RAMBLIN ROUND: Tom Jones: 'Surrounded by Time'

May 7—Tom Jones — I mean Sir Tom Jones — must be feeling pretty good this week.

His new album "Surrounded by Time" not only debuted at #1 on the UK Album charts, it set some records in the process.

Jones, who is 80, now has the distinction of being the oldest male artist in the UK to have an album debut at the top of the charts. Not only that, but when he achieved the goal, he broke the record made just last year by Bob Dylan in June 2020, when Dylan's acclaimed album "Rough and Rowdy Ways" made Dylan, who was 79, the oldest male artist ever to top the British charts with the debut of a new studio album.

Jones still has a way to go before he sets the record for the oldest British artist to have an album debut at #1 during its first week of release. That's record's held by Dame Vera Lynn, whose album "We'll Meet Again: The Very Best of Vera Lynn" hit the top spot in the UK in 2009 — when Lynn was 92!

Still, that was for a compilation of her greatest hits, while Jones and Dylan respectively hit #1 with new recordings of new material. That gave Jones two high water marks: The aforementioned oldest male vocalist to debut at the top of the charts in the UK and the oldest artist to do it with an album of new material.

And what an album it is! Jones has always had an amazing voice and he knew how to use it. Remarkably, his voice sounds as powerful and supple as ever.

The things Jones does with his voice on his new album would be remarkable for a 25-year-old, proving he is one of the most soulful singers ever. In the opening track "I Won't Crumble With You If You Fall," Jones seems to wring every bit of emotion there is in the lyrics.

He scores with his version of the Malvina Reynolds song "No Hole In My Head" and with Mike Scott's "This Is the Sea." He also delivers a laid-back but still dynamic version of "Samson and Delilah" — yep, the same song often played by the Grateful Dead in concert.

Also on the new album is a devastating version of "I'm Growing Old" and an interesting take of of Todd Snider's "Talking Reality Television Blues."

Jones' vocal prowess has been brought to new generations in Britain partly because of his role as a judge on "The Voice UK."

Those whose recollections of Tom Jones date back to his earlier incarnations have been missing out on his remarkable recordings over the past decade, a series of thematically-linked albums beginning with the revelatory gospel-tinged "Praise & Blame" in 2010. Gone were the big band orchestrations of his earliest hits, with Jones now singing with a rock band.

Don't worry. Jones wasn't trying to turn back time. He emerged with a leaner, tighter sound than ever. "Praise & Blame" standout tracks included his version of Dylan's "Most of the Time," and Sister Rosetta Tharpe's "Strange Things," along with the gospel chestnuts "Didn't It Rain" and "Ain't No Grave."

In 2012, he released the even-better "Spirit in the Room," which included his unique take on Leonard Cohen's "Tower of Song." It has one of my favorite verses of all time, which Jones delivers with the perfect amount of pathos:

"I asked Hank Williams how lonely does it get? Hank Williams hadn't answered me yet, but I hear him coughing all night long, a hundred floors above me, in the Tower of Song."

He followed that up with "Long Lost Suitcase" in 2015, then with "Surrounded by Time."

Jones originally swung onto the scene in 1965 during one of the best musical summers ever.

During the same summer that The Beatles released "Help," the Rolling Stones were singing (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction, The Byrds released their take on "Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man" and Dylan released his landmark "Like A Rolling Stone, Jones took his swinging first single "It's Not Unusual" all the way to #10. He's remained on the scene in form or another ever since.

Jones had his own television show for awhile during the rock revolution called "This Is Tom Jones," and there are plenty of videos from it on YouTube. He called on an impressive array of powerhouse guests and sang with all of them. Jones didn't try to upstage anyone but he certainly more than held his own.

Check out Jones standing side-by-side with the great soul singer "Wicked" Wilson Pickett for a duet medley of Pickett's greatest hits, ranging from "In the Midnight Hour" to his version of The Beatles' "Hey Jude." Pickett, a man not known for suffering fools gladly, looks as if he's having a ball as they trade verses. Jones also joined with Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder for another series of powerful duets.

The rock revolution didn't leave Jones in its wake. One of my favorite clips is when Jones had Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young on his show, joining then for Crosby's "Long Time Coming." Crosby graciously let Jones sang his lead part— and it's touching how Crosby appears surprised at the soul Jones brings to his song, followed by a blissful expression on Crosby's face as he watches Jones take the song to another level. Jones' dynamics inspire Stephen Stills, who's playing organ, to ratchet up his performance a few octanes as well.

On another show, Jones joins Janis Joplin for a duet of "Raise Your Hand" — and they both look and sound like they're having the best time ever.

Jones had the early rockers on his show, such as Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis — with Lewis in his country music stage. They opened with Jones singing one of the best versions ever of Willie Nelson's "Funny How Time Slips Away." Not only does Lewis provide his trademark piano flourishes, Chet Atkins joins them to deliver some of his best country licks. Jones later joins Lewis for blazing renditions of "Great Balls of Fire" and "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On."

Jones, of course, also become a headliner in Vegas and even impressed Elvis Presley, who became a buddy.

Having already scored pop success with his version of "Green, Green Grass of Home," Jones went on to score e bevy of hits on the U.S. country music charts in the 1980s.

Every time it seem Jones was fading from the scene, he bounced back. In 1988, he hit the UK charts again with his version of Prince's "Kiss," then with his 1991 duets album, "Reload."

Knighted in 2006 by Queen Elizabeth, he sang in 2006 at the Concert for Diana held at Wembley Stadium and in 2012 gave one of the most-loved performances in front of Buckingham Palace for Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee, when he sang "Mama Told Me Not to Come" and "Delilah."

Even though Jones knocked Dylan off the Brit's top spot for the oldest male vocalist to have an album of new studio material debut at #1, Dylan can take consolation in Jones' choice of songs.

Another of the standout tracks on Jones' record-breaking album is "One More Cup of Coffee" — a song written by Dylan from his 1976 album "Desire."

Though both versions have their own attractions, Dylan's version has something special not included on Jones' rendidtion — harmony vocals by Emmylou Harris.

Contact James Beaty at jbeaty@mcalesternews.com.