TOM JONES - “Green Green Grass Of Home”
(#227, 3rd December 1966)
The worst thing about “Green Green Grass of Home” is how close it comes to being OK: for two verses the band is tight and Tom is as close as Tom gets to ‘restrained’, and the record is shaping up nicely. Carry on for another verse in that vein and we’d be listening to a big, corny pop-soul heartwarmer: sentimental for sure, but strong.
But no, there has to be a twist. And it’s not so much that there is a twist - plenty of songs have them - it’s the manner of its delivery. “And I realise -yes -”, says Tom Jones, “I WAS ONLY DREAMING”. It’s rare to feel patronised by a pop song, but this pulls it off. Spoken word sections usually work as a spash of naturalism in the middle of a pop performance - a trick to reduce the performer/audience distance and jack up the intimacy. But naturalism and Tom Jones don’t really share a universe, and given the assumed need to hammer home the ending for the slow of hearing the effect is something like Brian Blessed teaching a remedial class. 3
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Pete Baran on February 15th, 2006
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.
Andrew on February 16th, 2006
The version of this that I’m familiar with is the one on Johnny Cash Live at Folsom, where the twist is not that surprising to the audience, though it does reduce the already small distance. Of course, spoken-word can be difficult to spot in a Johnny Cash song.
Anonymous on February 16th, 2006
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.
Marcello on February 16th, 2006
This post has been removed by the author.
Anonymous on February 16th, 2006
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.
Rosie on February 16th, 2006
I’m a bit puzzled about what Marcello is up to in the last few entries - it’s not so much a response to Tom’s main article and the other comments as a rival commentary; I’m almost tempted to say ’spoiler’.
Anyway - I believe Tom has given two 1s - I See The Moon by the Stargazers - something I’m not aware that I’ve ever heard though I expect I’d recognise it if I did - and My Old Man’s A Dustman, which really is dire enough to deserve it. One is plenty damning enough - a zero to my mind is just blowing a raspberry at the project. Besides, there are plenty worse than this song to come - I agree with our Tom that TJ almost pulls this off.
I don’t know who was buying GGGOH, just taht a lot of people were. Not my parents, who were in the market for Petula Clark in a couple of entries’ time. But the charts are a measure of overall sales, and there’s no rule of course about who is and who isn’t allowed to buy records. There were a lot of Capodimonte figures and flamenco dolls being sold at this time as well and I strongly suspect s strong correlation between the two markets.
I sense, too, that we are now crossing a watershed, of which Good Vibrations marked the summit. We leave behind a year full of wonderful things (Jim and Tom notwithstanding) and move forward into an uncertain period - some real gems to be sure but a lot of flat and boggy terrain and having peeked ahesd I don’t envy Tom the next year or so. The best of The Beatles is behind. The best of the Stones , the Who, the Kinks are to come, but we’re moving quickly into the age of The Album - The Doors and the Velvet Underground and Sergeant Pepper, and a significant tranche of youth turning away from the singles charts.
Anonymous on February 17th, 2006
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.
Tom on February 17th, 2006
I can think of records plenty worse than Dustman or the Stargazers, whether they’ll get a 0 or a 1 I don’t know.
Anonymous on February 17th, 2006
GGGOH - isn’t that a town in Wales ?
Marcello on February 17th, 2006
I’m a bit puzzled about what Marcello is up to in the last few entries - it’s not so much a response to Tom’s main article and the other comments as a rival commentary; I’m almost tempted to say ’spoiler’.
Sigh.
***meaningful pause***
w
.h
..y
…d
….o
…..I
……e
…….v
……..e
………n
……….b
………..o
…………t
………….h
…………..e
……………r
…………….?
Tom on February 17th, 2006
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.
Lena on February 18th, 2006
I don’t know this (all comments considered, I’m taking that to be a good thing) but I do know the song and once again I have to register surprise, this time that this, not the happiest song ever (not that I have anything against sad songs being popular!), would go to #1 at Christmas, but then I am also hopelessly ignorant as to why what the Christmas #1s are so important in the first place. I know they are, I just don’t know why.
Intothefireuk on February 19th, 2006
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
Joe Williams on February 19th, 2006
This post has been removed by the author.
Joe Williams on February 19th, 2006
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.
Frank Kogan on February 19th, 2006
A request that Marcello repost his deleted entries on this and other threads; I’m making the request for the selfish reason that some of my own posts no longer make sense without the context provided by Marcello’s comments, and for the equally selfish reason that I like to read Marcello’s comments.
Anonymous on February 20th, 2006
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.
Mark Gamon on February 20th, 2006
Thank you. Rubbish then, remains rubbish to this day.
Not long ago there was a ‘blues special’ programme on C4 (?) late at night. All the usual suspects took part, Jeff Beck and Lulu included, playing a series of blues classics in an informal setting, apparently for the craic and nothing else.
The surprise guest, for me, was our Tom. Not because he was there: the surprise was how well he sang. Turns out he really IS a great blues singer.
Which only goes to show the damage pop music can do, I suppose.
Anonymous on February 20th, 2006
Marcello ! Come back ….! Your contributions will be a loss. “You shouldn’t take it so purrrrrsonal.”
BRian in Canada
Anonymous on February 21st, 2006
Tom Jones was the singer in The Viscounts before solo fame, right? But was it him who sang on ‘Who Put the Bomp?’ or was it Johnny Gentle - whose biggest claim to fame was doing a tour with support act and backing band The Silver Beetles, who featured John, Paul and George, but not Ringo.
Tommy Mack
Frank Kogan on February 21st, 2006
By the way, Marcello’s stomping off isn’t anybody’s fault; it’s just Marcello being Marcello.
Rosie on February 21st, 2006
Thank goodness for that. I was worried…
I know I can be a real prima donna and have flouncing off to a fine art, but even so!
doofuus on March 22nd, 2006
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