Reassessing Tom Jones

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Siegmund, Jun 8, 2023.

  1. Siegmund

    Siegmund Vinyl Sceptic Thread Starter

    Location:
    Britain, Europe
    I recently bought the Complete Decca Studio Albums set; like many, I was somewhat surprised by how good it (generally) is ..... perhaps because, like many, I’d never thought of TJ as an album artist.

    His run from the Debut up to Close Up in 1972 is very strong indeed; listening to these albums, it’s clear that he was a very special kind of singer - one who could’ve sung opera or hard rock with equal conviction (Donna Summer is the only other ‘pop’ vocalist I’ve ever felt could have taken similar paths).

    But it’s clear that by around 1972, ideas were running dry and he was starting to release the same album every year. TJ’s virtues and flaws were very much those of his manager, Gordon Mills, who was quite brilliant in positioning him for a slightly older marketplace/fanbase, but ultimately ran out of ideas. By the mid-seventies, Jones had become a very high profile cabaret act and it would take him over a decade to re-invent himself.

    Still, his best stuff is very good indeed and this set has introduced me to the work of some songwriters who hadn’t been properly on my radar.
     
  2. Chemically altered

    Chemically altered Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ukraine in Spirit
    What's to reassess? Women threw their panties and hotel room keys at him. He is legend.
     
  3. tmwlng

    tmwlng Forum Resident

    Location:
    Denmark
    In recent years he has taken the "Johnny Cash" route e.g. looking at old blues/country mixed up with some of the more fringey, interesting music from the past 20-30 years. His cover of John Lee Hooker's Burning Hell is extreme. Top singer. Always held great respect for Mr. Jones despite the at times overwrought gold-chain-stuck-in-the-rug-of-love kind of image. Never stood in the way for some amazing interpretations of songs; particularly soul music seemed a natural fit. The orchestrated pop hits from the 60's & early 70's still sound great.
     
  4. Helter Skelter

    Helter Skelter Forum Resident



    Maybe the greatest live performance ever captured for television.
     
  5. rlj1010

    rlj1010 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Coral Springs, FL
  6. Siegmund

    Siegmund Vinyl Sceptic Thread Starter

    Location:
    Britain, Europe
    This Is Tom Jones contained some amazing performances. Most of its on Youtube and every time I take a look, my mind is blown.
     
  7. Bnk

    Bnk Forum Resident

    Location:
    Birmingham
    His version of Wichita Lineman is up there with Glen Campbell's. I'm surprised he didn't do more Jimmy Webb, I could only find one other ( looks like a lesser Webb) track in Google.
    Who are the best songwriters for him you reckon, any recurring names?
     
  8. Helter Skelter

    Helter Skelter Forum Resident

    He’s a judge on the tv talent show the Voice UK and his voice is still incredible. Puts most people a third of his age to shame.
     
    Last edited: Jun 8, 2023
  9. Siegmund

    Siegmund Vinyl Sceptic Thread Starter

    Location:
    Britain, Europe

    Les Reed and Barry Mason were his ‘bespoke writers’ in his glory days. They tended to furnish him with very dramatic material that suited the extrovert qualities of his voice.

    Yes, he probably should’ve done more Webb covers.

    The cover of Gilbert O’Sullivan’s Nothing Rhymed on the Tom album is interesting, but not an ideal fit.
     
    Bnk likes this.
  10. Wildest cat from montana

    Wildest cat from montana Humble Reader

    Location:
    ontario canada
    A great clip. Crosby is clearly impressed with Jones. And why not? Fantastic vocal.
     
  11. PRW94

    PRW94 Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Southeast
    Tom has always delivered the goods. I saw this clip of him doing an acoustic version of It’s Not Unusual a while back and marveled at it (and how good a song that is when you really listen to it).

     
  12. MrSka57

    MrSka57 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Syracuse, New York
    Gotta love him singing (backed by the Flaming Lips) the TV show theme
    for 'Duck Dodgers in the 24 1/2 Century'.
     
  13. Siegmund

    Siegmund Vinyl Sceptic Thread Starter

    Location:
    Britain, Europe
    From 2020. Admittedly, not having to project over a full force orchestra, but no-one’s voice should sound this good at 80:

     
  14. Dylancat

    Dylancat Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cincinnati, OH
    Elvis was also impressed
     
  15. bRETT

    bRETT Senior Member

    Location:
    Boston MA
    When I saw him in May, the first two songs were deep, bluesy songs that pondered mortality. The third song was "Sex Bomb."

    That's Sir Tom in a nutshell.
     
  16. Revelator

    Revelator Disputatious cartoon animal.

    Location:
    San Francisco
    Yes, Elvis clearly patterned his return to live performing in Vegas after seeing what Jones did there. In 1976 he covered one of Jones's signature songs, "I'll Never Fall in Love Again," but by then his voice was unreliable and it was a wasted effort. Incidentally, there's a surprisingly large amount of photos of Elvis and Tom hanging out.

    My respect for Jones was cemented after seeing him hold his own against his guest stars on TV. The fact that he could duet with folks like Little Richard and Wilson Pickett--and sound just as powerful and soulful as them--was irrefutable evidence of his talent.
     
  17. Siegmund

    Siegmund Vinyl Sceptic Thread Starter

    Location:
    Britain, Europe
  18. Ephi82

    Ephi82 Still have two ears working

    Location:
    S FL
    I enjoy seeing Tom show Van Morrison and Jeff Beck how to sing a bluesy tune.

     
  19. blastfurniss

    blastfurniss Forum Resident

    Location:
    Marion, OH, USA
    Tom Jones is a force of nature. Tom Jones is a world treasure. His voice is thunder and lightning and has the powerful authority of a God. One of those guys like Sinatra who can take a song and make it his own.

     
  20. hurdygurdygal

    hurdygurdygal Forum Resident

    Location:
    Norfolk, Va USA
    JUST watched this an hour ago with my kids after my son played "What's New, Pussycat?" in the car :laugh:
     
    Panama Hotel and rlj1010 like this.
  21. "Re(mixing)assessing Tom Jones"


    "Kiss - Tom Jones & The Art of Noise"

    :winkgrin:
     
  22. Dylancat

    Dylancat Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cincinnati, OH
    Yes.
    Elvis saw Jones in Vegas and that was the catalyst
     
    Chemically altered likes this.
  23. lavalamp3

    lavalamp3 Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    Fantastic performance. If only Tom had chosen to record more of this kind of material than some of the pap he did choose to record, then he would have had similar credibility in the late 60s/early 70s to the likes of Cocker and Joplin. I believe he was that good.

    Unfortunately, Tom chose to record “The Young New Mexican Puppeteer” instead.
     
  24. dasacco

    dasacco Senior Member

    Location:
    Massachussetts
    This is a favorite of mine. Nice raw, rockin' band.

    [​IMG]
     
    MikeP5877 and Siegmund like this.
  25. Wildest cat from montana

    Wildest cat from montana Humble Reader

    Location:
    ontario canada
    Those early 70s Tom Jones albums are pretty good.
    One side would be rock and r&b and the other ballads and soul.
    Nothing amazing but a solid listen.
     
    Armjim likes this.

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