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."
Help Me Make It Through the Night
Tom Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shake it loose and let it fall
Layin' soft upon my skin
Like the shadows on the wall
Come and lay down by my side
Till the early mornin' light
All I'm takin' is your time
I don't care who's right or wrong
I don't try to understand
Let the devil take tomorrow
Lord tonight I need a friend
Yesterday is dead and gone
And tomorrow's out of sight
And it's sad to be alone
The lyrics of Tom Jones's "Help Me Make It Through The Night" are introspective and emotive. The song tells the story of someone who is looking for a temporary escape from the pain and loneliness they feel. The singer addresses a lover to take the ribbon from their hair and come to lay down by their side until the early morning light so that they may have someone to help them make it through the night.
The singer does not care about who's right or wrong indicating that there might have been a situation where they have faced judgment or criticism. It is apparent that the singer is feeling a sense of despair, and making it to the next day seems to be a difficult task for them. They prefer to let go of tomorrow and take comfort in the moment. The lyrics emphasize that yesterday is dead and gone, and the future is out of sight. The lyrics reveal a vulnerable side to the singer, showing their need for human companionship, compassion, and empathy.
Tom Jones's "Help Me Make It Through The Night" is a reflection of human nature that is relevant even today. It is a song that resonates with people who are battling loneliness and emotional pain. The lyrics touch on the common thread that binds people in their suffering and their need for support from others.
Line by Line Meaning
Take the ribbon from your hair
Remove any adornments or trappings of societal expectations
Shake it loose and let it fall
Be comfortable in your own skin and let go of any pretensions or constraints
Layin' soft upon my skin
Being close without barriers and feeling the warmth of emotional and physical intimacy
Like the shadows on the wall
Enjoying darkness that lets us escape the light and the norms of society
Come and lay down by my side
Be near me I want to share in the beauty of the moment
Till the early mornin' light
Until daylight arrives, we can indulge in the time we have together
All I'm takin' is your time
I just want to, in essence, borrow some of your time to fulfill a need that only you can meet.
Help me make it through the night
I am in need, I need comfort or escape and only you can make it through the night with me
I don't care who's right or wrong
In the moment, the power of the experience of seeing through the night overpowers trivial things that could detract from the experience
I don't try to understand
I accept the experience as is without trying to overanalyze or intellectualize the moment.
Let the devil take tomorrow
I do not care much about the future, but want to embrace the moment and live only in the present, escape worries about the future
Lord tonight I need a friend
I am in a vulnerable state and trust you to be with me tonight, as companionship will make it easier to face
Yesterday is dead and gone
There is no looking back and living in the past is gone and the opportunity to rise above is lost
And tomorrow's out of sight
Thinking of the future can sometimes dampen the present so we should live in the moment and not let thoughts of tomorrow cloud that
And it's sad to be alone
Being by oneself can be sad and lonely, but having someone dear to share the night with brings joy
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Kris Kristofferson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Eleuterio De Leon
A great rendition Mr. Tom Jones. I always knew this song is for you!
Deborah Curtis
What an amazing performance, his voice alone leaves me weak in the knees
Brau Juntilla
Full of emotions..love it
Sherry Cutlip
This is the kind of song that you do best, although your rendition of "Danny Boy".is very moving. I guess I love all the songs you do, unless you add a little too much body movement!! Your voice is just fabulous. I think also that you're at the height of your gorgeousness at this age!
Brau Juntilla
I love how Tom Jones rendered this song.
Stephen Whiteman
Best version ever thank you Tom
Verónica Ordoñez
I love Sir Tom Jones!!!! Always so beautiful!!!😍😍😍💓💓💓💓👏👏👏👏
Janet Covacic
Amazing performance - nobody does it better than Tom!!
Eleuterio De Leon
And He did it without any friction from the body parts of his dancers! Wow...
linda szatkowski
So beautiful from my dear Sir Tom ❤❤