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Over the Top and Back: The Autobiography
'For a lot of years, I've answered a lot of questions, but have never told my story before.'
Across six decades, Sir Tom Jones has maintained a vital career in a risky, unstable business notorious for the short lives of its artists. With a drive that comes from nothing but the love for what he does, he breaks through and then wrestles with the vagaries of the music industry, the nature of success and its inevitable consequences. Having recorded an expansive body of work and performed with fellow artists from across the spectrum and across every popular music genre, from rock, pop and dance to country, blues and soul, the one constant throughout has been his unique musical gifts and unmistakable voice.
But how did a boy from a Welsh coal-mining family attain success across the globe? And how has he survived the twists and turns of fame and fortune to not only stay exciting, but actually become more credible and interesting with age? In this, his first and only autobiography, Tom revisits his past and tells the tale of his journey from wartime Pontypridd to LA and beyond. He reveals the stories behind the ups and downs of his fascinating and remarkable life, from the early heydays to the subsequent fallow years to his later period of artistic renaissance.
It's the story nobody else knows or understands, told by the man who lived it, and written the only way he knows how: simply and from the heart. Raw, honest, funny and powerful, this is a memoir like no other from one of the world's greatest ever singing talents. This is Tom Jones and Over the Top and Back is his story.
Across six decades, Sir Tom Jones has maintained a vital career in a risky, unstable business notorious for the short lives of its artists. With a drive that comes from nothing but the love for what he does, he breaks through and then wrestles with the vagaries of the music industry, the nature of success and its inevitable consequences. Having recorded an expansive body of work and performed with fellow artists from across the spectrum and across every popular music genre, from rock, pop and dance to country, blues and soul, the one constant throughout has been his unique musical gifts and unmistakable voice.
But how did a boy from a Welsh coal-mining family attain success across the globe? And how has he survived the twists and turns of fame and fortune to not only stay exciting, but actually become more credible and interesting with age? In this, his first and only autobiography, Tom revisits his past and tells the tale of his journey from wartime Pontypridd to LA and beyond. He reveals the stories behind the ups and downs of his fascinating and remarkable life, from the early heydays to the subsequent fallow years to his later period of artistic renaissance.
It's the story nobody else knows or understands, told by the man who lived it, and written the only way he knows how: simply and from the heart. Raw, honest, funny and powerful, this is a memoir like no other from one of the world's greatest ever singing talents. This is Tom Jones and Over the Top and Back is his story.
432 pages, Hardcover
First published October 8, 2015
317 people are currently reading
1088 people want to read
About the author
Tom Jones
9 books10 followersSir Tom Jones is a Welsh singer who has been performing popular music since 1963 and has sold over 100 million records in several genres worldwide.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 244 reviews
September 22, 2016
This was an OK book actually, it focuses a lot on his life from early times to know.
I read this book because it was bought for me as a present, I wasn't much into Tom Jones, but I think the wife bought me because she wanted to read it....shhhhh don't tell her I know.
I found it much more interesting than I thought.
Some shockers in here I can tell ya
I read this book because it was bought for me as a present, I wasn't much into Tom Jones, but I think the wife bought me because she wanted to read it....shhhhh don't tell her I know.
I found it much more interesting than I thought.
Some shockers in here I can tell ya
December 31, 2015
Back in the late 60s/early 70s, I was a big fan of Tom Jones. So big a fan that I joined his fan club as a result of which was offered occasional tickets to watch his tv show This Is Tom Jones and went to as many concerts as I could afford. Now I have come to admire him as a superb R & b/Soul singer. I was delighted then to receive his autobiography as a Christmas present. What a joy it was to read! The man comes across as genuinely happy in the way he is now. I particularly like the retelling of his often disturbed youth and his family background. What shined through for me is his enduring love of his wife, Linda, of 58 years (he was 17, she 16, when they married). Although I understand she is not a well woman, I wish them many more years together. Thank you, Tom, for your honesty.
December 12, 2015
I love reading biographies and autobiographies. I found this one fascinating. The story telling and details were interesting--for example when in the early days of his career Tom Jones sold vacuum cleaners door to door. The mixture and longevity of his career is remarkable.
When toward the end of the book, Jones was not invited to return for a fifth season on the BBC version of The Voice (to his surprise), he writes, "I guess the story is, once again, that you never know. Ten years in the business, twenty years, fifty years, You simply never know." (Page 405)
The final chapter is a fitting tribute to his 58 year marriage to Linda. I enjoyed this ending.
My biggest surprise and the reason for my four star review--the coarse, profane language scattered throughout the book. I've only heard Tom Jones perform on television and never in person (which cleaned up the language). To hear the real person for over 400 pages with this profanity was startling and shows something to the reader. I enjoyed the book but it comes with these cautions.
When toward the end of the book, Jones was not invited to return for a fifth season on the BBC version of The Voice (to his surprise), he writes, "I guess the story is, once again, that you never know. Ten years in the business, twenty years, fifty years, You simply never know." (Page 405)
The final chapter is a fitting tribute to his 58 year marriage to Linda. I enjoyed this ending.
My biggest surprise and the reason for my four star review--the coarse, profane language scattered throughout the book. I've only heard Tom Jones perform on television and never in person (which cleaned up the language). To hear the real person for over 400 pages with this profanity was startling and shows something to the reader. I enjoyed the book but it comes with these cautions.
May 9, 2019
I like Tom Jones but could not, by any means, be described as a fan. GoodReads friend Mark recommended it. Mark's recommendations are invariably solid gold, and so it proved with Over the Top and Back: The Autobiography (2015).
From Tom Jones's childhood and early adulthood in Pontypridd, the Welsh mining village; to fame in Swinging Sixties Britain; and thence to global stardom. Over a 60 year career, full of ups and downs, Tom has met many of the greats and, seemingly, got on very well with most of them.
Tom Jones has numerous amazing anecdotes, a good memory, and the raconteur's ability to make them succinct and entertaining.
A very enjoyable and entertaining read.
4/5
From Tom Jones's childhood and early adulthood in Pontypridd, the Welsh mining village; to fame in Swinging Sixties Britain; and thence to global stardom. Over a 60 year career, full of ups and downs, Tom has met many of the greats and, seemingly, got on very well with most of them.
Tom Jones has numerous amazing anecdotes, a good memory, and the raconteur's ability to make them succinct and entertaining.
A very enjoyable and entertaining read.
4/5
August 26, 2016
Over The Top And Back: The Autobiography by Tom Jones
4 stars
***Review could contain spoilers***
I'm not a huge Tom Jones fan but I enjoyed this book for the most part. I liked how the writing seemed to flow at a fast pace and it never gets bogged down. It was interesting to read that he is still married to his teenage sweetheart. They were married at a young age and if we are to believe this book they are still happily married with no major bumps along the way and never so much as a look at any other women, even though women throw themselves (and their panties) at him at every show. Hmmm, not sure if I believe it but will give him the benefit of the doubt. Also he has never gotten into any drugs. Alcohol is ok because that is a man's thing, I was a little annoyed that he had such a hard time when his career was in a downward spiral. After all, few singers and musicians can stay at the top forever, but then maybe that drive is what gives someone a lifelong career. Worth reading, especially if you lived through the era of the 60's and 70's it is a nice walk down memory lane.
4 stars
***Review could contain spoilers***
I'm not a huge Tom Jones fan but I enjoyed this book for the most part. I liked how the writing seemed to flow at a fast pace and it never gets bogged down. It was interesting to read that he is still married to his teenage sweetheart. They were married at a young age and if we are to believe this book they are still happily married with no major bumps along the way and never so much as a look at any other women, even though women throw themselves (and their panties) at him at every show. Hmmm, not sure if I believe it but will give him the benefit of the doubt. Also he has never gotten into any drugs. Alcohol is ok because that is a man's thing, I was a little annoyed that he had such a hard time when his career was in a downward spiral. After all, few singers and musicians can stay at the top forever, but then maybe that drive is what gives someone a lifelong career. Worth reading, especially if you lived through the era of the 60's and 70's it is a nice walk down memory lane.
April 3, 2017
This is a lot like Rod Stewart's autobiography in that nobody is going to dish any real dirt on themselves. But don't let that stop you from reading this. It was still entertaining and funny, and it will provide vindication for fans who have to endure those skeptical looks from people who ask: "Really? Do you like Engelbert Humperdinck too?" In a word, "No."
I have always known there was a world of difference between the two and it turns out that even Tom Jones himself cannot stand the guy (both as a person and as a singer of lame standards). And although he admits he got tarred with the "Vegas" label, he never resorted to doing cheesy corporate duets albums and other tripe like that.
I would also add that Mr. Jones does not want you to throw anymore underwear on stage. It was funny at first, but he gets right royally annoyed that it is still a thing after all these years. And to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame judges, Tom Jones belongs there more than Janet Jackson.
I have always known there was a world of difference between the two and it turns out that even Tom Jones himself cannot stand the guy (both as a person and as a singer of lame standards). And although he admits he got tarred with the "Vegas" label, he never resorted to doing cheesy corporate duets albums and other tripe like that.
I would also add that Mr. Jones does not want you to throw anymore underwear on stage. It was funny at first, but he gets right royally annoyed that it is still a thing after all these years. And to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame judges, Tom Jones belongs there more than Janet Jackson.
January 31, 2022
An interesting and entertaining biography of this iconic musical talent - really enjoyed it even though it was very much a 'sanitised' version, with no mention by Sir Tom of the many infidelities he allegedly admitted to have committed during his career with both groupies and fellow stars - 8/10.
June 9, 2019
I’ve read a quite a few famous bios and auto bios. This one nails it. You feel you’re sitting with Tom and discussing his life. Confidant, witty, and polite- he is the consummate Welshman. Really gives a great account of how he “made it.”
June 11, 2021
I loved this book. His straight talking and humour make it so easy to read. A fascinating story of his life. I would have loved to know more of his wife’s life,but that would have been another book,and she would have never written that. A great read.
September 11, 2021
“Also around this time, in 1988, I make a trip back to Wales and land up in the Treforest Arms with Dai Perry, drinking and winding back the years. On the pub jukebox are both ‘A Boy from Nowhere’ and ‘Kiss,’ my two recent singles, both of which get a bit of a spinning, in honor of the fact that I’m here in the pub. And when ‘A Boy from Nowhere,’ the big ballad, goes on, the older crowd in the pub starts calling out to me, ‘Oh, yes. That’s you, Tommy, that is. That’s what you do best.’ And when ‘Kiss’ goes on, the younger crowd say, ‘No, this is you, Tommy. This is where you need to be.’ And time falls away, and it might as well be nearly thirty years ago, with the workingmen’s club crowd over here, and the YMCA kids over there, and me in the middle, looking from one to the other and trying to work out a way to please both” (348).
January 31, 2016
At 410 pages this book is a couple hundred pages too long. Jones doesn't even get to the start of his career until page 150! Trust me, there's nothing that he says that deserves all those pages. And much of it is his complaining: about how people categorize him as a Vegas singer (which he was), about him being the guy ladies threw panties at (which they did), and about him not getting a couple of the biggest hits of all time (which may be because he almost passed on virtually every major song he recorded, upsetting some producers and giving him a reputation as sometimes being difficult).
The biggest problem is that this book is rough for Americans to slog through. Those first 150 pages refer to places in Wales that we can't relate to. Bottom line story is that he was really, really poor in a town seven hours from London and a tough guy who learned to fight to survive on the streets. He got a woman pregnant when he was 16, she was 14, they married a month before the birth and they are still married today. He job hopped doing manual labor (never in a coal mine as some claim because the record label lied in the first press release about him). He started singing in his late teens with a bunch of men in a bar in town. He couldn't drive until he was an adult with hits. And he claims he has never done drugs, though he loves to drink and smoked for decades. There--I just saved you the first 150 pages.
Once he gets to his career there are some interesting moments but we never really learn stories behind the songs or the productions. There is a lot of minutia about what cities he sang in, the various backup band members, and what 50s cover songs he performed. Sometimes it feels like he pulled out an old box of photos and is merely giving commentary based on his memory of the picture in front of him. The few times he does come in to contact with the famous there isn't much to the stories (except his Elvis in the bathroom story is a great on, where the King walks in on Jones in the shower). He likes to tell about his houses and cars as he gets rich, then complains that his hits stop coming so he has to downsize everything. He seems to have a chip on his shoulder yet he never analyzes why he failed to take advantage of certain opportunities or why he is to blame for some of his own failures. The last 70 pages are devoted to his modern dance songs, for which he explains how he got them produced, but most I've never heard of and I wish there would have been much more about the older hits instead.
If you want to get to know him as a man you won't find much here. He supposedly addresses some of the rumors about his temper and his reputation with the women but merely bats them away. If you're looking for a kiss-and-tell that reveals who he slept with you won't find it here. He also barely mentions his wife and son during much of the book, which is surprising for a man married 58 years and whose son is his manager. Instead there was too much complaining about the breaks he didn't get, how he is stereotyped, and some of the people he didn't like (don't mention Englebert Humperdinck to him!) As I finished the book the words of his song Delilah came to mind: "Why, why, why?" Why did I waste my time reading it?
The biggest problem is that this book is rough for Americans to slog through. Those first 150 pages refer to places in Wales that we can't relate to. Bottom line story is that he was really, really poor in a town seven hours from London and a tough guy who learned to fight to survive on the streets. He got a woman pregnant when he was 16, she was 14, they married a month before the birth and they are still married today. He job hopped doing manual labor (never in a coal mine as some claim because the record label lied in the first press release about him). He started singing in his late teens with a bunch of men in a bar in town. He couldn't drive until he was an adult with hits. And he claims he has never done drugs, though he loves to drink and smoked for decades. There--I just saved you the first 150 pages.
Once he gets to his career there are some interesting moments but we never really learn stories behind the songs or the productions. There is a lot of minutia about what cities he sang in, the various backup band members, and what 50s cover songs he performed. Sometimes it feels like he pulled out an old box of photos and is merely giving commentary based on his memory of the picture in front of him. The few times he does come in to contact with the famous there isn't much to the stories (except his Elvis in the bathroom story is a great on, where the King walks in on Jones in the shower). He likes to tell about his houses and cars as he gets rich, then complains that his hits stop coming so he has to downsize everything. He seems to have a chip on his shoulder yet he never analyzes why he failed to take advantage of certain opportunities or why he is to blame for some of his own failures. The last 70 pages are devoted to his modern dance songs, for which he explains how he got them produced, but most I've never heard of and I wish there would have been much more about the older hits instead.
If you want to get to know him as a man you won't find much here. He supposedly addresses some of the rumors about his temper and his reputation with the women but merely bats them away. If you're looking for a kiss-and-tell that reveals who he slept with you won't find it here. He also barely mentions his wife and son during much of the book, which is surprising for a man married 58 years and whose son is his manager. Instead there was too much complaining about the breaks he didn't get, how he is stereotyped, and some of the people he didn't like (don't mention Englebert Humperdinck to him!) As I finished the book the words of his song Delilah came to mind: "Why, why, why?" Why did I waste my time reading it?
December 11, 2015
I just celebrated 46 years of being a Tom Jones fan, so there really isn't anything I could learn that would change being a fan, but it was disheartening to learn there was so much Tom disliked about what went on in his career. Such as performing in Las Vegas, which labeled him as a "Vegas" singer in the public's eye, which he did not like. He felt the label limited him in getting the songs he wanted and the respect he wanted as a singer. The highlight of being a fan for me was seeing him in Las Vegas at Caesars Palace,to me a fitting place for his magnificent singing.
There are a lot of Welsh expressions in the book, which stumped me somewhat, but that did give the book a flavor someone else's memoir wouldn't have. But the book is honestly written, no punches pulled, but I feel the book isn't FULLY honest. There are certain things his fans know about which he did not address at all. In one word: Women. His love for his family is there, but outside that, nothing. His personal life is that, personal, however compartmentizing his life seems to be what he has done, like John F. Kennedy. And the last chapters are just a summation of the musicians he has worked with the last few years. But the chapter with the story of Elvis offering him a song Elvis himself thought was right for Tom, is priceless!
There are a lot of Welsh expressions in the book, which stumped me somewhat, but that did give the book a flavor someone else's memoir wouldn't have. But the book is honestly written, no punches pulled, but I feel the book isn't FULLY honest. There are certain things his fans know about which he did not address at all. In one word: Women. His love for his family is there, but outside that, nothing. His personal life is that, personal, however compartmentizing his life seems to be what he has done, like John F. Kennedy. And the last chapters are just a summation of the musicians he has worked with the last few years. But the chapter with the story of Elvis offering him a song Elvis himself thought was right for Tom, is priceless!
January 26, 2016
As a fan of this Tom Jones since the late 1960s, I was eager to read the copy of his autobiography I discovered on a new books table last week in a Mississippi library. I'd been to two of his concerts during the 1970s as well as listening to his recorded music and fanning my heated face while tuning in to his TV show. I know he had help in getting his story together -- his description of classroom experiences while a lad in Wales would clue his readers on that one. Reading the book, though, was a treat, very much like actually listening to Tom (Woodward -- his stage last name comes from his mom's maiden name) share an oral history. So a couple of days after finishing the book, I dug out a gift set I'd received of Tom Jones's greatest hits around 2008, which included 3 discs and one DVD. OK, really brought "stuff" back, seeing one of my favorite entertainers in action from "back in the day". No, I never threw underwear at him onstage; nor did my companions! I thoroughly enjoyed the autobiography. His tributes throughout the writing to his wife, Linda, and to his son, Mark, as well as to his parents, I found especially touching....
March 12, 2016
I recently finished reading Tom Jones Auto Biography. I remember when I was a kid watching women throw their underwear at him and all the gyrating, but at the expense of sounding bias, this much is for sure, he had an absolutely incredible voice that is perhaps unmatched today in Pop music. The book is broken into small chapters, so if one aspect is not engaging the next chapter is only a few pages away.
He knew so many of the greats from the British invasion including the Beatles and Rolling stones that he met earlier in their careers. He had a good personal friendship with Elvis who he described as having an incredible voice. The reader follows him from his first appearance on the Ed Sullivan show to Las Vegas to playing small venues as things became tougher.
From his poor but solid upbringing in Wales, to the road that him to the present, the reader will get a pretty good grasp that life on the road and stardom might not be what it’s cracked up to be.
The book is a nice read and I give it a 4 out of 5
He knew so many of the greats from the British invasion including the Beatles and Rolling stones that he met earlier in their careers. He had a good personal friendship with Elvis who he described as having an incredible voice. The reader follows him from his first appearance on the Ed Sullivan show to Las Vegas to playing small venues as things became tougher.
From his poor but solid upbringing in Wales, to the road that him to the present, the reader will get a pretty good grasp that life on the road and stardom might not be what it’s cracked up to be.
The book is a nice read and I give it a 4 out of 5
January 28, 2017
If you think that Tom Jones' life has been an endless parade of hip thrusts, panties and Welsh machismo, you wouldn't be far off. In his autobiography, Sir Tom gives us an entertaining life story, from the TB that kept him out of the coal mines to his rise and fall and rise again as a pop star. It is all presented in a lighthearted way with plenty of comic asides (as you do)that let us know there won't be anything too heavy to bear. Which is one of the book's faults. As much as he probably didn't want to cause his wife any embarrassment, you would think from the narrative that Tom Jones led a life of chastity while on the road. That just seems too incredible to be true.
Still, I learned a lot about Tom Jones and was entertained by his story-telling. Definitely good enough to recommend.
Still, I learned a lot about Tom Jones and was entertained by his story-telling. Definitely good enough to recommend.
November 28, 2015
What a great story
First as someone who has been married to my childhood sweetheart for 44 years, I know what Tom means about she is what makes everything possible. You see the love they have for each other and the love of family in the book. The book is well written and it is like Tom is there talking to you. I couldn't put it down. The way the book starts out was genius. It made it a page turner. One thing it did make me do, I purchased his last two albums. Thanks for a great book!
First as someone who has been married to my childhood sweetheart for 44 years, I know what Tom means about she is what makes everything possible. You see the love they have for each other and the love of family in the book. The book is well written and it is like Tom is there talking to you. I couldn't put it down. The way the book starts out was genius. It made it a page turner. One thing it did make me do, I purchased his last two albums. Thanks for a great book!
September 25, 2016
I knew this man had lead the most fascinating life but I didn't know the half of it. He's met everyone from the Rat Pack to the Beatles and the things he's done...good lord!
The book starts from early childhood, how he met his wife, his son's birth and all the way up to the bright lights of Vegas and beyond. It's written in such a way that you can hear his voice when you read and let me say, it's very Welsh and very Tom.
If you like pop history or just the man himself, this book is a must. I loved it.
The book starts from early childhood, how he met his wife, his son's birth and all the way up to the bright lights of Vegas and beyond. It's written in such a way that you can hear his voice when you read and let me say, it's very Welsh and very Tom.
If you like pop history or just the man himself, this book is a must. I loved it.
November 30, 2015
Very readable book almost like having a conversation with the author. It covers both his private and performing life from his childhood to the present time. One amazing fact he and his wife have been married for 58 years. The book has lots of photos both color and black & white. I won this book thru The Goodreads First Read program.
December 18, 2015
What a great book.
Very well written. Many superinteresting fActs and fly on the wall moments. The man is delightfully talented as a memoirist. His career stories are dooziezs from 1964 to the present day.
He's been up he's been down but he's alwAys been a sex bomb!
Very well written. Many superinteresting fActs and fly on the wall moments. The man is delightfully talented as a memoirist. His career stories are dooziezs from 1964 to the present day.
He's been up he's been down but he's alwAys been a sex bomb!
March 23, 2016
An interesting read of how Tom Jones rose to fame and became "The Voice". Although interesting, I was expecting more for some reason. Also there were recurring typing errors which I found off-putting, hence why I gave the book a low rating.
February 16, 2020
Absolutely loved this. Did not expect to like it so much! Really enjoyed how he wrote!
April 1, 2021
Singer Tom Jones autobiography is the real deal, the good bad and ugly times throughout his life told without rancor or ill-humour, just good honest insights into his amazing life. I love a good bio with lots of photographs and Tom didn't disappoint. He had a tough early life but grew and developed and took on the world. I discovered that he adopted the stage name Tommy Scott for a short time but his real name is Thomas John Woodward. In his early life, aged twelve, he contracted TB infection, not unusual in industrial Wales during that era. He recovered after two years and wanted to be either a professional singer or a slate-faced cowboy. He writes ‘From the kitchen of 44 Laura Street in Pontypridd in the forties, the odds of becoming one appear to be about as long as the odds on becoming the other’. But as we know he did succeed---and what a ride!
December 5, 2017
Tom Jones, the performer, is such a larger-than-life kind of legendary entertainer, that it was surprising to me that he writes so humbly with such candor. And he's a really GOOD writer. Very funny with good pacing but still plenty of details. There's not much about his reaction to world events or politics, but there's still a sense of him as a product of the times he's lived through. There are important themes of integrity, perseverance, and courage as well as some surprising revelations about how much of the Tom Jones persona that was promoted and the songs identified with him were the result of circumstances outside of Jones' own control (or, at least, planning). This is one of the best autobiographies I have ever read, both for content and for the voice in which it is told. I recommend it as a rock/pop music chronicle but also as a testament to a life well-lived.
November 8, 2022
Great read. Not a book I expected to read but decided to after hearing an interview with Tom Jones. His voice and personality come through in the writing. I enjoyed reading about his boyhood days, his celebrity status and his reflections on his life.
April 6, 2023
A really enjoyable read. It was as if Sir Tom was speaking to me. The devotion to family remained uppermost in his Busy exciting life. So many celebrities loose their way , Sir Tom remained Tommy Woodward in his Heart.🌹🌹
November 7, 2023
I so love Tom Jones stage presence. The story did not have any swagger. Very disappointed
January 20, 2024
3.5 stars interesting story of his rise to top dip then back successful. Lots of fancy name dropping but quite well done. Not many laugh out loud anecdotes
September 28, 2018
Surprisingly good, even if you're not all that familiar with Tom Jones. The book is honest and never slow, giving interesting insights into the pop music industry. He's had an interesting and fortunate life that is well told (also nice to know that some entertainers actually do stay married to their first spouse). It's best read as an ebook so you can watch performances of the songs and artists mentioned on youtube.
July 21, 2021
Always enjoyed his work. Mainstream ballads.
Love his later work with Jools Holland where he's found more blues.
He's proved he's got what it takes, so to speak. He's still rocking...
Love his later work with Jools Holland where he's found more blues.
He's proved he's got what it takes, so to speak. He's still rocking...
August 24, 2021
Very enjoyable read. Feels a very honest account of the ups and downs and ups of a real superstar. A bit overlong is my only criticism. An amazing life this man has led.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 244 reviews