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."
Say You'll Stay Till Tomorrow
Tom Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Say you'll stay until tomorrow
I can't face tonight alone
Though I know it's over and we're through
Say you'll stay until tomorrow
I need you
The words have all been said
You're standing by the bed
Like someone I don't know
Your love has died and there is nothing you can do
Though you try (though you try)
Yes, you try (yes, you try)
You can't live (you can't live)
With a lie, so
[Chorus]
I've known for some time now
That thing's just ain't been right
'Cause when we try to talk
We both get so uptight
But now you've told the truth
And I know where I stand
Though it hurts (though it hurts)
Deep inside (deep inside)
Give me time (give me time)
I'll get by, so
[Chorus]
Though I know it's over and we're through
Say you'll stay until tomorrow
I need you
The song “Say You Stay Until Tomorrow” by Tom Jones is a ballad about a couple who has reached the end of the line. The singer knows that their relationship is over, but he can’t bear the thought of being alone. He pleads with his partner to stay with him until tomorrow, to give him one more night of comfort before they say their final goodbye. He acknowledges that their love has died, but he still needs her by his side for just a little bit longer.
The chorus of the song, “Say you'll stay until tomorrow, I can't face tonight alone” is a poignant expression of the fear and emptiness that comes with the end of a relationship. The singer’s vulnerability and desperation are palpable as he begs his partner to stay. As the song progresses, he comes to terms with their break-up, acknowledging that he has known for some time that things weren’t right between them. However, he still needs her support to get through this difficult time.
Overall, “Say You Stay Until Tomorrow” is a classic ballad that captures the pain, heartache, and sorrow that come with the end of a relationship. Tom Jones’ soulful voice and the song’s simple, yet powerful lyrics make it a timeless classic that still resonates with audiences today.
Line by Line Meaning
Say you'll stay until tomorrow
Please don't leave me alone tonight. Promise me that you'll still be here when tomorrow comes.
I can't face tonight alone
I'm afraid to spend the night by myself. I need your presence to feel safe and secure.
Though I know it's over and we're through
I understand that our relationship has ended and there's nothing we can do to change it. We have to accept it and move on.
I need you
I still love you and I can't bear the thought of losing you. Please don't leave me.
The words have all been said
We've already talked about our issues and problems, but it doesn't change the fact that we're breaking up.
Your mind's made up to go
You've already decided to leave and there's nothing I can do to make you stay.
You're standing by the bed
You're ready to pack your things and leave me behind.
Like someone I don't know
You feel like a stranger to me now. We used to be so close, but now we're complete strangers to each other.
Your love has died and there is nothing you can do
Your feelings for me have faded away and there's nothing I can do to make you love me again.
Though you try (though you try)
You've tried to make things work between us, but it didn't work out.
Yes, you try (yes, you try)
You did your best to salvage our relationship, but it wasn't enough.
You can't live (you can't live)
You can't continue to live a lie and pretend that you still love me when you don't.
With a lie, so
It's better to be honest and truthful, even if it hurts, rather than living a lie.
I've known for some time now
I've already sensed that something's wrong with our relationship for a while now, but I chose to ignore it.
That things just ain't been right
Our relationship hasn't been working out for a while now, and we've both felt it.
'Cause when we try to talk
Whenever we try to communicate, it always leads to arguments and misunderstandings.
We both get so uptight
We both get anxious and stressed out whenever we try to talk about our issues.
But now you've told the truth
You've finally admitted that our relationship is over and you're ready to move on.
And I know where I stand
I finally have closure and I know that our relationship is truly over.
Though it hurts (though it hurts)
It hurts to realize that our love story has come to an end, but I'll have to face it and move on.
Deep inside (deep inside)
Although it's painful, I know that it's time to let go and move forward with my life.
Give me time (give me time)
I need some time to heal and come to terms with our breakup.
I'll get by, so
Eventually, I'll be alright and I'll learn to live without you.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BARRY MASON, ROGER JOHN REGINALD GREENAWAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind