The successful vocalist Tom Jones recently joined a conversation with Broken Record Podcast and revealed that Elvis Presley sang his song ‘With These Hands.’
Thanks to his prosperous music and acting career, Elvis Presley has been considered one of the most influential figures. He was entitled ‘King of Rock and Roll,’ as he put the first building stones of this genre. Presley’s success came with the first single, ‘Heartbreak Hotel,’ released in 1956. The singer sold over 500 million records throughout his life.
Presley gave a new direction to music with his unique voice, performances, and clothing style. The effects of his singing technique and the dance moves he used have been visible in other musicians even today. Although over 40 years have passed since his death, Presley has become a significant influence on the upcoming musicians, and Tom Jones was one of them.
Tom Jones recalled when he met Elvis Presley in Los Angeles in the mid-60s during a recent conversation. Jones stated that he was singing Presley songs back in Wales’ clubs. As revealed in the interview, the musician told his friends that he would meet Elvis Presley one day. Jones mentioned he was later informed that Elvis Presley wanted to meet him when he went to Los Angeles to discuss a song for a movie. The singer indicated he was shocked that Elvis knew him.
Jones explained in his words:
“I went to LA and met Elvis Presley. When I used to sing in these clubs in Wales, I would do Elvis Presley songs, of course. My friends used to say, ‘Wow, Tom, you sing that as good as Elvis Presley.’ I said, ‘Well, I’ll tell him that.’ And they said, ‘Ah, come on.’ I said, ‘I got a feeling that I’m going to meet Elvis Presley.’ I had this feeling.
When I went to Paramount Studios in LA to talk about a song for a movie, they said, ‘Elvis is here today, and he would like to meet you.’ Jesus, I mean, this was in September of ’65. I said, ‘My God, I didn’t even know that he knew anything about me.”
The singer stated that he was stunned to see Elvis Presley coming toward him singing his then-new single named ‘With These Hands.’ According to Jones, it was an incredible moment for him that Elvis Presley knew about him and that he was also singing his song.
About the moment he met Elvis Presley, Jones continued:
“I went into the set, and he was in a mock helicopter, he was doing this ‘The Trades Fair,’ I think the movie was, with this little girl in this helicopter, and I’m standing in the back of the close-set in this hangar with the Memphis Mafia. They stopped filming, and he waved.
I’m just standing there, and they said to me, ‘Elvis is waving at you.’ ‘Oh, really.’ So, I waved back, and I had a song out there at that time; it was my third single; it was a ballad called ‘With These Hands.’ Elvis Presley came out of the helicopter, and he walked toward me, singing ‘With These Hands.’ I thought, ‘My god! If the boys back home could see me now.’ It was surreal, unbelievable.”
You can watch the entire conversation and listen to the song below.
