Search - Tom Jones :: Definitive 1964 - 2002

Tom 'the voice' Jones

Mr. T. S. Corbett | Planet Zog | 05/01/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A truly great collection. The presentation standards are good, with a decent printed cover, and full colour booklet with some great photos of a young tom jones. The booklet acts as a kind of mini biography, charting his career from start to finish, with some nice quotes from Tom himself. Particularly interesting is the way Tom talks about his friendship with Elvis, and how when the first met, elvis asked him 'how the hell do you sing like that?'The music on the 4 cds is all top class. Although mostly cover versions, Tom really does add his own touch to them, and makes them his own. The remastering is perfect, with the exception of track 1 on disc 1, which sounds a little grainy, but as the 4 cds are all in chronological order, this is oldest, so some quality loss is understandable.To sum up, Tom Jones isnt an artist. He is however, one of the great entertainers, and this box set show cases his career very nicely, and justifies the hefty price tag"

Best Complilation Yet For Legendary Performer

Thomas Leonard | Pittsburgh PA | 08/02/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Tom Jones compilation discs are too numerous to mention. Most of them deal with specific genres or types of songs the grammy winning pop star recorded, be it country songs, romantic ballads, live concert sets, and a multitude of collecions highlighting his Top40 hits in the US and UK. This collection, a 3 CD box set complete with extensive liner notes, rare photos, and an interview with the singer, is by far the most comprehensive treatment his four decades long career has recieved.



The songs are largely in chronolgical order of orignal release, starting with the very first single Jones ever recorded, nearly a year before his trademark "It's Not Unusual" put him on the map in both England and the states. The first two discs focus mainly on Jones recordings from his "prime period", 1965-1971 when he enjoyed the bulk of his commercial success. Plenty of album cuts (mix of original songs and remakes) and occassional live cuts surround a collection of nearly every notable hit single the singer had in his heyday. US million sellers such as "She's A Lady", "I'll Never Fall In Love Again", and "Without Love (There Is Nothing)", along with other notable hits such as "Green, Green Grass Of Home", "Delilah", "Help Yourself", etc are all included. There's a handful of lesser known songs from the mid 70's when Jones career was slowing down that are not often available on CD. The third CD picks up with Jones re-emergence in 1987 and follows him through his more recent work, which while not as well known in the US as his 60's output, has garnered high critical acclaim. If nothing else, the third disc shows Jones versatility is alive and well and his voice has held up extremely well also.



The only thing missing is Jones Nashville years, when he focused on country oriented material in the late 70's through mid 80's. Jones scored multiple Top 20 hits on the US Country Charts during that time, highlighted by 1977's "Say You'll Stay Until Tomorrow" which topped the country chart and hit #15 on Billboard's Hot 100. No explanation is given as to why this significant period of recordings is ignored, unusual given that Jones affection for country oriented material dates back to the early days of his career, especially with 60's singles like "Detroit City" and album cuts he recorded such as Willie Nelson's "Funny How Tme Slips Away", both of which are featured here.



One thing about Tom Jones, he has tried his unmistakably identifiable voice on almost every genre of music, hard rock, heavy metal, pre rock era standards, Broadway show tunes, adult contemporary pop, country, and this collection, despite a few noteworthy ommisions, captures the best of all of them. For the price, this is a very good overview of the singer's career and shows that there is much more to Tom Jones than his Vegas showman persona would seem to indicate."

More, more and so much more Tom Jones

Cheryl Clayton | Launceston, Tasmania Australia | 04/13/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Wow! What a collection. It is fabulous and highlights very well, Tom's career.This 4CD set comprises his hits, rarer tracks and many covers - all with the Tom Jones 'oomph'. A must for any Tom Jones fan to add to your collection. Great reading as well - now that helps explain the price tag although I must admit to waiting a while to purchase an absolute bargain, however well worth the price tag at full price, 93, yes 93 tracks. I guess the only downside to this collection is the non inclusion of his country hits but don't let that stop you grabbing this one."