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."
Thunderball
Tom Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He acts while other men just talk.
They call him the winner who takes all;
And he strikes like Thunderball
He knows the meaning of success;
His needs are more so he gives less.
He looks at this world and once in all;
Any woman he wants, he'll get;
He will break any heart without regret
His days of asking are all gone;
His fight goes on, and on, and on.
But he thinks that the fight is worth it all;
So he strikes like Thunderball
The lyrics of Tom Jones's Thunderball are a portrayal of a person who goes through the world with a go-getter attitude, continually working towards his goals. The first verse talks about the singer being one that's continuously on the move, always running while others walk, and acting instead of talking like everyone else. They call him the winner who takes it all, referring to how he's always winning in whatever he does, be it personal or professional. He's swift, dangerous, and precise in his movements, just like a thunderball.
The second verse sheds light on the mindset of the singer. He's someone who understands the true meaning of success, ready to sacrifice his desires to achieve his goals. He glances across the world and knows what he wants from life, and he's willing to do whatever it takes to achieve it. He'll break hearts without regret, and every woman he wants, he'll get. He's a man of purpose, and he'll never stop fighting for it.
The chorus of Thunderball echoes the same sentiments. The fighter in the singer won't give up, and he'll keep at it, striking like a thunderball. He's been through tough times, but he knows it's all worth the fight.
Line by Line Meaning
He always runs while others walk;
He is always ahead of the others, always striving to achieve more than others at a faster pace.
He acts while other men just talk.
He is not someone who just talks about something, rather he takes action and makes things happen.
They call him the winner who takes all;
He has a reputation of being the ultimate winner - he doesn't just win, but he takes everything available.
And he strikes like Thunderball
He makes a big impact, just like a thunderball - striking with force and leaving a lasting impression.
He knows the meaning of success;
Success is not strange to him; he has a clear understanding of what it means to be successful.
His needs are more so he gives less.
He is a selfish person; he prioritizes his needs over others, and gives less than what he takes.
He looks at this world and once in all;
He takes a moment to step back and observe the world, but only once in a while.
Then he strikes like Thunderball
After observing the world, he comes back with full force and makes a big impact through his actions.
Any woman he wants, he'll get;
He has no problem getting any woman he desires, and he does so effortlessly.
He will break any heart without regret
He is a heartless person, not caring about the emotions of others, and will break anyone's heart without any remorse.
His days of asking are all gone;
He is not someone who asks for things anymore, as he has achieved so much that he doesn't need to ask anyone for anything.
His fight goes on, and on, and on.
He is always fighting for something, and this fight never ends.
But he thinks that the fight is worth it all;
Even though the struggle never stops, he believes that it is all worthwhile in the end.
So he strikes like Thunderball
He continues to make a big impact despite the ongoing struggle, with his actions akin to a thunderball - forceful and impactful.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN BARRY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind