TOM JONES NEVER LIKED THE SONG THAT MADE HIM FAMOUS — THE UNEXPECTED STORY BEHIND HIS CAREER-DEFINING HIT
Sometimes, the songs that change a musician’s life are not necessarily the songs they would have chosen for themselves. A recording can become an international sensation, transform an unknown performer into a household name, and remain associated with that artist for the rest of their career. Yet behind the success, there can be a very different story, one involving hesitation, uncertainty, and an artist who never expected the song to become such an important part of his identity.
For Sir Tom Jones, the journey to international fame began with an extraordinary recording that would eventually become one of the most recognisable songs of the 1960s.
Today, his name is almost inseparable from It’s Not Unusual, the energetic hit that introduced his remarkable voice to audiences around the world. Its unforgettable opening, infectious rhythm, and unmistakable vocal delivery helped establish Tom as one of the most exciting performers of his generation.
But the story behind the recording is more interesting than many people realise.
In the early 1960s, Tom Jones was still trying to establish himself in the music business. Born Thomas John Woodward in Pontypridd, Wales, in 1940, he had grown up surrounded by music and developed a powerful voice that would eventually become his greatest professional asset.
His early journey was not an overnight success. Before international recognition arrived, he performed in local venues and worked to develop his musical identity. He understood that talent alone was not always enough to build a lasting career. Finding the right song, the right recording opportunity, and the right people could make an enormous difference.
That opportunity arrived through his association with songwriter and manager Gordon Mills.
Mills recognised the potential in Tom’s voice and helped guide his early career. Together, they began working towards a recording that could introduce the Welsh singer to a much wider audience.
The song was It’s Not Unusual, written by Gordon Mills and Les Reed.
When the recording was released in 1965, it quickly attracted attention. Its lively arrangement and Tom’s extraordinary vocal performance made it stand out from the music dominating radio at the time.
The response was remarkable.
The single reached number one on the UK Singles Chart in March 1965 and subsequently became an international success. It also reached the American Top Ten, introducing Tom Jones to an enormous audience across the Atlantic.
Suddenly, the young singer from Wales was becoming an international star.
Television appearances followed, concert opportunities expanded, and his distinctive voice became one of the defining sounds of the decade.
Yet the most interesting aspect of the story is the way Tom’s relationship with the song developed over time.
For an artist who wanted to be recognised for his vocal ability and musical versatility, becoming permanently associated with one particular recording could be both a blessing and a challenge.
Audiences naturally wanted to hear the song that had first introduced them to him. Wherever he performed, people expected those familiar opening notes. It became an essential part of his concerts and an important reminder of the moment his career changed forever.
But Tom Jones was never simply a one-song performer.
His career quickly expanded beyond that early success. Songs such as What’s New Pussycat?, Green, Green Grass of Home, Delilah, and I’ll Never Fall in Love Again demonstrated his ability to move between different musical styles.
He could deliver an energetic pop performance, interpret a deeply emotional ballad, or bring a powerful soul influence to a familiar melody.
His voice was his greatest instrument, but his willingness to explore different musical directions helped him remain relevant long after the original excitement surrounding his breakthrough.
Over the decades, he continued recording, touring, appearing on television, and collaborating with artists from different generations.
His career eventually became one of the most remarkable examples of longevity in British popular music.
Still, It’s Not Unusual remained the recording that changed everything.
There is something fascinating about the relationship between an artist and the song that makes them famous. A performer may spend years developing a musical identity, experimenting with different sounds, and hoping to be recognised for a wide range of abilities. Then one recording arrives and becomes so successful that it follows them throughout their entire career.
For Tom, that song became both a gift and an enduring responsibility.
Every performance of it offered audiences an opportunity to revisit the excitement of the 1960s. For longtime admirers, it brought back memories of transistor radios, television appearances, record shops, and the unmistakable energy of a musical era that transformed popular culture.
For younger listeners, it offered an introduction to a voice that had already become part of music history.
And perhaps that is why the song has endured.
It was not simply a successful recording released at the right moment. It captured something distinctive about Tom Jones: the confidence, power, personality, and vocal presence that would become his signature.
Although the claim that Tom Jones hated the song should be treated cautiously without a reliable interview confirming it, the broader story reveals an interesting truth about his career. The recording that first made him famous also became the musical milestone against which so much of his later success would be remembered.
As the years passed, Tom embraced the song as an essential part of his musical legacy.
He continued performing it for audiences who had grown up with the original recording, as well as generations who discovered it long afterward.
His voice changed naturally with age, but the personality behind the performance remained unmistakable.
More than sixty years after its release, It’s Not Unusual still carries the excitement of the moment Tom Jones first stepped into international stardom.
Perhaps the greatest irony is that an artist’s relationship with a famous song can become much larger than the original recording session. What begins as one opportunity can eventually become a lifelong musical companion.
Tom Jones went on to create an extraordinary catalogue of recordings, earn international recognition, and establish himself as one of Britain’s most enduring entertainers.
But whenever those opening notes of It’s Not Unusual begin, audiences are transported back to the moment everything changed.
And that is the remarkable power of a song that became much more than a hit.
It became the beginning of a legend.