He still tours the world and just released his last album in November, although he is 68, Tom Jones does not think of retiring at all. We spoke with the singer about his latest CD, 24 Hours.
Q. This is your first album on which you were involved in writing songs. Why did you make this decision after so many years?
A. Because I did not like the songs (that) were sent to me. I searched for songwriters and asked them to write for me and I was also involved in the process.
Q. You recorded two special songs to the album: First is The Road, dedicated to your wife. Did she like it?
A. Yes, a lot! This song was born when a songwriter asked me — as the songs on the album are about my life — if there had ever been a song recorded about my wife. To my surprise (one had) not, although she is an important part of my life. All roads led back to her.
Q. And the other — Sugar Daddy by Bono and The Edge?
A. The idea of the album was born the same time when the idea of this song was born. I was sitting in a pub in Dublin with Bono and made up my mind about him writing a song for me. Then I told him about my life, and this is how the song was born.
Q. Is it easy to talk to songwriters about your life?
A. They are all professionals, so it wasn’t. I knew they will make a proper use of all I say. And I talk about myself easily, I have nothing to hide.
Q. There could be no Duffy or Amy Winehouse without Tom Jones. How do you feel when you listen to them?
A. That they do something I could have done in the ‘60s. One reason to think this is the producers for my current album wanted to work with me to recreate the sixties in music with the opportunities of the 21st century. I couldn’t have recorded this album earlier.
