A new box set due this fall celebrates the incredible first chapter in the career of iconic crooner Tom Jones.
Sir Tom Jones, who turns 76 this June, has had a career unlike few others in pop music, notching 36 U.K. Top 40 hits (19 here in the States) across five decades and selling more than 100 million albums worldwide.
His mammoth voice and striking good looks made him an icon of the swingin’ ’60s, with tracks like “It’s Not Unusual” and “What’s New Pussycat?” becoming hits on both sides of the Atlantic and helping him pick up a Grammy Award for Best New Artist. As the decade wore on, Jones easily transitioned into more traditional pop and even country, with “Green, Green Grass of Home,” “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again” and “Delilah” becoming further Top 10 hits.
Jones kept riding high into the later ’60s and early ’70s, performing to frenzied crowds in Las Vegas and on the set of his internationally syndicated show, This is Tom Jones. Covers of “I (Who Have Nothing” and “Till” kept him strong in the United Kingdom, as did the Paul Anka-penned “She’s a Lady,” his biggest American hit at No. 2 in 1971.
While his popularity cooled shortly thereafter, and the artist left his longtime home of Decca Records for other labels, Jones would never stay away too long, earning a string of Top 40 hits on the U.S. country charts in the early ’80s before pairing up with a host of dance acts to massive U.K. chart success, from a cover of Prince’s “Kiss” with The Art of Noise in 1988 to the chart-topping Reload, featuring collaborations with The Cardigans, The Stereophonics and Mousse T, in 1999. Still visible to this day, with constant gigging and a three-year spot as a judge of The Voice U.K. between 2012 and 2015, Jones’ career may be unusual, but his success certainly is not.
The Complete Decca Studio Albums Collection brings together the 15 original studio albums (eight of which were Top 10 in the charts) Jones released in his homeland between 1965 and 1975. In addition to just about all the hits (barring non-LP singles or the iconic theme song to the James Bond film Thunderball in 1966), these discs feature a host of unforgettable standards as only Tom could sing them, from “Georgia on My Mind,” “Ring of Fire,” “Hold On, I’m Coming” and “Danny Boy” to “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay,” “Proud Mary,” “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime” and “Lean on Me.”
Fall in love again with The Complete Decca Studio Albums Collection when it’s released September 2! Pre-order links aren’t available yet, but the full album list is below.
Tom Jones, The Complete Decca Studio Albums Collection (Decca/UMC, 2016)
Disc 1: Along Came Jones (Decca LK 4693, 1965)
Disc 2: A-Tom-ic Jones (Decca SKL 4743, 1966)
Disc 3: From the Heart (Decca SKL 4814, 1966)
Disc 4: Green, Green Grass of Home (Decca SKL 4855, 1967)
Disc 5: 13 Smash Hits (Decca SKL 4909, 1967)
Disc 6: Delilah (Decca SKL 4946, 1968)
Disc 7: Help Yourself (Decca SKL 4982, 1968)
Disc 8: This is Tom Jones (Decca SKL 5007, 1969)
Disc 9: Tom (Decca SKL 5045, 1970)
Disc 10: I Who Have Nothing (Decca SKL 5072, 1970)
Disc 11: Tom Jones Sings She’s a Lady (Decca SKL 5089, 1971)
Disc 12: Close Up (Decca SKL 5132, 1972)
Disc 13: The Body and Soul of Tom Jones (Decca SKL 5162, 1973)
Disc 14: Somethin’ ‘Bout You Baby I Like (Decca SKL 5197, 1974)
Disc 15: Memories Don’t Leave Like People Do (Decca SKL 5214, 1975)
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Release Round-Up: Week of October 9
Well, it’s about time! Many albums haven’t been available on CD before. Great release.
Hope Universal will do the same with the Decca catalogue of Engelbert Humperdinck. Needs a box set as well!
I have got all of those albums on CD. Most of them on Deram and London Records label. Some of them are very rare.
Some titles must be out of print a long long time then…
Yes, those CDs printed between 1983-1993
This week Universal released the complete Decca studio albums by Engelbert Humperdinck.
A fancy box set with all his Decca albums plus a nice booklet. Long overdue.
Indeed! We’ll have coverage on Engelbert soon (waiting for the package to arrive!) and in the meantime, we hope Tom’s box set materializes, as well!
You won’t be disappointed.
Thanks, Stefano! I can’t wait!
This is going to be great! I just wish my aunt was still alive. She LOVED Tom Jones. I’ll be listening for her though!
I’m in!
Any hint on the price?
Where is the Live in London CD? I know, that is not studio album…..
That’s not on Decca is it ?
Tom Jones Live! At The Talk Of The Town LP was on Decca label at that time.
@Gabor,
Could you please email me what emails you have.
peanut.snoopy1960@gmail.com
Thanks!
Kat 🙂
jgabor67@gmail.com
Is this still coming? No sign on Amazon of a preorder link.
I’m still waiting to pre-order. No further details anywhere on the internet about pew-order or release dates. What gives? :/
It appears that this set has been delayed…watch this space for further news and updates.
yeah – I checked Ume website – no additional info available
How long will this box set be delayed? This is ridiculous! No further word about release anywhere. :/
Any word on this?
Unfortunately, none whatsoever, though the comparable release from Engelbert Humperdinck is a step in the right direction and hopefully bodes well for Tom to arrive next!
Engelbert Humperdinck is NOT Tom Jones! I’m waiting for Tom Jones. It’s been a year since this was announced, and still no Tom. 🙁
Today, more than 2 years later, any news about the Tom Jones Decca box set?