🏭 From Coal Mines to Pub Stages
In 1964, in the small Welsh town of Pontypridd, a 24-year-old named Thomas John Woodward — with bright eyes and a voice as thick as furnace smoke — was still singing in local pubs.
By day, he worked any job he could get: laborer, mover, even builder. By night, he stood on a creaky wooden stage, gripping a cheap microphone, and blowing the roof off with rock ’n’ roll and rhythm & blues.
Friends called him “Tiger Tom” because when he sang, he prowled, stomped, and growled like a man ready to devour the audience. But in Pontypridd, no matter how much talent you had, you were still just a “pub singer” — not a star.
🎯 An Opportunity from a Song… Rejected
In London, songwriters Les Reed and Gordon Mills had just finished a new tune: “It’s Not Unusual.” At first, it was meant for Sandie Shaw, one of Britain’s top female singers at the time.
But when Shaw heard Tom’s demo, she said a line that would change history:
“This guy has to sing it himself. His voice is too dangerous to give away.”
And so, instead of being a pop diva’s single, “It’s Not Unusual” became the debut track of an unknown Welshman.
💥 The Breakthrough Blow
From the very first note, the song was a punch to the ear. A Latin-pop meets jazz rhythm, blazing brass, and a voice like no other.
Tom didn’t just sing — he flirted, teased, and warned the listener all at once.
Within weeks of its January 1965 release, “It’s Not Unusual” shot straight to #1 on the UK charts. In America, it broke into the Billboard Top 10 — a rare feat for a brand-new artist from Wales.
🕺 The “Wild Gentleman” Image
British TV had never seen anyone like Tom Jones. He didn’t stand still like other singers. He bent his knees, tossed his hair, flung the mic, and gave half-smiles to women in the crowd.
Women screamed. Men, half-jealous and half-impressed, couldn’t look away.
The nickname “Tiger” now appeared in national newspapers.
🌍 A Ticket to the World
Thanks to “It’s Not Unusual”, Tom signed a long-term deal and landed on The Ed Sullivan Show in the US — the same stage that had launched The Beatles and Elvis Presley.
From a mining town, he suddenly found himself in New York, Vegas, Hollywood… and before long, Tom Jones became one of the most in-demand live performers on Earth.
🪞 Why This Song “Unlocked” Tom’s Life
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The music: Fresh enough to sound like nothing else, familiar enough for every radio to play.
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The voice: Deep, powerful, and full of personality — a weapon straight to the listener’s heart.
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The timing: 1965 was the peak of the British Invasion. A magnetic male voice was the missing piece.
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The image: Tom wasn’t just a singer. He was danger by design