn in the game towards the top of the hierarchy
But you've got dreams he'll never take away
Despite your superiors' tactics, you will still hold onto your personal goals
In the same boat with a lot of your friends
Your colleagues are in the same situation as you
Waitin' for the day your ship'll come in
Waiting for an opportunity or situation to arise that will change your life
And the tide's gonna turn, and it's all gonna roll your way
Eventually, life will go your way and you will reap the benefits from your efforts
Nine to five, for service and devotion
Working hours of nine to five as a sign of commitment and loyalty to the company
You would think that I would deserve a fair promotion
Assuming a job position advancement as a matter of fairness
Want to move ahead, but the boss won't seem to let me
Desire to progress in the company, but ineffectual superiors prevent further advancement
I swear sometimes that man is out to get me
Convinced your boss is intentionally attempting to harm your professional potential
Nine to five--they've got you where they want you
Your employer has full control over your daily routine
There's a better life and you dream about it, don't you?
You fantasize about a situation where life is better than what it currently is
It's a rich man's game no matter what they call it
Regardless of what any one says, making money is the only thing that truly matters
And you spend your life putting money in his pocket
You are spending the entirety of your life making someone else rich
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: RAY DAVIES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Miles Forrester
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