A man’s confession of love and heartache, wrapped in a deceptively upbeat musical package.
The year was 1965, and a new sound was shaking up the world of popular music. It was a time of British Invasion bands with mop tops and catchy guitar riffs, but then, a different kind of sensation arrived. From the coal-mining valleys of Wales emerged a voice that was pure thunder, a raw, powerful, and utterly unique instrument. That voice belonged to Tom Jones, and his second single, “It’s Not Unusual,” became the sound that would define him for generations to come.
When it first hit the airwaves, there was an unmistakable energy to the track. The frantic, almost frenzied brass section, a whirlwind of trumpets and saxophones, felt like a burst of pure excitement. It was the kind of arrangement that made you want to get up and move, to twist and shout without a care in the world. Yet, listen closely to the lyrics, and you’d hear a story that was anything but a party. This was a tale of pining, of seeing the person you love with someone else and trying to convince yourself that the heartbreak is “not unusual.” It’s a masterful piece of emotional misdirection, where the joyous music serves as a stark, almost ironic contrast to the narrator’s inner turmoil.
The song was a lightning strike of success. It soared to the coveted #1 spot on the UK singles chart in March 1965, a month after its release. It was his very first chart-topper and the one that cemented his place in music history. The song’s success wasn’t limited to the UK, either. It crossed the Atlantic and climbed to #10 on the prestigious Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S., a remarkable achievement for a new artist. This early transatlantic triumph set the stage for a career that would span decades and sell over 100 million records. The song was so instrumental to his rise that his debut album, initially titled “Along Came Jones,” was re-released in the U.S. as “It’s Not Unusual” to capitalize on the single’s immense popularity.
The story behind the song is almost as compelling as the song itself. Co-written by Tom Jones’s manager, Gordon Mills, and legendary arranger Les Reed, the song wasn’t even intended for Jones. It was originally penned for British singer Sandie Shaw, a popular chanteuse of the time. But when Jones recorded the demo, his vocal performance was so captivating and so powerful that it became clear the song had to be his. That raw, visceral delivery, filled with a soulful yearning and a hint of desperation, was what transformed the tune from a potential pop trifle into a timeless classic. It was a career-making moment, a perfect collision of a song, a voice, and a moment in time that launched a legend.
For those of us who grew up with this song, it’s more than just a melody; it’s a feeling. It takes us back to a time of vibrant colors and bold fashion, to dance floors filled with people moving to a beat that was both classic and modern. The song’s enduring legacy is a testament to its unique blend of brassy, pop-infused excitement and the raw, heartfelt emotion of a man trying to make sense of a love that’s slipping away. It’s a song that proves that sometimes, the most profound feelings can be expressed with the most thunderous voice.