- Delilah (Tom Jones song)
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"Delilah" Single by Tom Jones from the album Delilah B-side "Smile" (Mills) Released February 1968 Format 7" Recorded 1968 Genre Pop Length 3:20 Label Decca F 12747
Parrot 45-40025Producer Peter Sullivan Tom Jones singles chronology "I'm Coming Home"
(1967)"Delilah"
(1968)"Help Yourself"
(1968)"Delilah" is a song recorded by Welsh singer Tom Jones in 1968. It was written by Barry Mason, with music by Les Reed.
Contents
Success
It reached No 1 in the charts of several countries including Germany and Switzerland.[1] It reached No 2 in the British charts in March 1968 and was the sixth best selling single of that year.[2] The US Billboard chart records its highest position as 15.[3]
Chart performance
Chart (1968) Peak
positionGerman Singles Chart 1 Swiss Singles Chart 1 Irish Singles Chart 1 UK Singles Chart 2 Norwegian Singles Chart 2 Austrian Top 40 3 Canadian RPM Top Singles 5 U.S. Billboard Hot 100 15 Overview
Jones narrates the song as a deceived lover who spies his woman in a silhouette on a window as she makes love to another man. Although he realizes that she is of no good to him, he goes temporarily insane. Waiting until after her paramour leaves at break of day, he knocks on the door to find her laughing and stabs her to death. Realizing his murderous act, the deceived lover begs her forgiveness before the police come to break down the door and take him away.
Cover versions
The song has also been covered many times by other artists, including a reggae cover by Horace Andy, the goth rock band Inkubus Sukkubus on their album Wild, the Irish American punk band Flogging Molly on their live album Alive Behind the Green Door and The Sensational Alex Harvey Band whose single reached No 7 in the UK chart in 1975. It was covered in 1978 by Filipino singer/artist Sam Sorono (1950-2008) on his Sings Tom Jones' Greatest Hits[4] LP album with EMI Records. In 1988 "Delilah" was covered by Paddy Goes To Holyhead. This version can be found on the 4CD box The Hannover Sessions with The Sweet. The Finnish rock band The Leningrad Cowboys also performed a version of this song at Total Balalaka 1993. Austrian singer Peter Alexander recorded a German cover on his 1985 album Ein Abend Mit Dir.
In popular culture
Supporters of Stoke City have adopted Delilah as their club anthem since the 1970s. It was adopted by the fans after a supporter was heard singing it in a local pub. Some of the song's original lyrics have been adapted for the terraces, but the essence of the song remains the same.[5]
Welsh rugby fans have sung Delilah as an unofficial anthem since at least as early as the 1970s, so much so it was referred to in the lyrics of one of the verses of Max Boyce's 'Hymns and Arias'- "We sang 'Cwm Rhondda' and 'Deliliah', damn they sounded both the same". Tom Jones performed it before Wales's historic rugby victory over England at Wembley Stadium in 1999. The Welsh Rugby Union now plays the song in Millennium Stadium before matches; the words to the song are shown on the big screens and the crowd sings along. [6]
The song featured in the film "Edward Scissorhands" (1990).[7]
References
- ^ Swiss charts web-site
- ^ everyHit.com
- ^ Billboard web-site
- ^ http://s159.photobucket.com/albums/t138/macaenese5354/Vinyl%20Album/?action=view¤t=SamSorono-SingsTomJonesGreatestHits.jpg
- ^ "Stoke City fans back Tom Jones's Delilah to top charts". BBC. 5 May 2011. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-13291654. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
- ^ "WHY, WHY, WHY BAN DELILAH?; Tom Hit Is Sexist". The Mirror. April 2003. http://www.thefreelibrary.com/WHY,+WHY,+WHY+BAN+DELILAH%3F%3B+Tom+hit+is+sexist,+says+politician.-a0103881337. Retrieved 2011-03-21.
- ^ Burton, Tim (1990), Edward Scissorhands, 20th Century Fox
Categories:- 1968 singles
- Football songs and chants
- Number-one singles in Germany
- Number-one singles in Switzerland
- Songs written by Barry Mason
- Songs written by Les Reed
- Stoke City F.C.
- Tom Jones songs
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