Fan Fare, What's New, Pussycat?
Here’s where you’ll find TJ photos and stories that don’t fit into any other categories. It is, as its name says, just for fans — and, hopefully, for fun.
Here’s A Treat — The Sound of 1971: “Just For You (For US Fans)”
Wednesday, April 16th, 2008
Tom recorded Daughter of Darkness at sessions on February 25 and 25 1970* (the year the photo at left was taken). There are a few famous anecdotes about that recording session. One story goes that Tom wasn’t sober when he sang the song. But that story is told with different songs in different years, so who knows if it’s true?
One true fact about that session is that a guy named Reg Dwight was a back-up singer on the record. He stood up to the musicians who wanted to leave because it was after 10 p.m., the normal end of their workday for a recording session. He pointed out to the musician in charge that it wasn’t Tom who had gotten to the studio late, but the musician. The session went on until the recording was complete. At least, that’s the story we’ve heard and, because of that, we’ve always thought Reg Dwight — who changed his name to Elton John — must be an OK guy.
Anyway, Tom recorded Just For You (For US Fans), a brief interview directed at US fan club members. The actual record of the interview is not dated, but we think it was released to radio stations in 1971, as at the end, is a sound bite from Till, which didn’t chart in the US until December, 1971, when it spent seven weeks on the Billboard and peaked at #41. In 1970, Daughter of Darkness eventually hit #5 in the UK and #13 (on June 27) in the USA.
The extremely rare 45 recording of that promo interview occasionally turns up on eBay. But you don’t have to wait until you see it for sale. You can listen to Just for You (For US Fans) right here.
*Tom recorded several songs at that two-day session, including I (Who Have Nothing), Polk Salad Annie, Venus, The Impossible Dream, I Can’t Turn You Loose, Sugar, Sugar, If I Ruled the World, You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’, Try A Little Tenderness and several songs that were never released. The latter group included I’ve Grown Accustomed To Her Face (we’d love to hear that one) and I Got It Bad (And That Ain’t Good).
April 16th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Thanks for the background info about Daughter of Darkness and this 45! I’ve had mine in safekeeping all these years and it won’t be popping up on eBay!
April 16th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
How beautiful is that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
April 16th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
Wow what at treat for us. Thank you so much for posting it.
April 16th, 2008 at 7:43 pm
Fabulous! Its amazing how just the sound of Tom’s voice makes me grin. Don’t know how you dug this up but you ladies are an endless source of TJ information. TJI.com is the best!
April 16th, 2008 at 11:33 pm
It was beautiful back then.
April 17th, 2008 at 5:06 am
I thought the song was She’s A Lady. I read that his manager was annoyed with Tom for being late for the session and argued with Tom that he couldn’t do it in one take because he was so drunk. Tom thought different and did it in one go. Maybe,everyone was so drunk and that’s why we don’t know the actual song. Tom still has a fantastic voice but back then it was just mind-blowing. What a voice.
April 17th, 2008 at 9:13 am
Gill: We’ve done a bit of research and there are two stories, one saying it was Daughter and the other, Lady. Of course it doesn’t matter. What we found interesting was an interview with Paul Anka, the composer who committed She’s A Lady, saying it’s his least favorite song; that it’s too chauvinistic because he wrote it for Tom Jones’ macho image. One of your moderators — Ellen — who deeply dislikes the song and wishes it would disappear from the show — wonders how Anka, who in 1974 foisted She’s Having My Baby on us can talk about a song being too chauvinistic. (For the record, the your other moderator — Ursula — really dislikes seeing Resurrection Shuffle in the show today. Both of them live in faint hope that a new finale to Tom’s show, instead of the vintage 1988 Kiss is found. Soon.
That said, it’s important to also say that Marisa (above) is right. He could read the phone book and we’d be there. Criticism offered with admiration of his skills and in consideration of the possibilities, is always worthwhile.
April 17th, 2008 at 9:28 am
Hi. We all like and dislike different songs! That being said, I think Ellen and Ursula should be able to voice their opinions about songs and whatever we are discussing. You have brought this website to us and I really appreciate it! You are also fans and should be able to speak your minds.
There have been a number of songs over the years that I have heard Tom sing and wondered why. I now realize that the majority
of them were probably recorded from the Canadian Show. I am Canadian and at the time loved to see Tom on tv but even then realized
that it wasn’t always his best work. On a personal note, the dancers in that show bothered me more then anything else!!
Ok, sorry for veering off the discussion. All I really wanted to say was that Ellen and Ursula have just as much right to speak
their minds as I do.
April 17th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Thanks so much for posting this audio. As has been mentioned many times, we love to hear Tom’s voice — singing, of course, but speaking as well. His unusually rich voice quality, his particular Welsh accent and way of speaking and his direct and courteous way of addressing topics, is apparently irresistible to many of us. I also like when his accent slips through when he sings. As examples of this — he says “jest” instead of just, “repitation” instead of reputation and “bootiful” instead of beautiful. I feel this adds more depth and interest to the material. For Americans, I think it also has something to do with our relationship to our parent language which comes from England. We admire that, more familiar variation of our own language, but find the English spoken in Ireland, Scotland and Wales especially fascinating because it sounds like it has more ancient and exotic influences as well, to which we are also somehow connected.
I want to add that I think many of us would love to hear Tom record books on tape, poetry and/or stories of his life, with or without music involved. Tom’s rendition of “A Child’s Christmas In Wales” was a magnificent showcase of his abilities in this area and more productions of that sort would be very welcome.
Regarding Tom’s statement concerning his father. I read that his father didn’t stop working for sometime after his son’s monetary success. He was still relatively young and continued to work for a while before finally retiring. He died at age 71 from the lung disease which afflicts miners and shortens their lifespan. I also read that Tom considered retiring after his father’s death. That is approximately the time of the mainly ill-conceived Canadian show.
Those of us who have followed Tom Jones’ career from its early beginnings or for sometime, might feel that a talent as great as his should always be expressed only in it fullest potential — to quote, “To whom much is given, much is expected.” Life is complex and we all are much more, in our full humanity, than our most obvious distintive qualities might suggest.
April 17th, 2008 at 5:26 pm
Any inside news on when we might get an updated schedule?
April 17th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
Thank you ladies, Ursula and Ellen for such a great audio. You are ladies, as you make our senses want more and more of Tom. Throughly enjoyed all the postings. As Susanne PDX says TJI.com is the best.
April 18th, 2008 at 2:23 am
Maria, I am from South Wales just down the valley from Tom’s hometown of Pontypridd. There is a different accent in the south to the north.This is very apparent to us in Wales as the north is far thicker and to be quite honest to hear the north accent makes us south one,s cringe as it tends to sound as we are a bunch of idiots. You are right that Tom’s accent is like Richard Burton’s, who again comes from Port Talbot in the south. If you are following the upcoming boxing match in the states you will also find that Joe’s accent is like Tom’s. Joe is also from the south.
April 18th, 2008 at 7:21 am
She’s Having My Baby was one of the worst songs ever written. What’s the problem with Resurrection Shuffle? Too fast? I haven’t seen him do it …give us a clip so we can decide. How about a “Finale Choice” Question of the Month? Some suggestions: Love Me Tonight, End of the Road, Are You Gonna Go Go My Way or, of course, Tom Jones International!
April 18th, 2008 at 8:17 am
Marisa: Resurrection Shuffle is just a bit outdated, but not in a good “standard” sort of way….Really, “make a peace sign?” As we’ve said before, it would do us all good to “make a peace sign” these days, but the song is just not a favorite of Ursula’s and lots of others. They’re all entitled, as are you, to an opinion. As for video, you can find it on the DVD with the show from Chile in February 2007. Your Question of the Month suggestion is a good one. Thanks.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:10 am
Gill: Thank you for addressing my question about different Welsh accents. In America we are used to the idea that our country is very vast and that there are distinct geographical and cultural regions. Because Wales is a relatively small and a relatively homogeneous country, we don’t necessarily appreciate that there are such distinct ways of speaking there as well.
What do you mean when you say that the north is “thicker?” Does that mean that it’s more heavily populated? Also, why do southerners feel like idiots when they hear northerners speak? Does the nothern accent sound more English? I think the southern accent sounds more ancient and poetic and more influenced by the very distinct-sounding Welsh language.
The southern American accent is sometimes looked down on in America, but that’s where the popular music of the twentieth century was most greatly influenced. I’ve heard that the southern American accent is more closely related to the British accent than the northern American accent. That may be one of the reasons why British singers have been attracted to the southern American accent and music and why British actors can more convincingly imitate a southern American accent. For example, think of Vivien Leigh in Gone With The Wind and A Streetcar Named Desire.
April 18th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Interesting post and comments! About accents, Switzerland is such a tiny country and yet we have many different accents and even dialects. If you have a good ear you can pinpoint where someone comes from within 10km
About songs. I am not a big fan of She’s A Lady either. But I do love Resurrection Shuffle, mostly for it’s irresistible rhythm. I cannot stay still when I hear it grin. In general I much prefer the set list of the Chile concert compared to the set list of the “Cardiff Castle” videos. Of course this is also just my opinion. Having said that I would give anything (or almost) to see Tom play with Jools Holland and his band, preferably in a small venue, as this is one of my all time favourite albums.
April 18th, 2008 at 7:18 pm
Tom’s voice is lovely on this 45 and I believe his speaking voice has gotten richer and better with age - like a fine wine!
My mother’s grandparents were from the north of Wales and they spoke Welsh. But, when they came to America, they insisted that their children NOT speak Welsh as they were then Americans! Very proud Welsh-Americans, I must say. My mother was sad that she only knew a few choice words - it seems that when the children were being naughty the old folks reverted to their native tongue. Even tho my mother was born in Philly and had that distinct eastern “twang,” there was still a little Welsh lilt to her voice.
During trips to Wales, it was interesting to hear the different inflections from region-to-region. I remember staying at a B&B in Conwy (North Wales) and having breakfast with a gentleman who was a retired forester. My husband’s interest was peaked, as he is a forester also. I have to say, I must have understood 15 words the old gent said during that conversation due to his “thick” accent, but, we had a hearty conversation and some great laughs.
Beautiful country you have there Gill.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Oh, I love this posting and all these varied comments! Back to the comments on the encore songs. Yes, I agree, I don’t really care for Resurrection Shuffle but if he doesn’t sing Kiss, - what song will he lift his shirt to???
Maybe, 200 lbs? 
If he has I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor on his new CD, what do you think of that as his final song? I do hope he keeps I Like the Way in the final set as that is my 2nd favorite song next to Git Me Some and really gets the audience rockin’. Thanks for all the info on the Welsh accents. I just love that accent. Isn’t Anthony Hopkins Welsh? What part of the country is he from?
April 19th, 2008 at 2:21 am
Maria, Its hard to explain the difference between north and south accents without hearing both. Here in the south it’s more of a sing-song way of speaking with lots of up and down tones. When, I say the north accent is thicker (see Holly’s post) I mean it’s harder and more difficult to understand. If you could hear the both together you’d know what I mean. Wales, is known as the land of song, hence our Tom. Possibly, there might be something on the B.B.C web sit that would give you an insight. Sorry, I can’t be more helpful.
April 19th, 2008 at 8:48 am
You mentioned a DVD from the 2007 Chile concert. Where is that DVD available? Thanks
April 19th, 2008 at 9:21 am
The Chile DVD is taken from a television broadcast of that concert. We just googled “Tom Jones Chile concert DVD” and were able to find it. You can also save a search for it on eBay where it is frequently placed for sale. We don’t know who “officially” released the DVD, as it is certainly not Tom’s management, but it is from the Chilean TV broadcast of that concert last February.
April 19th, 2008 at 9:57 am
After hearing the recording again I remembered receiving this from the Tom Jones Fan club that was ran by London Records so I went through all of my older Tom Jones memorabilia and sure enough, there was the recording…brought back incredible memories.
April 19th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
Maria I typed the following to get some information. Might try it.bbc accents wales north and south differences.Several items listed that might be of interest.
I have to check this out every night to see what comments have been added.
April 21st, 2008 at 4:02 am
Dorothy Jean C, Maria: Try B.B.C Wales and click on Weatherman Walking and listen again. Derek, who is from Barry in South Wales, sounds very different from his companion, who I would say is from Mid-Wales.