# Tom Jones; surprising. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 13, 2019, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jones-surprising/837038 "2019-07-13T21:07:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Staggerlee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/staggerlee/32/3134_2.png) [@Staggerlee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Staggerlee)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jones-surprising/837038/1 "2019-07-13T21:07:29Z")
I’m not at a Tom Jones concert right now, but my housing complex has the quirky acoustics which channel to me the PA of the nearby cricket ground where he’s performing, right now. And he’s as dark and bluesie as anything, even with some of his hits. Weirdly similar to Nick Cave’s Elvis fanship. Did not think I’d ever say that. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jones-surprising/837038/2 "2019-07-13T21:34:17Z")
When I saw the title I thought you were talking about the movie starring Albert Finney: > **[Tom Jones (1963) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057590/)** > > Tom Jones: Directed by Tony Richardson. With George Devine, Rachel Kempson, Angela Baddeley, Joyce Redman. The romantic and chivalrous adventures of adopted bastard Tom Jones in 18th-century England. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jones-surprising/837038/3 "2019-07-13T22:48:41Z")
It’s not unusual. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jones-surprising/837038/4 "2019-07-13T22:51:10Z")
While I’ve never been a fan of his hit songs, or their arrangements, I’ve always thought he had a great rock-and-roll voice. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jones-surprising/837038/5 "2019-07-13T23:04:57Z")
I’ve seen him in concert twice. He puts on a great show. ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jones-surprising/837038/6 "2019-07-13T23:06:47Z")
Here he is doing [Trouble in Mind / Bring It On Home](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97MZWlkLpHw)with Van Morrison. When the video was finished I actually stood up and applauded my computer! ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jones-surprising/837038/7 "2019-07-14T00:10:13Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > When I saw the title I thought you were talking about the movie starring Albert Finney: > [Tom Jones (1963) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057590/) I’m pretty sure that when he was first becoming known in the US, I saw him on (probably) Ed Sullivan, dressed in a puffy shirt in full Tom Jones (movie) mode. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jones-surprising/837038/8 "2019-07-14T00:47:09Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > It’s not unusual. What’s new, Pussycat? ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jones-surprising/837038/9 "2019-07-14T01:13:13Z")
Years ago Martin Scorsese did a film about the blues. As a longtime fan of the blues I didn’t think it was that great. Tom Jones did some blues stuff and really nailed it. Same for Lulu. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jones-surprising/837038/10 "2019-07-14T01:17:51Z")
Reading TJ’s entry in Wikipedia, I came across this bit o’ trivia about him singing Thunderball: \* …according to Bond production legend, [Jones] fainted in the recording booth when singing the song’s final note. Jones said of it, “I closed my eyes and I held the note for so long when I opened my eyes the room was spinning.”\* ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jones-surprising/837038/11 "2019-07-14T03:18:14Z")
I’ve done 4 or 5 shows with him and he’s always knocked it out of the park. Fantastic voice; tons of presence in it. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2019, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jones-surprising/837038/12 "2019-07-15T03:05:15Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I’ve done 4 or 5 shows with him and he’s always knocked it out of the park. Fantastic voice; tons of presence in it. Do you mean you played guitar in his backup band, or were you in the warmup act? Either way I’m impressed! Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2019, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jones-surprising/837038/13 "2019-07-15T09:52:42Z")
> [@Staggerlee](#): > > And he’s as dark and bluesie as anything, even with some of his hits. Weirdly similar to Nick Cave’s Elvis fanship. Did not think I’d ever say that. Are you aware Cave covered Tom Jones in _Sleeping Annaleah_? And indirectly gave him a big shoutout in quoting from _Green, Green Grass of Home_ in _Sad Waters_ (not a Tom Jones original, but generally considered a Tom song). Not so strange a connection, really. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2019, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jones-surprising/837038/14 "2019-07-15T11:29:29Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > Do you mean you played guitar in his backup band, or were you in the warmup act? IIRC, **Bo** ’s an A/V guy, isn’t he? ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2019, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jones-surprising/837038/15 "2019-07-15T12:09:50Z")
Sir Tom’s gotten especially gravelly in his old age but is still a powerhouse, so the rock/gospel-y side of blues suits his voice to a T. _Bam-a-lam!_ ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2019, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jones-surprising/837038/16 "2019-07-15T13:09:22Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > It’s not unusual. Doctor: The tests came back, you’ve got Tom Jones disease. Patient: Oh my God! Is that rare? Doctor: It’s not unusual. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2019, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jones-surprising/837038/17 "2019-07-15T13:26:34Z")
Tom showed incredible kindness to the son of his old friend Lonnie Donegan . Tom & Lonnie toured together in the late 1960’s. Lonnie gave Tom his song I’ll Never Love Again to record. Tom had #1 hit with it. Lonnie died in 2002. His son Peter was on the UK Voice a few months ago. Tom immediately offered to sing that song with him. A dream come true for Peter and the Donegan family. Peter’s Coments [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/zvSh3sSKnwQ/maxresdefault.jpg "THAT moment with Sir Tom Jones (What Really Happened)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvSh3sSKnwQ) Tom & Peter singing together. The band didn’t know the song. Peter played accompaniment on piano and sang. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/bS5z-Nr3QhQ/maxresdefault.jpg "Sir Tom Jones & Peter Donegan's 'I'll Never Fall In Love Again' |Blind Auditions| The Voice UK 2019") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bS5z-Nr3QhQ) ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2019, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jones-surprising/837038/18 "2019-07-15T18:17:41Z")
> [@Staggerlee](#): > > And he’s as dark and bluesie as anything, even with some of his hits. Weirdly similar to Nick Cave’s Elvis fanship. Did not think I’d ever say that. This reminds me of Ray Charles in a way. Even when singing something that wasn’t really blues, like “That Lucky Old Sun”, the blues were in every note he sang. Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2019, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jones-surprising/837038/19 "2019-07-15T23:08:41Z")
> [@Peanuthead](#): > > Here he is doing [Trouble in Mind / Bring It On Home](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97MZWlkLpHw)with Van Morrison. When the video was finished I actually stood up and applauded my computer! I was going to post that link since it’s one of my favorite Van Morrison clips (he actually smiles!) But since you beat me, I’ll contribute this clip of Jones singing Tennessee Waltz with the Chieftans. It’s not blues or rock, but I found it eye opening. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/IL7UT7bazGQ/hqdefault.jpg "The Chieftains - Tennessee Waltz (Tom Jones)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IL7UT7bazGQ) ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2019, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jones-surprising/837038/20 "2019-07-15T23:40:19Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > Do you mean you played guitar in his backup band, or were you in the warmup act? > > Either way I’m impressed! > [@MrDibble](#): > > IIRC, **Bo** ’s an A/V guy, isn’t he? Hey! You tryin’ to start something?!? Don’t piss off the lighting guy! 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jones-surprising/837038.md?page=2)