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."
Who's Gonna Take You Home Tonight
Tom Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where you sell your haunted heart
In the shadows you look for the friend
Who'll take you where the sidewalks ends
And it's a sad affair
You reach out but no one's there
Tell me who's gonna take you home tonight
Take your hand and hold you tight
And promise you paradise
Tell me who's gonna take you home tonight
Turn the darkness into light
And wipe away the tears you cry
Just another stranger
Will be taking you home tonight
You couldn't see that love was the price
What happened to the light in your eyes
Broken dreams fall at your feet
You stand alone on a dead end street
So who's gonna hear you prayer
Look around there's no one there
He'll tell you dreams come true
And take you to some rented room
But when the blinds are drawn
Another angel will fall
I guess it's in your blood
One love just ain't enough
Tell me who's gonna take you home tonight
Take your hand and hold you tight
Who'll be the one to make it right
And promise you paradise
Tell me who's gonna take you home tonight
Turn the darkness into light
And wipe away the tears you cry
Just another stranger
Will be taking you home tonight
The lyrics to Tom Jones's song "Who's Gonna Take You Home Tonight" highlights the plight of a person who engages in a sad and self-destructive cycle of going out in search of companionship, but ending up disappointed and heartbroken every time. The song takes us to the seedy parts of town, where people go in search of something they need desperately but cannot seem to find. It's a haunting melody that reminds us of the way we sometimes feel when we're alone, and wondering if there is anyone out there who cares about us.
The opening line "There's a place you go after dark, where you sell your haunted heart" immediately sets the tone of the song. It describes a place of desperation and darkness where people go to sell their souls to find a way to fill the emptiness in their hearts. The singer highlights the irony of someone searching for a friend but finding no one - "In the shadows you look for the friend, who'll take you where the sidewalks end, and it's a sad affair, you reach out but no one's there".
The chorus of the song asks the question "Who's gonna take you home tonight?" suggesting that the person has gone out seeking companionship, but it's fruitless, and yet another stranger will take them home instead. The bridge of the song reveals that even though they know their love is not reciprocated, they still seek it. "I guess it's in your blood, one love just ain't enough", shows how the person has become addicted to chasing love despite the cycle of disappointment.
Overall, the lyrics of "Who's Gonna Take You Home Tonight" are a poignant reflection on the fragility of relationships, the loneliness of human existence, and the desperate quest for human connection.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a place you go after dark
You know of a secluded location that you visit at night
Where you sell your haunted heart
In this location, you offer your damaged and troubled heart to others
In the shadows you look for the friend
You seek out someone you can trust, despite being in darkness
Who'll take you where the sidewalks ends
This friend will lead you to unknown places, away from typical paths
And it's a sad affair
The situation is unfortunate and disheartening
You reach out but no one's there
You extend your hand for help or comfort, but no one reciprocates
Tell me who's gonna take you home tonight
You ask who will accompany you and provide emotional support for the night
Take your hand and hold you tight
This person will hold your hand firmly and close to their body
Who'll be the one to make it right
The friend will correct the situation and mend the heartache
And promise you paradise
They'll guarantee you a happy place and state of mind
Turn the darkness into light
They'll transform the sorrowful moment into a bright one
And wipe away the tears you cry
The individual will dry your tears and relieve you of your pain
Just another stranger
The person who ultimately assists you will be unknown and unfamiliar
Will be taking you home tonight
This stranger will escort you to safety for the night
You couldn't see that love was the price
You failed to realize that love came at a cost
What happened to the light in your eyes
Why did you lose the joy and sparkle in your eyes?
Broken dreams fall at your feet
Your aspirations have shattered and failed you
You stand alone on a dead end street
You're isolated on a road with no outlet or future
So who's gonna hear your prayer
You ask who will listen and respond to your pleas
Look around there's no one there
You observe your surroundings and see that no one is present
He'll tell you dreams come true
The stranger will say that your aspirations will become reality
And take you to some rented room
They'll bring you to a temporary place to escape your troubles
But when the blinds are drawn
When the curtains are closed to obstruct the outside world
Another angel will fall
You'll be hurt or harmed in some way, despite the person's good intentions
I guess it's in your blood
You accept mistreatment and heartache as a natural part of your life
One love just ain't enough
You're unable to find happiness and emotional fulfillment with just one relationship
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: PAGE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Вера (ДУХ)
БОЖЕСТВЕННЫЙ ГОЛОС БЕНА БУДУТ СЛУШАТЬ ВЕКАМИ! 👌ЛЕГЕНДА!
НЕДООЦЕНИЛИ БЕНА.ТАЛАНТ.👌🇸🇮🇸🇮🇸🇮2023г. ВЕЛИКОЛЕПНЫЙ МУЗЫКАНТ! 👍👌👌🇸🇮🇸🇮
Вера (ДУХ)
ЛЮБОЙ ТОВАР НУЖНО ПРЕДОСТАВИТЬ КАЧЕСТВЕННО! У БЕНА ПОЛУЧИЛОСЬ, ПЕСНЯ НА ВЕКА!👌🇸🇮🇸🇮
Dave Lynch
Just sitting home alone and this song rings in my mind! Classic hits never die🔥
Jwebb0230
So much emotion evoked in this song, but so simple at the same time. Not a word was wasted. This song is the bar for any genre of music. Powerful.
Derek Anderson
The 80s decade was so cool! What a privilege to be a kid and teenager, during the 1980s. If I could summarize the 80s decade, into one word, that word would be FUN.
Ellakim Carlson
One of my favourite song from Benjamin Orr. The co-founder, the bassist, and one of the lead vocalists of “The Cars” . RIP Ben Orr... wherever you are, you will never be forgotten ❤️
Katherine Martin
Awesome song &video!👏💯🌟❤️👋
Baboucarr M Saho
New today than ever, the most beautiful song of the 80s, amazingly emotional. My eyes are filled with tears 😭
saxmanization
this song was written by a man who had a flash of genius. not many people can write a song like this. rip ric.
Michael Herrington
We were driving home that night the two of us, and this song came on. We didn't say a word on that long trip. The song said it all. That was thirty years ago. The memories are eternal.