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."
Rescue Me
Tom Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Rescue me--I want your tender charms
'Cause I'm lonely and I'm blue
I need you and your love too
Come on and rescue me
Come on, baby, and rescue me
Come on, baby, and rescue me
Can't you see that I'm lonely?
Rescue me--come on and take my heart
Take your love and conquer every part
'Cause I'm lonely and I'm blue
I need you and your love too
Come on and rescue me
Come on, baby, and rescue me
Come on, baby, and rescue me
'Cause I need you by my side
Can't you see that I'm lonely?
Rescue me--take me in your arms
Rescue me--I want your tender charms
'Cause I'm lonely and I'm blue
I need you and your love too
Come on and rescue me
Come on, baby
Take me, baby (take me, baby)
Hold me, baby (hold me, baby)
Love me, baby (love me, baby)
Can't you see that I need you, baby?
Can't you see that I'm lonely?
Rescue me--come on and take my hand
Come on, baby, and be my man
'Cause I love you, 'cause I want you
Can't you see that I'm lonely?
Mmm-hmm (mmm-hmm)
Mmm-hmm (mmm-hmm)
Take me, baby (take me, baby)
Love me, baby (love me, baby)
Need me, baby (need me, baby)
Mmm-hmm (mmm-hmm)
Mmm-hmm, can't you see that I'm lonely?
Rescue me
Rescue me
Mmm-hmm
Mmm-hmm-hmm
"Rescue Me" by Tom Jones is a song that deals with a feeling of loneliness and a need for someone to rescue the singer from that feeling. The lyrics suggest that the singer is looking for love and affection and that they have been feeling isolated and blue. The song calls out to the potential partner to come and take the singer's heart and conquer every part of it, to rescue them from their lonely state. The chorus expresses this need for rescue and the longing to be held, loved, and needed.
The song is a soulful and passionate plea for love and connection. Tom Jones's powerful voice highlights the depth of the emotion behind the lyrics. The repetition of the chorus emphasizes the urgency of the singer's needs and creates a sense of longing and desire. The lyrics are simple, but effective, as they capture the essence of the singer's feelings and communicate them with clarity and power.
Overall, "Rescue Me" is a timeless classic that continues to resonate with listeners today. Its theme of love, loneliness, and the need for human connection makes it an enduring favorite among fans of soul and R&B music.
Line by Line Meaning
Rescue me--take me in your arms
I need someone to save me and hold me tight
Rescue me--I want your tender charms
I want your loving embrace to make me feel safe and cared for
'Cause I'm lonely and I'm blue
Because I'm feeling alone and sad
I need you and your love too
I need your love and presence in my life to feel complete
Come on and rescue me
Please hurry and save me from my loneliness
Come on, baby, and rescue me
Please come and save me, my dear
'Cause I need you by my side
Because I need your company in my life
Can't you see that I'm lonely?
Don't you see how much I need someone right now?
Rescue me--come on and take my heart
I need somebody to love and care for me deeply
Take your love and conquer every part
Love and care for me completely, leaving no part of me untouched
Come on, baby
Hurry up and come to me, my love
Take me, baby (take me, baby)
Pick me up and hold me close, my love
Hold me, baby (hold me, baby)
Wrap your loving arms around me
Love me, baby (love me, baby)
Show me deep affection and care
Can't you see that I need you, baby?
Don't you understand how much I require your love and attention with me?
Rescue me--come on and take my hand
I'm reaching out to you for help and solace
Come on, baby, and be my man
Please come to me and be the one who loves and protects me
'Cause I love you, 'cause I want you
Because I love and deeply desire your affection and presence in my life
Mmm-hmm (mmm-hmm)
(Hums of yearning)
Take me, baby (take me, baby)
Please pick me up and take me with you
Love me, baby (love me, baby)
Show me your love and deep affection
Need me, baby (need me, baby)
Please show that you require me too
Mmm-hmm (mmm-hmm)
(Hums of deep longing)
Mmm-hmm, can't you see that I'm lonely?
Don't you notice my loneliness and yearning for you?
Rescue me
Save me from my sadness and longing
Mmm-hmm-hmm
(Hums of yearning)
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Carl Smith, Raynard Miner
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mark Auvil
I have the album and I wish MCA Record's would put it on CD.