Tom Jones International

This year is bringing us what many people are touting as Sir Tom Jones’ signature album. Praise and Blame pretty much covers the only area of music in which Tom has not done an album in the 45 years he’s been recording. The only area still left unsung in an album now is Christmas music and he said in an interview posted here May 14, “Island Records, bless ‘em, they asked for some Christmas music and I thought, Christ! If I can do than then maybe I can go deeper with it? They were almost on the right wavelength so I said, ‘Look, if you want me to do something that is uplifting with a spiritual feeling then why don’t we do it properly?’” Thus, the explanation of Praise and Blame. So….now that we’ve been privileged to hear Tom do every form of music (except, perhaps, opera), it is natural to ask what — if you could put together a track list for Tom’s next album — music would you choose? Would it be blues? Gospel? Rock ‘n’ roll? Ballads? Country? Would it be all one type of music? Or would you mix it up?

The TJI Question of the Month for July is:

Since you will be producing it, will you please describe Tom Jones’ next album? You do not have to name specific songs (although you may do so), but just the genre(s).

There’s been lots of rumor and talk among lots of people about the new Tom Jones CD due — allegedly — this month. Tom has said it’s a “gospel-type” set in the style of a Clapton CD. TJI has also heard it is a “collection of songs that have been meaningful to Tom over the years.” Whatever it is, it is eagerly awaited.

Now, let’s say you had some input into the songs included on the CD. The May Question of the Month is:

What one song — any song originally sung by Tom or anyone else — would you include on this CD is you had a say?

Remember, just one title, please.

Tom has canceled his shows in Singapore and South Korea. We’ll have more tomorrow and a bit more on the lawsuit discussed in the post below. His site says:“Due to doctor’s orders, it is with deep regret that we have been forced to cancel tonight’s performance in Singapore at Resorts World Sentosa and Saturdays show scheduled for Seoul, KOREA at the Olympic Fencing Stadium. Sir Tom has been resting his voice all week in Singapore, with regular checkups with local specialists. Unfortunately, the doctors are nevertheless unable to guarantee that Sir Tom would be able to perform the full show tonight at 100 per cent vocal strength. In addition, they have warned that by performing, Sir Tom could risk serious permanent damage to his vocals…We are deeply sorry for disappointing and inconveniencing the fans. We hope to find a time to come back in the near future and reschedule the shows. Full refunds will be available from the point of purchase – please contact the relevant ticketing outlets for further details.”

Please answer the Question of the Month!

In just over two months from now, Tom will celebrate his 70th birthday.

I was recently asked by a reporter how I think he should celebrate and, after several days, I answered with what I believe is a rational, thoughtful and — perhaps — realistic plan for June 7.

Now that my answer’s been submitted, I’ll put the question to you:

How do you think Sir Tom Jones should celebrate this most special day?

A story several weeks ago on UK radio that he’d be doing a concert at Royal Albert Hall has thus far been unfounded. I will note that the likelihood is that he’ll be in the UK.

The interview posted below got a lot of people (including your moderator) angry because, among other factors, the questions we very rude, intrusive and too personal.

So, the March TJI Question of the Month is:

If you were given the opportunity to interview Sir Tom, what is the one — only one (it’s a short interview) — question you would ask?

Remember, questions that are intrusive, rude or too personal will be moderated.

If you’ve read this site at all, you’ll know your moderator is partial to some of the songs from Matador. Of course, as dramatic and well-sung as it is, one cannot expect a song like Dance of Death — even though it showcases Tom’s dramatic and interpretative abilities perfectly — to be in Tom’s set list. It’s just not right for that. But, one song is exquisitely suited to any Tom Jones set list.

I am aware that lots of people love this song yet I was surprised at how many people just in Las Vegas this run, expressed a wish to have it included. Also, you may recall how many were disappointed when it was dropped from his set list in Europe. A countless number of fans want it back, so the TJI Question of the Month for February is:

If A Boy From Nowhere were to be included in Tom’s show and, to do that, one song from today’s set list had to be dropped, which song do you think should be dropped?

The setlist now, in order, is: Sugar Daddy, Give A Little Love, Thunderball, In Style and Rhythm, If He Should Ever Leave You, Delilah, Mama Told Me Not To Come, Hard to Handle, Too Many Lovers, I’ll Never Fall In Love Again, Green Green Grass of Home, Save the Last Dance for Me, What’s New Pussycat, She’s A Lady, You Can Leave Your Hat On, If I Only Knew, Sex Bomb, It’s Not Unusual and the encore: Kiss and Take Me Back to the Party.

You know the rules: please name one song only. If you’d like to share your reason, please do so. And, please, even if you think someone would cut your favorite song, remember everyone is entitled to an opinion.

Happy New Year and May 2010 Be the Best Year Ever!

Of course, this is an odd time of year. We look to the future and make resolutions about how we will behave. We also reflect on the past. With that reflection on the past in mind, we have our TJI.com Question of the Month for January:

What were the circumstances that led you to become a fan of Tom Jones?

Here’s my story: Of course, I knew who he was and knew his music. One day my friend Paula called and asked if I wanted to go to the Westbury Music Fair to see him. “Sure,” I said. “Why not? How much are tickets?”

She replied, “Seventeen dollars but I think if we join a fan club we can get better seats.”

That’s what we did. I found a fan club ad in the local Pennysaver publication (remember them?), we split the dues, joined and got third row seats. We had a blast. Several days later I called the fan club president to thank her and she asked if I drive. When I said “yes,” she asked if I’d drive her to shows in New England and Atlantic City if I wasn’t doing anything else. So, for a couple of years I transported this lady around to shows, got to meet Tom several times and, always, had lots of fun. A few years later, when he was in his country phase I was managing editor of a country music magazine so I was aware of what he was doing and liked it. Then, real life intervened and I didn’t see him for many years — until I went to the show at the Apollo in March 2004. I was again a fan (and, no! I didn’t move to Las Vegas to see him more often!). I cannot help but smile (sadly, I’m afraid) when I think of that $17 ticket price. And people were complaining then that the price had recently gone up from $12.

Come back to TJI tomorrow when, hopefully, we’ll have video from the Jools Holland New Year’s Eve Hootenanny.

From time to time — occasionally on this site and too frequently on other message boards and forums — fans get really emotional about various facets of Sir Tom. There have been discussions of his hair color, set lists, concerts, wardrobe and, just yesterday here, of a rivalry some fans feel exists between those in the US and those in the UK. Sometimes, it gets ugly. There has been, at various times and in various places, name-calling, rudeness and vitriol. Of course, much of it is on the maturity level of “My dad can beat your dad!”

So, the TJI Question of the Month for December is:

What is it about Tom Jones (or any other entertainer, for that matter) that causes all this emotion among fans? (IMPORTANT NOTE: The question deals not with the times people listen to his music or go to his shows, but with those other times when there’s discussion of other facets of his life.)

It’s been a very busy eight weeks or so with Tom on in Europe. There’s been lots of stuff to post and I was entertaining company and traveling for about 10 days. So I forgot the Question of The Month until today. (I am leaving Tuesday morning at 5:30 for a couple of days on the east coast on assignment for a magazine. Be sure to come back to TJI tomorrow (Wednesday) because it is a special day that will be noted with a special post. I cannot guarantee if a post will be up for Thursday but, if not, we’ll be back to normal on Friday. I hope.)

Anyway, Tom’s set list have been shuffled around with additions and deletions. So, aside from the “must includes” like Delilah, It’s Not Unusual, Green Green Grass of Home, Kiss, Sex Bomb and You Can Leave Your Hat On, the Question of the Month for November is:

Aside from the songs listed above, if you could add five songs to Tom’s show, what five songs would you choose? (Remember, just five!)

Mine would be A Boy From Nowhere, Baptism By Fire, At This Moment (a song for which I have an inexplicable weakness when Tom sings it), If I Only Knew and one great old one. I’m not sure of the last but tonight I happened to hear his live recording of Twist and Shout/Show Me and I love that.

I would just love something that wasn’t necessarily a hit but was so much fun for him to do that, just by him having fun, the audience did, too. Of course, my list is likely to change at any moment.

If anyone saw Tom in Basel, or will see him in Eastern Europe or Malta, please send reviews.

The Basel newspaper said, in German, that Tom brought a bit of Las Vegas to the city. The photo is by Stefan Rother from the paper,

It’s coming up to the TJI.com anniversary and — since this is a fan site — I’d really like to hear your requests for things you’d like to see.

Bearing in mind that there are trademark/copyright laws that must be obeyed, the October Question of the Month is:
What features would you like to see added to TJI.com?

On October 11 a new feature will be unveiled and other things on the site will be fixed. So watch for that and, please, send your suggestions.

Tomorrow we’ll have Kim’s review and photos from Denmark and a review from Eva in Sweden.

Note on the June raffle: Because I was stressed at the time and had an issue with PayPal about raffle money (you cannot sell raffles via PayPal), I did the donation to the charity without depositing any of the money I was sent by mail. It was on a tote sheet I kept, but I never deposited it. Someone — thanks, Jean! — has contacted me to say her check was never cashed. Turns out I’d moved the envelopes when I rearranged my old desk to make room for a new one at that same time. I’ll deposit all the checks Tuesday, October 6, unless you tell me not to. Meanwhile, the amount you sent was included in the amount sent to the charity. I feel like an idiot! Sorry!

We all have our favorite Tom Jones songs. We also have songs — some by Tom — which we could do without or, as Tangobaby said in the blog posted here yesterday, “I have decided that if I never hear What’s New Pussycat one more time, it won’t be too soon…”

The song I really dislike is She’s A Lady. The song is by Paul Anka, that man who brought us the completely loathsome (You’re) Having My Baby and speaks to a 1950s ideal that, in my view of the real world today — and, even, when Lady was recorded in 1971 — is impractical and, perhaps, insulting. (Yet, to be fair, I do know women who regard that song as their personal TJ song; who fancy he’s singing it directly to them. And, if that’s what one thinks, then I guess there’s nothing wrong with it.) But I wish he’d drop it.

What’s small to me or you may be monumental to others.For example, there’s that lyric in Kiss. One person I know of — who talked of it ceaselessly whenever the subject of Tom’s version of the song come up or whenever she saw it performed — haughtily informed Sir Tom one evening that “even Prince now says, Desperate Housewives instead of Dynasty.” A person with her was absolutely appalled at this and for several months after spoke of the “utter rudeness” of the comment. Sir Tom, to his credit, was totally cool in light of the harshness of the delivery. He just looked at the speaker and said, “So?” She (wisely and correctly) kept quiet from that point on, but that lyric clearly bothers her.

Songs I love include Tom’s rendition of At This Moment; stuff from Matador (A Boy From Nowhere, Dance of Death, particularly); Love Me Tonight, The Anniversary Song; Seasons….well, like anyone reading this site, I could go on and on. I like these because of the grand delivery, the emotions, the fun…..lots of reasons because, thankfully, everything Tom Jones sings doesn’t sound like everything else he sings.

At any rate, the September Question of the Month is: What Tom Jones song or specific lyric do you really like? And/or really dislike? And why? Is it silly? Does it mean something special to you? Have you heard it too often? And so on…..