All wet hey you might need a raincoat. Shakedown dreams walking in broad daylight. Three hun-dred six-ty five de-grees - burning down the house!

Quick Hit

“Burning Down the House” by Tom Jones and the Cardigans (2008)

Now in his seventies it is hard to believe that women used to throw undergarments at Tom Jones as he ripped it up in the swingin’ sixties. Such classics as “It’s Not Unusual”, “The Green, Green Grass of Home”, “She’s a Lady”. “Delilah”, “Daughter of Darkness”, “Help Yourself” and my favourite “What’s New Pussycat” topped the charts in the 60's and early 70's.. Elvis was said to have been very moved by “The Green, Green Grass of Home” and played it over and over when it first came out.

When the U.K. changed the tax laws in 1974, in true superstar fashion, Tom moved to Dean Martin’s former Bel Aire mansion and has lived there ever since, although also has a home in London now too.

Although being married to his high school sweetheart since 1957 he is infamous for infidelity. He supposedly took the virginity of Cassandra Peterson, (better known as Elvira, Mistress of the Dark), and had affairs with Mary Wilson of the Supremes, and a former Miss World Marjorie Wallace. In 1987, his affair with model Katherine Berkery resulted in her giving birth to a son Jonathan Berkery who he denied was his son till 2008.

In 1999 Jones released an album of cover songs that he performed as duets with a number of artists including The Barenaked Ladies, Robbie Williams, Natalie Umbruglia, Van Morrison and of course this one with the Cardigans. The album "Reload" went to #1 in the U.K. and sold over 4 million copies.

The Swedish rock band the Cardigans, was brought to life after a demo tape they recorded got them signed to ‘Trampoline’ in  Jönköping. The band is composed of former heavy metalists Peter Svensson, and Magnus Sveningsson, with drummer Bengt Lagerberg, keyboardist Lars Johansson and the lead singer Nina Persson. It was their second album in 1995 called “Life” that put them on the musical map. Their best known songs are “Lovefool” from “First Band on the Moon and “Erase/Rewind” and “My Favorite Game“ from Gran Turismo.

Follow up albums “Long Before Daylight” and “Super Heavy Gravity” followed in the ‘00s with a more mature sound and lyrics.

I wonder if Tom hit on Nina while on set to perform this classic ‘Talking Heads’ song? Hmmm.....