Tom Jones International

We’ve had computer problems over the last three weeks and, therefore, have a bunch of stuff to post. Of course, the computer issues also caused delays in real-life work and deadlines but, over the next few days, we’ll play catch-up.

We’ll begin with a short bit from our great friend Inside Scoop. Scoop is lucky enough to see Sir Tom in Latin America and, the first news brief from Buenos Aires says:

“The show last night was FANTASTIC. Tom was treated like a rock star, and in return he gave a rock star performance. It was a hot, sweaty and very passionate night. They had been laying in wait for the Tom down here!”

We’ll be getting more from Scoop, along with some more info about that tour and other odds and ends.

We couldn’t make this stuff up:

Sir Tom has had his chips if he wanted to win this potato poll

Gareth Morgan, Western Mail.February 12, 2007

IT’S a case of “Fry, fry, fry Delilah” as Sir Tom Jones’ face appears in a plate of chips.

The unusual artwork was created by the British Potato Council to celebrate National Chip Week.

The council said chips are a national treasure and conducted a survey to find the nation’s other favourites.

Sir Tom just about scraped in with 1% of the vote. It was topped by William Shakespeare with 32%, the Queen with 28% and The Beatles with 10%.

Soonews.com in Sault Ste. Marie (hence, we figured after several moments, the “Soo” in “Soonews.”) is running an ongoing weekend feature called “THAT WAS THEN,” a look at history’s best music, television and movies.”

This week it’s Sir Tom and the feature includes three video clips (early It’s Not Unusual, a Canadian series version of Delilah (lame version of the song, but he looks fine). The third video, She’s A Lady, was removed from youtube, but here’s another one recorded on February 15, 1974 in the Netherlands at the Grand Gala du Disc. (And be sure to watch the entire clip, even after the song ends.)

Enjoy the videos, ignore much of the bio in the article. Too bad they didn’t add “THIS IS NOW” to “THAT WAS THEN” and show this great entertainer as he is today.

In an article in today’s Asbury Park Press in New Jersey, Wayne Newton discusses is evolution over the years and compares it to that of his friends, Tony Bennett and Tom Jones.

All we can say is, poor, deluded Wayne. His fans have stuck by him, but so have Tom’s. The main difference is that Tom Jones’ fan base has grown and continues to do so. But we must add that, charming as ol’ Wayne may be onstage, he cannot change what he does because, with a non-existent voice, he really cannot do anything.

Here’s the section of the article where he talks about Tom:

Over the years, Newton had to make a decision on how he wanted to present himself to a new audience.

“I watched Tony, and what Tony Bennett did is he stayed Tony Bennett and he took whatever it was he was doing to the younger demographic,” says Newton of Bennett, who staged a comeback in the mid ’90s singing standards to the MTV generation. “They accepted him because that’s what he was.”

Conversely, Tom Jones, Newton says, was less successful in his attempt to move to a younger audience, starting with his 1988 cover of Prince’s Kiss.

“When Tom tried it, in my opinion and I’m not stating it was right or wrong, but in my opinion Tom went to the younger people, kind of forgetting those who had been his fans and supported him all those years,” Newton said. “They didn’t understand at all what he was doing. Having watched those two guys whom I love and respect as friends in addition to talents, I told my people about 15 years ago I can’t really change what it is that I do.”

This month we’d like to know which song — please note that is singular — you think is the most obscure or unusual that Tom ever recorded.

What is the name of the song and on which record was it recorded?

Our choice is I Won’t Be Sorry to See Suzanne Again, from the Touch My Heart album. It’s all about a Civil War vet who “won’t be sorry” to get home.

So, what’s your choice? Please, only one answer per post and, again, no Puppeteer.