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."
I'm Counting on You
Tom Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And downstairs the child is sleeping, her spirit is free
For more than an hour I have walked in the rain
I've been wondering what she will be
But where are the heroes, where are the dreams that I had
When I was young?
Am I hoping in vain, just to think she could change anything?
I'm counting on you
To bring that sweet gentleness to your world and all that you do
My generation is losing its way, we don't know what we're leaving for you
So may there be millions who feel like you do, oh my love
There is so much to know, there is so far to go
But you are not alone
When this is your world and I'm counting on you
I'm counting on you
Come to me, turn to me, give me your eyes
When you see the mysteries of time
Here there are those who just live in the past
They will never let history lie
And this sad little island is breaking my heart with its dark
Shades of green
And as hard as I try I just cannot see why this should be
There is so much to know, there is so far to go
But you are not alone
When this is your world and I'm counting on you
So may there be millions who feel like you do, oh my love
There is so much to know, there is so far to go
But you are not alone
When this is your world
There is so much to know, there is so far to go
But you are not alone
When this is your world and I'm counting on you
Yes, I'm counting on you
And I'm counting on you
I'm counting on you
Yes, I'm counting on you
In the song "I'm Counting on You," Tom Jones shares his concerns about the future of the world he will be leaving behind for his daughter. He sings of the night being wild and the child sleeping downstairs, free in spirit. He has been walking in the rain, wondering what she will become. Jones then questions where the heroes and dreams he once had have gone. He hopes that his daughter can bring gentleness to the world and make a change. He admits that his generation is losing its way and doesn't know what it's leaving for the next generation. Jones pleads with his daughter and other young people to help build a better world; he is counting on them.
The song essentially reflects the concerns of many parents that the world their children will inherit is more unstable than the one they grew up in. Jones acknowledges the growing sense of despair and the waning of hope. However, he still holds on to the conviction that there is a possibility for change, and he entrusts that hope to the younger generation. He encourages the youth to look towards the future and to believe in themselves.
In summary, "I'm Counting on You" is a poignant and insightful song that speaks to the heart of any parent. It is a plea for a brave new world, with great hope and a belief that through the younger generation, that dream can indeed be realized.
Line by Line Meaning
The night is so wild
The night is unpredictable and chaotic.
And downstairs the child is sleeping, her spirit is free
Despite the chaos in the outside world, the child is at peace in her dreams.
For more than an hour I have walked in the rain
The songwriter has been wandering aimlessly, lost in thought for a long time.
I've been wondering what she will be
The songwriter is pondering about the future of the child.
But where are the heroes, where are the dreams that I had, When I was young?
The songwriter is lamenting the loss of his own youthful idealism and the lack of inspirational figures in the present day.
Am I hoping in vain, just to think she could change anything?
The songwriter questions whether his hopes for the child's future are realistic.
Well, I'm counting on you
Despite his doubts, the songwriter has faith in the child and her potential to make a difference.
To bring that sweet gentleness to your world and all that you do
The songwriter wants the child to bring kindness and compassion to the world around her.
My generation is losing its way, we don't know what we're leaving for you
The songwriter acknowledges the shortcomings of his own generation and worries about what kind of world the child will inherit.
So may there be millions who feel like you do, oh my love
The songwriter hopes that there are many others who share the child's positive attitude and desire for change.
There is so much to know, there is so far to go, But you are not alone
The world is a complex and challenging place, but the child is not alone in her journey.
When this is your world and I'm counting on you
The child is responsible for shaping the future, and the songwriter is counting on her to make it a better place.
Come to me, turn to me, give me your eyes
The songwriter asks the child to look to him as a source of guidance and support.
When you see the mysteries of time
As the child grows and learns, she will encounter many unknowns and uncertainties.
Here there are those who just live in the past
Some people are stuck in old ways of thinking and behavior.
They will never let history lie
These people cannot move on from past events, and are doomed to repeat the same mistakes over and over again.
And this sad little island is breaking my heart with its dark Shades of green
The songwriter is deeply saddened by the state of the world around him, particularly the natural environment which is suffering due to human actions.
And as hard as I try I just cannot see why this should be
Despite his best efforts, the songwriter cannot understand why things are the way they are.
Yes, I'm counting on you
The songwriter reiterates his belief in the child's ability to make a positive difference.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DON ROBERTSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@victoriagarzagarza6128
Only you can deliver this message with so much expression; your story is talking to us all. It gives us food for thought and a reason to move forward with a renewed spirt. Bravo Tom!❤
@OllyMursofficial11
Thank you for being such an amazing fan of my music, who has never stopped loving and appreciating me. 🌺🌺
@carmelitasilva8448
Feeling of your soul in this moment beloved. Beautiful song. Beautiful Thomas ❤
@user-mu8rr4md5m
Душу выворачивает. Как здорово поёт! И при этом красавец невозможный.
@user-mu8rr4md5m
Богом поцелованный.
@ingernyambok
Hope you have happiness with somebody Tom. You have such a good soul. Thank you for your songs.
@teresaswitzer6674
I'm counting on you, thank you for sharing your gifts with us.
@OllyMursofficial11
Thank you for being such an amazing fan of my music, who has never stopped loving and appreciating me. 🌺🌺
@ingernyambok
Amazing this.
@darinkazerjav3493
Obožavam Sir To Jonesa,neponovljiv glas i izvedbe!❤❤❤