TOM JONES – "Green Green Grass Of Home"

We sang this, ages eight, in our school Christmas play: Christmas On The Prairie: when I played the frightning Indian Witchdocdotr with a maraca made up like a skull which made a tiny cry when I waved it at him.

Doctor Mod says:

Tom Jones, unlike Johnny Cash, tended to go for dramatic overkill. (Think “Delilah.”) Sentimentality and a death sentence–what more could you ask for?

It would be interesting, though, to contrast this with another “death sentence” song several years later: The Bee Gees’ “I’ve Just Got to Get a Message to You.” I actually think that the Gibbs made the idea work–their song admits the crime and shows little in terms of self-pity, only last-minute desperation in making some sort of amends to the girl whose heart was broken by all that. Tom, on the other hand, is planning his own funeral.

I actually like Pete’s Witchdoctor’s skull/maraca image in connection with the song–even if it’s borderline child abuse to make eight-year-olds sing it. Surely there’s some sort of abuse in making anyone of any age listen to it.

Doctor Mod says,

Marcello’s contribution brings up a question I have for Tom:

Would you, under some extreme circumstances, give a recording a 0?

I’ve not gone through the entire earlier lists, but have you ever given a 1?

Just curious. I imagine there must be some way of designating the nadir of awfulness, even if I can’t quite decide myself what that might be–even though there’s a lot of toxic waste soon to come in the charts.

Doctor Mod says:

GGGOH–Trying to pronounce the acronym produces a sound similar to one’s response to the recording….

And right you are, Rosie–on virtually every point.

GGGOH – isn’t that a town in Wales ?

Before everyone gets all upset – I have no problem with Marcello putting his thoughts on the comment boxes, they’re always worth reading. His perspective on these songs is usually quite different from mine anyway! (And I also like hearing what mark out of 10 someone else would give it.)

I haven’t yet worked out how to delete blogger comments, though I’m looking into it as there’s been an outbreak of spam on the Mike Sarne and Wendy Richards entry (best place for it!). When I do I will eagerly delete any and all flaming, though (and just to be clear nobody yet on this or any other entry has written anything remotely approaching flaming).

Every comment I get on Popular is valued and I feel flattered by the interest the project generates, in whatever form that interest takes. If anyone wants to talk more about any of this then I suggest they email me! Cheers, Tom.

I too, enjoy Marcello’s comments and am saddened that he has removed it (presummably he did this himself). Please re-post.

To the Welsh foghorn Jones – he does indeed overplay his hand but for some reason I don’t mind. Possibly my judgement is coloured by my own personal childhood memories of gravy (especially as this was a hit at Christmas). I remember him singing it on TV in a studio set behind bars so no one could miss the point although of course this did make the ending somewhat meaningless. It’s over blown sentimentality is the likely reason why it was a such a big hit at Christmas (check out future Xmas hits from the mighty Rolf & St. Winifreds Choir for further evidence). Brings a tear to the eye doesn’t it ?

ITF

The record first hit Number 1 in November and stayed there for 7 weeks, so while it was Number One at Christmas, it isn’t a Christmas Number One in the novelty sense, so comparisons to There’s No-One Quite Like Grandma etc are a bit unfair.

(Similarly for Two Little Boys which hit the top before Christmas week and stayed there till well through January).

I’m of the school of thought that says that I’m Not Unusual is the only decent record Tom Jones ever made, so I’ll pass on this one.

That last verse does come pretty close to shanking things, but quite honestly, the sound of Tom Jones showing restraint is such a powerful and awesome one that I want to give it a passing grade anyway.

Marcello ! Come back ….! Your contributions will be a loss. “You shouldn’t take it so purrrrrsonal.”

BRian in Canada

By the way, Marcello’s stomping off isn’t anybody’s fault; it’s just Marcello being Marcello.

Look, someone had to do this, I have waited weeks, so I guess it’s me:
Patient: “Doctor, I’m so worried, I can’t stop singing ‘The Green, Green Grass of Home’. Can you help me?”
Doctor: “What you have is the Tom Jones syndrome”
Patient: “Oh, gosh, is it common?”
Doctor: “It’s not unusual”
Thankyou very much

Don’t forget that Jerry Lee Lewis had recorded this before Tom Jones did …. so it can’t be all bad ……

Less melodramatic: http://musicsoundsbetterwithtwo.blogspot.com/2011/09/two-are-better-than-one-val-doonican.html Thanks for reading, everyone!

’67…begins: http://musicsoundsbetterwithtwo.blogspot.com/2011/10/back-to-future-donovan-sunshine.html Thanks for reading everyone!

TOTPWatch: Tom Jones performed The Green Green Grass Of Home on Top Of The Pops on four occasions;

17 November 1966. Also in the studio that week were; The Shadows, The Yardbirds and Val Doonican. Jimmy Savile was the host.

8 December 1966. Also in the studio that week were; Jimmy Ruffin, The Barron Knights, The Easybeats, The Kinks and The Young Rascals. Pete Murray was the host.

5 January 1967. Also in the studio that week were; Paul Jones, Sandie Shaw, The Four Tops and The Kinks. Pete Murray was the host.

25 December 1967. Also in the studio that Christmas were; Petula Clark, Sandie Shaw, The Foundations, Jimi Hendrix, The Tremeloes and The Who. Jimmy Savile, Alan Freeman and Pete Murray were the hosts.

None of these editions survive.

…followed at the top of the US singles chart by another cathedral of sound, as noted here

This is another song that I can recall hearing on the radio as a child, where the narrative seemed as plausible as the westerns that would be on TV on a Sunday afternoon. Tom sells the rose tinted vision of home but is wholly unconvincing when it comes to suggesting he is on Death Row. He just sounds too full of life to sell the tale convincingly. Enough people must have felt otherwise to make this the Christmas Number 1.

I’m happy to stick up for Tom here! I’ll go with 6/10.