PARTY WITH ME PUNKER

Back when I was a kid, Tom Jones was all over the place. He had hits on the radio, his own variety show, and stages littered with ladies panties. He was never cool. He was always cool. He didn't give a shit if he was cool, and that made him so. He wasn't my cup of tea, back then, or now, but you know what? I have to acknowledge his well crafted schtick.

Fu-huck yeah.

Back in the 90s I was hanging out at my Mom's house with a buddy of mine. Both of us were probably still a little buzzed from the night before, because everything we were watching on TV was hilarious. After watching the Three Stooges for a little bit, we flipped around and came across a Tom Jones concert that happened to be on. In the footage we watched, there they were, the de rigueur panties raining onto the stage. Jones picked one pair up, started wiping his sweat and, as he was got to his face, he said "Mmmm, these smell familiar." This sent us to the floor laughing.

A couple years ago, I was in the Las Vegas airport and I ran into a friend of mine from San Diego. When I first met Brian, he was in a punk band called the Furious Four. In ensuing years he would work different jobs, primarily as a bartender, and, for one Motorhead tour, as Lemmy's guitar tech (lots of antidotes there). When I ran into him in Vegas I asked where he was going. He said that he was there to see Tom Jones, and was in fact a Tom Jones freak. I was convinced he was putting me on, but he elaborated saying that he saw Tom Jones every time he came to Vegas and, when he had the dough, actually shelled out for the best seats in the house. At that point I was having even a harder time believing him. He rolled up his sleeve to show me a tattoo he had. In big bold cursive letters it said "What's New Pussycat?" I walked away thinking "go figure." Later it occurred to me how much it made sense. Tom Jones didn't give a shit, so why should he?

He's got a good voice. He doesn't give a shit. He's a lady killer. He sang with Raquel Welch, Janis Joplin and Chrissy Hynde. The kicker? He doesn't take himself too seriously.

These are for my sister GG, who's taste in music intersects with mine quite a bit. It's her birthday and I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that her TJ fiending is what finally convinced me to listen more objectively, and not give a shit.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
Tom Jones - She's A Lady mp3 at The Soul Girl Jimmy Page on guitar.
Tom Jones - It's Not Unusual mp3 at Stranger Dance His first U.S. hit.
Tom Jones - Thunderball mp3 at Bond Movies
Tom Jones - Sex Bomb mp3 at jopeto.nadejda (?) Not a Flipper cover
Tom Jones with the Pretenders - Lust For Life mp3 at Cover Me Has Chrissie Hynde ever sounded sexier?
Video:
Tom Jones - Treat Her Right at YouTube At 1:17, severe case of ants in pants.