Tom Jones' biggest regret? Missing out on a song The Beatles offered to him personally

7 February 2025, 14:04

Tom Jones has had an illustrious career in music, but revealed he had one major regret. Picture: Getty/Alamy

By Thomas Edward

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Nearly everybody on Earth has a relationship with at least one of their songs.

After the release of their debut single 'Love Me Do' in 1962, The Beatles completely transformed the face of popular music.

In just a matter of ten years, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr left a musical legacy that remains unmatched by their many successors.

The songwriting partnership of Lennon and McCartney is unrivalled today still, in terms of commercial levels of success, but also in terms of influence.

Countless artists have cited the Fab Four as their gateway into musical expression themselves, some which are more evident than others.

The sheer amount of artists that have covered The Beatles' songs over the years – and scored hit singles themselves – indicates their peerless songwriting.

But if another legendary artist is to be believed, the course of rock 'n' roll history may have been altered, if he'd grabbed the chance to sing a song offered to him by one of the band's principal creative forces.

The legendary artist in question? Tom Jones, who recalled turning down the opportunity to record the single that became The Beatles final ever number one single in the US: 'The Long And Winding Road'.

The Long And Winding Road (Remastered 2009)

Now, Welsh powerhouse Tom Jones has had an illustrious career in music like few others, so likely has few regrets about how things have panned out for him.

But turning down the opportunity to take on one of Paul McCartney's songs has loomed over him like a black cloud ever since.

Speaking to Media Wales in 2012 about how the said opportunity fell on his lap, Jones revealed: “I saw him in a club called Scotts Of St James on Jermyn Street in London."

Of course, he was talking about McCartney, who wrote 'The Long And Winding Road' in 1968 about the increasing tensions within The Beatles.

“So we were in there one night so I said to him when are you going to write me a song then Paul. He said, aye I will then," the 'Delilah' legend continued.

Tom Jones with Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and singer Dusty Springfield in 1966. Picture: Alamy

"Then not long after he sent a song around to my house, which was 'The Long And Winding Road', but the condition was that I could do it but it had to be my next single.“

"Paul wanted it out straight away. At that time I had a song called 'Without Love' that I was going to be releasing.“

The record company was gearing up towards the release of it. The timing was terrible, but I asked if we could stop everything and I could do 'The Long And Winding Road'.“

"They said it would take a lot of time and it was impractical, so I ended up not doing it," Jones lamented.

Tom Jones - Without Love - This is Tom Jones TV Show 1969

'Without Love' became a top ten hit for Jones in the UK, and fared even better in the US peaking at number five, which was a consolation prize in the short term.

But he never got over how things turned out, given the veritable majesty of 'The Long And Winding Road', regretting the outcome till years later.

"I was kicking myself,” he said. "I knew it was a strong song and of course it subsequently appeared on the Let It Be album.”

Whether or not it was some way of exorcising his regret, Jones did later record a Paul McCartney composition - '(I Want To) Come Home' for his 2012 album, Spirit In The Room.

Strangely enough, the message of the song shares a kind of kinship with 'The Long And Winding Road', at least in Jones' eyes.

Jones would perform 'Here, There and Everywhere' alongside McCartney at the charity concert in memory of his late wife Linda. Picture: Alamy

Tom Jones - (I Want To) Come Home [Lyrics]

"The message of it is, I’ve done this, I’ve done that, it was great at the time I was out there, tried to do it on my own – done this, had success with that, but now I want to come home," Jones explained.

"So it can mean home literally, or home, to myself, rather than being out there trying to prove something."

Naturally, when he was putting his stamp on the McCartney song, thoughts of his home country Wales were never far from his mind.

"There’s nods to Wales there, of course definitely. Every time I think of home I think of Wales. Like I did the 'Green Green Grass Of Home', Wales was in my mind, and a lot of people think it’s actually a Welsh song."

Tom Jones did of course cover 'The Long And Winding Road' too, dishing out a belting cover of a beautiful ballad on television during the 70s. Listen below: