who'd a thunk it?

January 1, 2012 8:37 PM

Welsh pop idol and blue-eyed soulman Tom Jones as lead vocalist for 60s hippie icons Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young? Seems spectacularly unlikely at first glance, but...it happened.

And Neil Young made that leisure suit look good.

posted by flapjax at midnite (54 comments total)

This has got Stills written all over it.
posted by docgonzo at 8:50 PM on January 1 [2 favorites]

Bing Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young
posted by twoleftfeet at 8:51 PM on January 1 [3 favorites]

Burning Down the House
posted by Flunkie at 8:51 PM on January 1 [4 favorites]

Mind. Blown.
posted by zomg at 8:52 PM on January 1

Bing Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young
posted by Bunny Ultramod at 8:53 PM on January 1 [1 favorite]

Bing Bing!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 9:08 PM on January 1

nice... the sidebar on that video had some additional interesting combinations!
posted by tomswift at 9:11 PM on January 1

That was bizarrely awesome. Thanks, flapjax. Boy, there are some really cocaine-y faces in that video...
posted by queensissy at 9:16 PM on January 1

Crosby, Stills, Nash, Young, and Sting
posted by twoleftfeet at 9:22 PM on January 1

"cocaine-y" is the adjective i was looking for to describe this but couldn't find.

Mr. Young may have done good things for the leisure suit, but he certainly did no favors for mutton chops, I tell ya.
posted by sarahnade at 9:32 PM on January 1 [1 favorite]

Also in the peripheral links: Tom Jones and Joe Cocker. Tom Jones does not come across as well as he does in the NeilDavidGrahamSteven collaboration.
posted by kozad at 9:32 PM on January 1

Tom Jones can do anything.
posted by carter at 9:33 PM on January 1 [4 favorites]

TJ is an awesome and fierce blues singer here with Van Morrison and Jeff Beck
posted by victors at 9:39 PM on January 1 [5 favorites]

In terms of latter day Tom, the song that always did it for me was If I Only Knew. Maybe because it came out the same year Kurt Cobain killed himself. Meanwhile, here's this guy old enough to be his dad spewing all kinds of raison d'etre.
posted by philip-random at 9:42 PM on January 1 [1 favorite]

Tom and Janis...
posted by tomswift at 9:45 PM on January 1 [12 favorites]

Tom Jones: We Can Work it Out, Yesterday, Lady Madonna, Got to Get You Into My Life, Hey Jude, Let It Be, All You Need is Love.
posted by twoleftfeet at 10:00 PM on January 1 [1 favorite]

Mr. Young may have done good things for the leisure suit, but he certainly did no favors for mutton chops, I tell ya.


Hush! Do not speak ill of Wolfman Neil Young! This period of his life would represent high points in fashion, personal hygiene and grooming for Neil.
posted by KingEdRa at 11:12 PM on January 1 [3 favorites]

Little Green Bag, covered by Tom Jones and Barenaked Ladies, from his cover/collaboration album Reload.
posted by dhens at 11:13 PM on January 1 [1 favorite]

Tom knocked em dead. Great performance. CSNY kicked it too.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 11:15 PM on January 1

Tom knocked em dead. Great performance. CSNY kicked it too.

I agree: stellar performances from them both.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 11:18 PM on January 1

I just wish Neil would smile once in a while. Good gracious he takes it so seriously.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 11:20 PM on January 1

Crosby looks quite pleased and surprised to have imagined this whole thing.
posted by pracowity at 11:37 PM on January 1 [5 favorites]

Thanks for the Tom and Janis clip, tomswift. It's not often you get to hear anybody sing rings around Tom Jones.
posted by flabdablet at 12:17 AM on January 2 [1 favorite]

Janis! That link is awesome tomswift.
posted by bardophile at 12:26 AM on January 2

For some reason I never expect to like anything Tom Jones does and I'm forever hearing things which confound this expectation. And this is another one. Great link, thanks.
posted by ntrifle at 1:19 AM on January 2

Tom and Janis sounded better. And I found it somehow amusing that in both clips the only people without long, flowing locks were Jones and the black guys with short afros.
posted by rodgerd at 1:39 AM on January 2

Wow. This is way better than I expected it to be.
posted by rokusan at 4:14 AM on January 2

Tom Jones, IMO, is a fine example of a performer who allowed his image to dominate his talent. He's a far better singer than one would ever suppose, given his over-hyped image.
posted by Goofyy at 4:20 AM on January 2 [6 favorites]

This came to mind almost immediately.
posted by samsara at 4:33 AM on January 2

He's a far better singer than one would ever suppose, given his over-hyped image.

*throws underwear at comment*
posted by pracowity at 4:58 AM on January 2 [12 favorites]

Tom Jones, IMO, is a fine example of a performer who allowed his image to dominate his talent. He's a far better singer than one would ever suppose, given his over-hyped image.

Maybe he's done it on purpose just so people will find themselves amazed when they actually hear him perform. Because, after all, everyone is amazed.
posted by tommasz at 5:39 AM on January 2 [1 favorite]

Tom Jones & Gregory House, M.D.
posted by titus-g at 6:18 AM on January 2 [4 favorites]

Tom Jones and Art of Noise do Prince

there is nothing Tom cannot do!
posted by Curious Artificer at 8:12 AM on January 2 [2 favorites]

Welsh pop idol and blue-eyed soulman Rob Brydon.
posted by Wolfdog at 8:31 AM on January 2

This is so weird I was sure it was a mashup. Heck, I'm still not sure what I just saw. CSN&Y sound and look as good as they ever did here. Heck, maybe better. And they are so so young. Then, Tome Jones? Really? I'd never have thought I'd have liked anything about him. I always hated his middle-of-the-road music. And yet he sounds great here. Is this real? Am I having a flashback/dream/nightmare?
posted by cccorlew at 8:41 AM on January 2

Tom Jones, IMO, is a fine example of a performer who allowed his image to dominate his talent..

Tom was born in the same year as John Lennon, 1940, but somehow he got shoehorned (or shoehorned himself) into the pre-rock 'n roll crooner genre. For crooners, image was everything; they were showmen and entertainers, not outlaws like rock bands in the sixties. Jones was a slightly younger, slightly hipper version of singers like Sinatra or Perry Como--acceptable to the older, squarer generation, beloved by female audiences, but solidly mainstream. Ed Sullivan would have had no aversion to booking him on a show.

Of course, to your square parents and grandparents, Tom Jones was across the longhair divide, albeit just barely. They'd have recognized no difference between his tight curls and the flowing locks of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young and have registered no surprise if he was arrested for agitating in a political demonstration or discovered to secretly harbor a communist leaning.
posted by Gordion Knott at 8:45 AM on January 2 [1 favorite]

cccorlew: Is this real? Am I having a flashback/dream/nightmare?

From the comments on the video (about a comment on Amazon, [about the DVD flyout commentary]):

According to comments about the CSNY documentation DVD on Amazon, it's Dallas Taylor on drums and Greg Reeves on bass. This is from the Tom Jones Variety Show 1969, and again according to Amazon comments referencing CSN's authorized biography by Zimmer and Diltz, Tom Jones was singing lead because David Crosby was grieving over the automobile death of girlfriend Christine Hinton.

posted by titus-g at 9:24 AM on January 2 [2 favorites]

Speaking of the comments, 'cause it's bugging me a little. Some of them are suggesting that Jones & CSNY are at opposite ends of the political spectrum... is that just random prejudice, or is there some reason for it?

I mean Tom Jones is a miner's son from the valleys who started his career playing working mens' clubs*... which is the sort of upbringing that generally leaves people slightly to the left of Marx; not to say upbringing is everything and people don't change, but...?
posted by titus-g at 9:40 AM on January 2

Some of them are suggesting that Jones & CSNY are at opposite ends of the political spectrum... is that just random prejudice, or is there some reason for it?

As far as Tom Jones' political leanings go, I have no idea but I love the anecdote concerning his comment to Elvis Presley after Richard Nixon had awarded Elvis some kind of Special-Anti-Drug-Agent badge (late 60s, I'm thinking).

"Well, Mr. Presley," said Tom, "I guess you better start by arresting yourself."
posted by philip-random at 9:48 AM on January 2 [4 favorites]

Reeves (the bassist) looked to me to be about 14. The only other place I remember seeing him is on the cover of Déjà Vu. Anyway, I just looked him up on Wikipedia, and lo and behold:

Little is known about Reeves' early life; even his birthdate is contested: CSNY drummer Dallas Taylor recalled that although Reeves had a fake drivers license showing his age to be 19, he was rumored to be as young as 15 years old during the recording of Déjà Vu in 1969.

posted by Flunkie at 9:51 AM on January 2 [3 favorites]

Thanks for this. A bizarre but wonderful collaboration. Stills really was pushing his pipes on this one too, and he was playing KEYBOARDS? amazing stuff.
posted by birdhaus at 10:06 AM on January 2

Richard Nixon had awarded Elvis some kind of Special-Anti-Drug-Agent badge (late 60s, I'm thinking).
Must be referring to this:

http://www.elvispresleymusic.com.au/pictures/img/elvis/70s/70/badge_bureau_narcotic_dangerous_drugs_id.jpg
posted by birdhaus at 10:14 AM on January 2

Or should I say, This
posted by birdhaus at 10:15 AM on January 2

Holy crap. And Stills on keys?

What's the video equivalent of photoshopping called?
posted by Twang at 10:26 AM on January 2

Yeah, Elvis had written Nixon a letter, handwritten on American Airlines stationary, essentially saying that he would make for a great narc because the hippies would trust him, so Nixon should appoint him a "Federal Agent at Large".

In addition to resulting in Elvis actually getting some sort of federal credentials, it also resulted in a series of surreal photos like this.

Also, I've heard various stories (can't find any at the moment) that Elvis would also pull this kind of thing with local sheriffs and such, getting them to appoint him Special Assistant Elvis or whatever, which allegedly resulted in Elvis actually taking it upon himself to pull people over for traffic infractions and such.
posted by Flunkie at 10:26 AM on January 2

Why is Stills on keyboards surprising? Multiple people in this thread have commented on it in a surprised manner. He often played them on albums, including (just checked) on this song in particular.
posted by Flunkie at 10:29 AM on January 2

Goofyy: Tom Jones, IMO, is a fine example of a performer who allowed his image to dominate his talent.

It's not unusual.
posted by Greg_Ace at 10:56 AM on January 2 [4 favorites]

Tom Jones, IMO, is a fine example of a performer who allowed his image to dominate his talent.


I think it's slightly more complex ... but anyway:

Little Richard and Tom Jones. Good Golly Miss Molly at the end is terrific.
posted by carter at 11:02 AM on January 2 [3 favorites]

beloved by female audiences

I am not quite old enough to remember this, but I'm told by my mother that in the year that the OP link was aired--the year I turned TWO--I was a very enthusiastic Tom Jones fan. I still have a soft spot for him, although not of the panty-throwing variety. I'm glad I saw the video. It made me smile.
posted by immlass at 12:24 PM on January 2

Why is Stills on keyboards surprising?

he played them on the first CSN album, as well as bass - he even played some percussion, but not the drums
posted by pyramid termite at 12:58 PM on January 2

Thank you for posting this, many times over.
posted by raysmj at 3:38 PM on January 2

Tom Jones & Gregory House, M.D.

Oh, wow! Wow! Wow! This is a great clip because Tom explains his open-minded musical philosophy, which I have always admired, while Hugh plays like Jerry Lee Lewis. All that was missing was Stephen Fry making a mess with a cocktail shaker.
posted by Spatch at 9:51 PM on January 2

Only weird if you know nothing about Tom Jones besides the fact he had big hits in the days of olde - he's been performing with musicians in a variety of style for many years. I came across the thing with Hugh Laurie the other night on PBS (part of Great Performances, I think) one song in a longer show on New Orleans music that was lots of fun to watch.

All that was missing was Stephen Fry making a mess with a cocktail shaker

...all over his iPad. ;-)
posted by aught at 9:26 AM on January 3

Tom Jones was the highlight of Mars Attacks. The scene where he holds out his arm and a hawk just lands on it? Yeah, that's all you need to know about how cool Tom Jones is.
posted by Joey Michaels at 12:33 PM on January 3