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."
Can't Buy Me Love
Tom Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can't buy me love
I'll buy you a diamond ring, my friend
If it makes you feel all right
I'll get you anything, my friend
If it makes you feel all right
'Cause I don't care too much for money
I'll give you all I've got to give
If you say you love me too
I may not have a lot to give
But what I've got I'll give to you
I don't care too much for money
For money can't buy me love
Can't buy me love
Everybody tells me so
Can't buy me love
No, no, no, no
Say you don't need no diamond rings
And I'll be satisfied
Tell me that you want the kind of things
That money just can't buy
I don't care--buy me love
Money can't buy me love
Can't buy me love
Everybody tells me so
Can't buy me love
No, no, no, no
Say you don't need no diamond rings
And I'll be satisfied
Tell me that you want the kind of things
That money just can't buy
I don't care too much for money
Money can't buy me love
Can't buy me love, love
Can't buy me love, oh
In Tom Jones's song Can't Buy Me Love, the lyrics speak of the limitations of money and its inability to purchase genuine, unconditional love. The singer acknowledges the power of money to purchase material objects such as diamond rings ("I'll buy you a diamond ring, my friend"), but ultimately concludes that love cannot be bought ("'Cause I don't care too much for money, for money can't buy me love"). The song expresses that while money can provide temporary happiness, it cannot provide fulfillment in the form of love and meaningful relationships.
Furthermore, the lyrics convey that the singer is willing to give all they have to offer, regardless of their financial status ("I'll give you all I've got to give"). The singer emphasizes that their devotion and love cannot be measured or quantified by money, despite others' opinions ("Everybody tells me so, can't buy me love"). The refrain, "Can't buy me love," reinforces the theme that love cannot be purchased with wealth, and that ultimately, relationships and connections are what truly matter in life.
Overall, Tom Jones's Can't Buy Me Love communicates a valuable message about the genuine worth of money and relationships. The song reminds listeners that while money can provide temporary satisfaction, it cannot fill the void that only authentic love and connections can fill.
Line by Line Meaning
Can't buy me love, love
Love is not something that can be purchased with money, no matter how much money you have.
Can't buy me love
Love cannot be bought with money.
I'll buy you a diamond ring, my friend
If it makes you feel all right
I'll purchase a diamond ring for you if it will make you happy.
I'll get you anything, my friend
If it makes you feel all right
I'll obtain whatever you desire if it will make you happy.
'Cause I don't care too much for money
For money can't buy me love
I don't value money very much since it can't purchase real love.
I'll give you all I've got to give
If you say you love me too
If you also love me, I'll give you all I have to offer.
I may not have a lot to give
But what I've got I'll give to you
Even though I may not have much to give, I'll still offer it to you with all my heart.
Money can't buy me love
True love cannot be purchased with money.
Can't buy me love
Everybody tells me so
Everyone around me agrees that love cannot be bought with money.
Say you don't need no diamond rings
And I'll be satisfied
If you tell me that you don't need any luxurious items, I will be content.
Tell me that you want the kind of things
That money just can't buy
Express to me that you desire things that can't be purchased with money.
I don't care--buy me love
Money can't buy me love
Money doesn't matter to me as long as I have true love in my life.
Can't buy me love, love
Can't buy me love, oh
Love cannot be purchased with any amount of money.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
L Dennehy
1st class all the way. She has grace, elegance, poise and beauty all wrapped up into a gorgeous package!
Socratic Methods
She made it into a whole new song.
Lucie Melahn
A good song is always good. She recognized it.
Rob Ratchford
Thank you for including the introduction by Ed! Really appreciate it and Ella’s music is timeless!
John Hourigan
Love this version! — and I’m a Beatles fan. And the crane/dolly in shot toward the end of the song is why I love 1960s TV —
Kevin Rodrigues
Very Good! I usually don't like covers that changes too much the original song, but this version is pure talent!
JOTAT10
Immortal goddess and unforgettable Jazz singer, she will always be remembered in the world in any homage to American music.
Richard Moore
Fabulous arrangement by Johnnie Spence. The studio recording was recorded at Abbey Road with George Martin.
Don Paul WeatherPLUS Paul
It would have been nice if arrangers and the great CBS Orchestra conducted by Ray Bloc would get some credit on these great jazz performances.
John Hourigan
Absolutely! In one show, Ray and the orchestra had to perform jazz, classical, rock and roll throughout the run of the show.