Tom Jones releases utterly brilliant new single… Talking Reality Television Blues

Sir Tom Jones releases utterly brilliant new single… really! ‘The Voice’ judge sings the ‘Talking Reality Television Blues’.

He needs no introduction. The pop-cultural Prince of Wales.  The Voice. A friend of Elvis. 58 years in the business. From It’s Not Unusual to Kiss to Sex Bomb he bestrides the decades like a colossus.

Wikipedia says  His performing range has included pop, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, soul and gospel. In 2008, the New York Times called Jones a musical “shape shifter”. 

And, 2021, at the age of 80, he has done it again. The flagship single for forthcoming album Surrounded by Time, a cover of Todd Sniders “Talking Reality Television Blues”. It’s utterly brilliant – really. ( Well, I think it is)

Almost a Stone Roses drum shuffle, Beck style blues guitar and a Bob Dylan style vocal. None of his soulful ‘full-throated baritone’ but a mischievous gravitas, sounding at times a bit like fellow countrymen Richard Burton and John Cale.

Of course there is a bit of a contradiction, what with television always having been a big part of Tom’s success. He is still a judge on the Voice (UK).  But Todd Sniders lyric is incisive and astute with a dash of Gil Scott Heron The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, Disposable Heroes of HipHopracy’s Television Drug of The Nation, Beck and Dylan all in the mix.

It’s a cool song and Tom performs it well. And it’s probably not what a lot of his fanbase were expecting.

Toms forthcoming album has versions of The Windmills Of Your Mind,
Popstar by Cat Stevens/Yusuf Islam), Dylans One More Cup of Coffee and This is the Sea (a Waterboys song) and yeah, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m looking forward to it.

Link Tree to The Song – choice of outlets.

Link Tree to The Album – choice of outlets.

All words by Ged Babey

Source: louderthanwar.com