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."
Take Me to the River
Tom Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All the changes you put me through
Take my money, my cigarettes
I haven' seen the worst of it yet
I wanna know that you'll tell me
I love to stay
Take me to the river, drop me in the water
Take me to the river, dip me in the water
Think of all the things we could have had
Love is an ocean that I can't forget
My sweet sixteen I would never regret
I wanna know that you'll tell me
I love to stay
Take me to the river, drop me in the water
Push me in the river, dip me in the water
Washing me down, washing me
Hug me, squeeze me, love me, tease me
Till I can't, till I can't, till I can't take no more of it
I don' know why I love you like I do
All the troubles you put me through
Sixteen candles there on my wall
And here am I the biggest fool of them all
I wanna know that you'll tell me
I love to stay
Take me to the river and drop me in the water
Dip me in the river, drop me in the water
The lyrics of Tom Jones's song Take Me to the River evoke feelings of frustration, confusion, and a desperate need for love in the singer's heart. The song begins with the admission that the singer cannot understand why he loves this woman, and how despite all the changes she has put him through, he seems unable to let her go. He acknowledges that she takes his money and cigarettes, and that things might still get worse between them. However, he yearns for her to stay with him.
As the song progresses, the singer's need for love takes on more urgency, as he implores her to take him to the river and dip him in the water. The water becomes a metaphor for cleansing and a fresh start, and it seems that the singer is willing to do anything to rid himself of his troubles and feel loved. He acknowledges that he is a fool for loving her, but he can't help it.
Overall, the song speaks to universal themes of love, vulnerability, and the need to be accepted despite flaws and shortcomings. The simple melody and catchy chorus make it a favorite among fans of soul and R&B music.
Line by Line Meaning
I don' know why I love her like I do
I don't understand the reasons why I am devoted to this person
All the changes you put me through
You are constantly causing transformations in my life
Take my money, my cigarettes
You take my possessions without my consent
I haven' seen the worst of it yet
I believe there may be even more challenging situations I will face because of you
I wanna know that you'll tell me
I desire to be reassured by you
I love to stay
I am attached to you despite the difficulties
Take me to the river, drop me in the water
I want to be close to a powerful natural force to calm my mind
Take me to the river, dip me in the water
I long to be purified by immersing myself in water
I don' know why you treat me so bad
I cannot fathom why you inflict such pain onto me
Think of all the things we could have had
I imagine all the possibilities we could have shared, but missed out on because of your behavior
Love is an ocean that I can't forget
My feelings for you are so deep that I cannot erase them
My sweet sixteen I would never regret
The memories of my sixteenth birthday are dear to me and I will never forget them
Washing me down, washing me
The river will cleanse me, both physically and spiritually
Hug me, squeeze me, love me, tease me
My desire for intimate physical and emotional contact with you
Till I can't, till I can't, till I can't take no more of it
I want to experience intense sensations until they become overwhelming
Sixteen candles there on my wall
I have many precious memories from my youth
And here am I the biggest fool of them all
Despite all the pain, I still choose to stay with you
Take me to the river and drop me in the water
Immersion in flowing water is where I can find release from my inner turmoil
Dip me in the river, drop me in the water
"Dipping" and "dropping" references a type of cleansing ritual in some religions, and I hope to find spiritual purification by doing so.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Al Green, Mabon Hodges
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mariagonzalez-tl8kk
Dear, nobody sing like you do, just spectacular❤❤❤❤
@mariagonzalez-tl8kk
I'll never forget his precious voice, I still adore TomJones...he has gone and there sre many people who love forever.I love this song.
@DC-se3ko
Tom is still with us.
@mariagonzalez-tl8kk
Nobody can't sing like you do. My Love❤❤❤❤❤❤❤😂no matter where you're. Dear Tom..
@mariagonzalez-tl8kk
TomJones spectacular voice, just unique, take me to the river....
@mariagonzalez-tl8kk
😢❤❤❤❤❤My Nightingale...kisses and prayers to you, What a beautiful voice...
@Ginsings
Gosh - He's the BEST. He only gets better with time!!
@veronicaordonez7273
I love Sir Tom Jones!!!!Simply the Best!!!!
@user-cc1ep9xe5j
Великий, великолепный, восхитительный, ТОМ ДЖОНС!
@user-cc1ep9xe5j
Сэр ТОМ ДЖОНС имея наикрасивейший голос и неповторимый талант от Бога есть целая планета!!!!!!Бравооооооо!!!!