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."
Cool Water
Tom Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Without the taste of water, cool water
Old Dan and I with throats burned dry
And souls that cry for water, cool, clear water
[Chorus]
Keep a-movin', Dan, don't you listen to him, Dan
He's a devil not a man
Dan can you see that big green tree
Where the water's runnin' free
And it's waiting there for you and me
The nights are cool and I'm a fool
Each star's a pool of water, cool water
But with the dawn I'll wake and yawn
And carry on to water, cool, clear, water
The shadows sway and seem to say
Tonight we pray for water, cool, water
And way up there He'll hear our prayer
And show us where there's water, cool, clear, water
Dan's feet are sore he's yearning for
Just one thing more than water, cool, water
Like me I guess he'd like to rest
Where there's no quest for water, cool, clear, water
Tom Jones’s song, “Cool Water,” details the struggles of facing a barren wasteland without any source of water, which becomes a haunting and burning desire. The song features an imaginary story of two men, the singer and his faithful dog, Old Dan, who are desperately searching for water in a dry land. They suffer from terrible thirst and burned throats, which cause them to lament and cry for water. While the desert and thirst persists, the singer tells his dog to keep moving so they can avoid succumbing to their thirst. The devilish landscape is compared to hell because of the burning sand, which the devil spreads with water.
As they journey, they see a big green tree, which symbolizes hope and salvation from the parched land, and are overjoyed to find that there is free-flowing water there. The dark, cool, and quiet nights are seen as moments of respite where each star can quench their thirst. In the morning, the singer wakes up and carries on with the quest to find water. He knows that their prayers will be answered and that God will show them the way to where there is water waiting for them.
The lyrics of “Cool Water” are a metaphor for the difficult journey of life, where one seeks for ways to satisfy their thirst and find peace. The song's powerful message emphasizes the importance of perseverance and faith in times when life seems unbearable. It portrays the message that life can be tough, but one should always keep going since there’s always going to be green pasture waiting in the end.
Line by Line Meaning
All day I've faced the barren waste
Throughout the day, I've endured a lifeless landscape with no source of fulfillment.
Without the taste of water, cool water
There is a lack of satisfying, refreshing water in this harsh environment that leaves me wanting.
Old Dan and I with throats burned dry
My dear companion, Old Dan, and I are suffering from parched throats, indicating our desperate need for quenching water.
And souls that cry for water, cool, clear water
Our innermost being is in agony, crying out for the pure, clean, and refreshing relief that only water can bring.
Keep a-movin', Dan, don't you listen to him, Dan
We must continue on our journey, ignoring the discouraging voice of doubt and despair.
He's a devil not a man
The negative force that tries to hold us back isn't a human, but rather some sort of evil spirit that wants to bring us down.
And he spreads the burning sand with water
Ironically, the devil-like presence seems to make the already scorching hot desert even worse, as if it is spreading hot sand into our path disguised as relief.
Dan can you see that big green tree
As we journey on, I notice a large tree off in the distance that stands out from the dry landscape.
Where the water's runnin' free
Remarkably, it appears that there is a source of running, unfettered water near that tree.
And it's waiting there for you and me
I feel certain that this water and the tree are meant for us and that we can take comfort in the idea that we'll reach it eventually.
The nights are cool and I'm a fool
Despite the bitter daytime, the nights are refreshing and pleasant, and I recognize that I've been foolish for not appreciating them earlier.
Each star's a pool of water, cool water
The stars above shine down like pure and refreshing pools of cool water, inspiring a sense of hope and possibility.
But with the dawn I'll wake and yawn
As the sun rises, I'll awaken and go through the motions of starting another day, despite how difficult it may be to continue on.
And carry on to water, cool, clear, water
Regardless of what lies ahead, my focus will always be on finding that elusive source of cool, clear, and restorative water.
The shadows sway and seem to say
In the evening, the shadows around me dance and move, as though trying to tell me something.
Tonight we pray for water, cool, water
The shadows and I both pray for water, recognizing its immense value in this barren wasteland.
And way up there He'll hear our prayer
In the sky above, it feels like a caring presence is listening to our desperate calls for help.
And show us where there's water, cool, clear, water
We have faith that this higher power will reveal to us the location of the much-needed source of cool and clear water.
Dan's feet are sore he's yearning for
Old Dan has been through just as much hardship as I have and is struggling immensely.
Just one thing more than water, cool, water
Aside from water, he desperately needs a break, a moment of rest from this tumultuous journey.
Like me I guess he'd like to rest
Like me, Old Dan is in need of some well-earned rest, a recovery period from the uphill climb we've been on.
Where there's no quest for water, cool, clear, water
We dream of finding a peaceful paradise, a special place where water is abundant and where we no longer have to strain and search for it tirelessly.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Bob Nolan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind