Tag Archives: Tom Jones

TILL – TOM JONES

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Chart performance:

WeekPositionMovementComments
10-Dec-7118New 
17-Dec-7117+1 
24-Dec-7114+3Biggest climber
31-Dec-71140 
07-Jan-72*12+2Peak
14-Jan-7213-1 
21-Jan-7217-4Biggest faller
28-Jan-7213+4Biggest climber/Star rater
04-Feb-7215-2 
11-Feb-7214+1 

* Marks a 7 year run appearing in the charts for Tom Jones. He was the first of 7 act who would manage such a run. Jones, Cliff Richard would go on to see 8 year runs while Abba managed the all time record of 10 years.

Written by: Charles Danvers & Carl Sigman
Produced by: Gordon Mills
South African record label (unless otherwise stated): Decca

Hit number for artist17
Peak position12
Weeks10
Biggest climber awards2
Star rater climbs1
Biggest faller awards1
Top 20 points63
Overall Top 20 points ranking=1453
Top 20 points ranking for the artist14
Top 30 Points163
Overall Top 30 points ranking=1393
Top 30 points ranking for the artist12

Annual ranking:

1971=100
197268

Other chart success:

Belgium7
Canada44
Germany40
Ireland7
UK2
US41
Zimbabwe8

SA Radio charts:

LM Radio9

The song was derived from a 1957 French one called ‘Prière Sans Espoir’ which was first recorded by a guy called Lucien Lupi. ‘Till’ was first recorded in 1957 by Percy Faith and has since been recorded by a number of artists. Roger Williams, The Angels and The Vogues have all made the US Hot 100 with their versions (peaking at 22, 14 and 27 respectively) while Shirley Bassey, Tony Bennet and Dorothy Squires have all made the UK charts (peaking at 14, 35 and 25 respectively). Jones’ version was denied the top spot in the UK by Slade’s ‘Coz I Luv You’.

Video:

Artist link: Tom Jones

THUNDERBALL – TOM JONES

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Chart performance:

WeekPositionMovementComments
21-Jan-6618New 
28-Jan-6612+6Star rater
04-Feb-669+3 
11-Feb-667+2Peak
18-Feb-6670Peak
25-Feb-6612-5 
04-Mar-6615-3 

Written by: John Barry & Don Black
Produced by: Not listed
South African record label (unless otherwise stated): Decca

Hit number for artist4
Peak position7
Weeks7
Biggest climber awards1
Star rater climbs1
Biggest faller awards1
Top 20 points67
Overall Top 20 points ranking=1407
Top 20 points ranking for the artist13
Top 30 Points137
Overall Top 30 points ranking=1572
Top 30 points ranking for the artist14

Annual ranking:

1966=70

Other chart success:

Austria10
Belgium6
Canada10
UK35
US25

The song was the theme tune to the James Bond film of the same name. It was the first Bond theme to make our charts and would be the only one from the official Bond films to chart during the 60s and 70s (we did see Herb Alpert’s theme to the Bond spoof ‘Casino Royale’ chart in 1967). We had to wait till 1981 for the next Bond theme to chart when Sheena Easton’s ‘For You Eyes Only’ made the top 20. Songwriter John Barry struggled to work the word ‘Thunderball’ into a song so instead wrote one called ‘Mr Kiss Kiss Bang Bang’ which both Dionne Warwick and Shirley Bassey recorded versions of. The film studio, however insisted on the song title matching the movie title so ‘Thunderball’ was written. The story goes that Tom Jones fainted in the studio after singing the final long note of the song. Of the 6 Bond themes that charted (including the Herb Alpert one), ‘Thunderball’ would rank 4th , beating Rita Coolidge’s ‘All Time High’ (5th) and ‘Casino Royale’ (6th).

Video:

Artist link: Tom Jones

SHE’S A LADY – TOM JONES

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Chart performance:

WeekPositionMovementComments
26-Mar-7116New* 
02-Apr-7114+2 
09-Apr-719+5Biggest climber/Star rater
16-Apr-717+2 
23-Apr-7170 
30-Apr-715+2Peak
07-May-717-2 
14-May-719-2 
21-May-7114-5 

* Marked a 7 year run appearing in the charts for Tom Jones. At that time it was a new record.

Written by: Paul Anka
Produced by: Gordon Mills
South African record label (unless otherwise stated): Decca

Hit number for artist16
Peak position5
Weeks9
Biggest climber awards1
Star rater climbs1
Biggest faller awards0
Top 20 points101
Overall Top 20 points ranking=1104
Top 20 points ranking for the artist11
Top 30 Points191
Overall Top 30 points ranking=1214
Top 30 points ranking for the artist11

Annual ranking:

1971=45

Other chart success:

Australia1
Austria12
Belgium3
Canada1
Germany7
Ireland13
Netherlands8
New Zealand7
Norway6
UK13
US2
Zimbabwe6

SA Radio charts:

LM Radio2

The song sat at number 2 in the US for 1 week, stuck behind Janis Joplin’s ‘Me And Bobby McGee’. It was the first of 4 SA charting hits to note Paul Anka as a songwriter. Of those 4, this would rank 2nd using a top 20 points basis, just beaten by ‘(I Believe) There’s Nothing Stronger Than Our Love)’, Anka’s duet with Odia Coates (107 points compared to 101). Anka would record a version of the song with Tom Jones in 2013, but updated the lyrics as he did not like the original chauvinistic sentiments.

Video:

Artist link: Tom Jones

PAPA – TOM JONES

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Chart performance:

WeekPositionMovementComments
05-Mar-7620NewPeak

Written by: Paul Anka
Produced by: Gordon Mills
South African record label (unless otherwise stated): MAM

Hit number for artist18
Peak position20
Weeks1
Biggest climber awards0
Star rater climbs0
Biggest faller awards0
Top 20 points1
Overall Top 20 points ranking=2351
Top 20 points ranking for the artist19
Top 30 Points11
Overall Top 30 points ranking=2453
Top 30 points ranking for the artist19

Annual ranking:

1976=120

The song was a cover of the b-side to Paul Anka and Odia Coates’ single ‘(You’re) Having my Baby’ which was a number 1 hit in the US for the duo. Although Tom Jones released his version as a single in a number of European countries, I can’t find anywhere else where it charted other than in South Africa. It would be the 29th song in the top 20 era to only spend 1 week at 20.

Video:

Artist link: Tom Jones

A MINUTE OF YOUR TIME – TOM JONES

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Chart performance:

WeekPositionMovementComments
27-Dec-6819New 
03-Jan-69*17+2 
10-Jan-69170 
17-Jan-6915+2Peak
24-Jan-6917-2 
31-Jan-6919-2 
07-Feb-6920-1 

* Marks a 5 year run in the charts for Tom Jones.

Written by: Clive Westlake
Produced by: Peter Sullivan
South African record label (unless otherwise stated): Decca

Hit number for artist11
Peak position15
Weeks7
Biggest climber awards0
Star rater climbs0
Biggest faller awards0
Top 20 points23
Overall Top 20 points ranking=1960
Top 20 points ranking for the artist17
Top 30 Points93
Overall Top 30 points ranking=1872
Top 30 points ranking for the artist17

Annual ranking:

1968=137
1969=117

Other chart success:

Austria8
Belgium2
Canada17
Germany9
Ireland5
Switzerland9
UK14
US48
Zimbabwe11

The song would be Jones’ 15 UK hit and the first in a run of 8 not to make the top 10.

Video:

Artist link: Tom Jones

LOVE ME TONIGHT – TOM JONES

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Chart performance:

WeekPositionMovementComments
30-May-6917New 
06-Jun-6914+3 
13-Jun-6913+1 
20-Jun-69130 
27-Jun-6912+1Peak
04-Jul-6914-2 
11-Jul-6919-5 

Written by: Lorenzo Pilat, Mario Panzeri & Barry Mason
Produced by: Peter Sullivan
South African record label (unless otherwise stated): Decca

Hit number for artist12
Peak position12
Weeks7
Biggest climber awards0
Star rater climbs0
Biggest faller awards0
Top 20 points45
Overall Top 20 points ranking=1662
Top 20 points ranking for the artist16
Top 30 Points115
Overall Top 30 points ranking=1720
Top 30 points ranking for the artist16

Annual ranking:

1969=86

Other chart success:

Austria16
Belgium2
Canada4
Germany11
Ireland7
Netherlands20
UK9
US13
Zimbabwe12

‘Love Me Tonight’ was based on an Italian song called ‘Alla Fine Della Strada’ which Barry Mason wrote English lyrics to it that bore no resemblance to the original Italian ones. Ray Conniff, The Casuals and Johnny Mathis are among the artists who recorded version of the original Italian song.

Video:

Artist link: Tom Jones

LITTLE LONELY ONE – TOM JONES

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Chart performance:

WeekPositionMovementComments
02-Jul-6516New 
09-Jul-6514+2 
16-Jul-6512+2 
23-Jul-6511+1 
30-Jul-6510+1Peak
06-Aug-6513-3 
13-Aug-6516-3 
20-Aug-6520-4 

Written by: Bob Brass & Irwin Levine
Produced by: Not listed
South African record label (unless otherwise stated): Columbia

Hit number for artist2
Peak position10
Weeks8
Biggest climber awards0
Star rater climbs0
Biggest faller awards0
Top 20 points56
Overall Top 20 points ranking=1523
Top 20 points ranking for the artist15
Top 30 Points136
Overall Top 30 points ranking=1581
Top 30 points ranking for the artist15

Annual ranking:

196545

Other chart success:

Canada16
US42

The song is based on a traditional one called ‘Santa Lucia’ which was made popular by Enrico Caruso. Brass & Levine, the songwriters noted above, would pen the words and the first version using these lyrics was recorded by The Jarmels in 1961.

Video:

Artist link: Tom Jones

KISS – ART OF NOISE & TOM JONES

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Chart performance:

WeekPositionMovementComments
26-Jan-8930New 
02-Feb-89228Star rater
09-Feb-89184Star rater
16-Feb-89162 
23-Feb-8988Biggest climber/Star rater/Peak
/Last chart broadcast

Written by: Prince
Produced by: Anne Dudley & J.J. Jeczalik
South African record label (unless otherwise stated): Polydor

Hit number for artist1
Peak position8
Weeks5
Biggest climber awards0
Star rater climbs0
Biggest faller awards0
Top 20 points21
Overall Top 20 points ranking=1984
Top 20 points ranking for the artist2/18
Top 30 Points61
Overall Top 30 points ranking=2086
Top 30 points ranking for the artist2/18

Annual ranking:

198924

Other chart success:

Australia8
Austria4
Belgium5
Finland14
Germany16
Ireland8
Netherlands6
New Zealand1
Norway8
Spain1
Sweden5
Switzerland11
UK5
US31
Zimbabwe2

SA Radio charts:

Capital 6043
Radio 7021

The song was a cover of the Prince hit from 1986 which got to number 10 on our charts. Jones had been singing the song in his live Vegas shows. The Art of Noise saw a recording of one of his shows and contacted him with the idea of teaming up to record a cover. In both the UK and SA, this cover would chart higher than Prince’s version as it reached 5 in the UK compared the peak of 6 which Prince’s version managed.

Video:

Artist link: Art of Noise & Tom Jones

IT’S NOT UNUSUAL – TOM JONES

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Chart performance:

WeekPositionMovementComment
11-Jun-6518New 
18-Jun-6512+6Star rater
25-Jun-6510+2 
02-Jul-657+3 
09-Jul-654+3 
16-Jul-651+3Peak
23-Jul-6510Peak
30-Jul-652-1 
06-Aug-653-1 
13-Aug-656-3 
20-Aug-6510-4 
27-Aug-6513-3 
03-Sep-6520-7Biggest faller

Written by: Les Reed & Gordon Mills
Produced by: Peter Sullivan
South African record label (unless otherwise stated): Decca

Hit number for artist1
Peak position1
Weeks13
Biggest climber awards0
Star rater climbs1
Biggest faller awards1
Top 20 points166
Overall Top 20 points ranking=595
Top 20 points ranking for the artist5
Top 30 Points296
Overall Top 30 points ranking=649
Top 30 points ranking for the artist5

Annual ranking:

19659

Other chart success:

Australia3
Canada2
Ireland6
UK1
US10
Zimbabwe4

The song was the highest new entry on second ever chart and is therefore technically the first ever new entry. It would be his first UK hit and the first of 3 number 1s (at the time of writing) that he has had there. At the time, Jones was an unknown singer and he recorded a demo of the track with the view to it being given to Sandi Shaw to sing. Shaw was so impressed with what she heard on the demo that she recommended that Jones sing it instead. Future Led Zeppelin guitarist, Jimmy Page, played on the track. John Cater, who had writing credits on 9 hits that made our charts (including 3 by Herman’s Hermits and 2 by The Ivy League) sang backing vocals.

Video:

Artist link: Tom Jones

I’M COMING HOME – TOM JONES

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Chart performance:

WeekPositionMovementComments
15-Dec-6719New 
22-Dec-678+11Biggest climber/Star rater
29-Dec-677+1 
05-Jan-686+1 
12-Jan-689-3Biggest faller
19-Jan-685+4Biggest climber/Star rater/Peak
26-Jan-686-1 
02-Feb-6860 
09-Feb-688-2 
16-Feb-689-1 
23-Feb-6890 
01-Mar-6811-2 
08-Mar-6819-8Biggest faller

Written by: Barry Mason & Les Reed
Produced by: Peter Sullivan
South African record label (unless otherwise stated): Decca

Hit number for artist8
Peak position5
Weeks13
Biggest climber awards2
Star rater climbs2
Biggest faller awards2
Top 20 points151
Overall Top 20 points ranking=690
Top 20 points ranking for the artist7
Top 30 Points281
Overall Top 30 points ranking=734
Top 30 points ranking for the artist6

Annual ranking:

196791
196833

Other chart success:

Austria16
Belgium1
Germany39
Ireland10
Netherlands6
UK2
US57
Zimbabwe4

This was the first of 3 Barry Mason and Les Reed compositions that would be SA chart hits for Tom Jones. Reed had already seen Jones chart with ‘It’s Not Unusual’, but Reed’s songwriting partner on that one was Gordon Mills and not Barry Mason. It was the 6th Tom Jones hit on our charts that was produced by Peter Sullivan.

Video:

Artist link: Tom Jones