| "It's Not Unusual" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Tom Jones | ||||
| from the album Along Came Jones | ||||
| B-side | "To Wait For Love" (Bacharach) | |||
| Released | January 1965 (UK) March 1965 (US) |
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| Format | 7" | |||
| Recorded | 11 November 1964, Decca Studios, West Hampstead | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Length | 2:03 | |||
| Label | Decca (UK) | |||
| Writer(s) | Les Reed, Gordon Mills | |||
| Producer | Peter Sullivan | |||
| Tom Jones singles chronology | ||||
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"It's Not Unusual" is a song written by Les Reed and Gordon Mills, first recorded by a then-unknown Tom Jones after having first been offered to Sandie Shaw. Jones recorded what was intended to be a demo for Shaw, but when she heard it she was so impressed with Jones' delivery that she declined the song and recommended that Jones release it himself. The record was the second Decca single Jones released, reaching number one in the UK charts in 1965. It was also the first hit for Jones in the US, peaking at #10 in May of that year. The single was released in the US on the Parrot label and also reached #3 on Billboard's easy listening chart. Jones used this song as the theme for his late 1960s-early 1970s musical variety series This Is Tom Jones. It has since become Jones' musical signature.
The musical arranger was Les Reed. Although the guitar has been cited as having been provided by Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, Reed has clarified that the only guitarist was Joe Moretti, who was also known for his playing on Shakin' All Over and Brand New Cadillac. Jones's group "Tom Jones and the Squires" were missing their regular keyboard player for the session. Drummer Chris Slade (later to join AC/DC in the 1990s following a stint in The Firm with the aforementioned Jimmy Page) ran across the street to La Giaconda coffee house, in Tin Pan Alley, and a then-unknown teenage Keyboard player was recruited for the one day recording session. At the end of the session the band asked him his name, to which he replied "Reg". The young keyboard player was thanked and paid, and went on his way. About a year later Reg the keyboard player changed his name to Elton John.[1]
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The song was covered by singer Elvis Costello during a scene in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me in which Austin Powers (Mike Myers) dances with Felicity Shagwell (Heather Graham) in London.
The song was often featured on the 1990s United States television sitcom series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as dancing music for Carlton Banks as he performed his signature "Carlton Dance".
The song was heard in the 1991 Canadian film Highway 61 as well as in the film's trailer.
The song was also included in an episode of The Simpsons entitled "Marge Gets a Job", which Jones guest-starred in. Tom Jones is revealed to be Marge Simpson's favorite singer. Near the end of the episode, Jones is performing "It's Not Unusual" for Marge and Homer Simpson while chained to a bandshell by his foot.
The song is sung in a 3rd Rock From The Sun episode by Officer Don Orville at a Karaoke bar.
In Sex and the City, the character Aidan Shaw sang the song in the shower as Carrie Bradshaw discovered an engagement ring in his gym bag.
In the Duck Dodgers episode "Talent Show A Go-Go", both Tom Jones and Duck Dodgers sing the song. First Duck Dodgers sings it with Tom's voice, then later Tom sings it with Dodgers' voice.
It appears in two of director Tim Burton's films, first in Edward Scissorhands and then again in Mars Attacks!, in which Tom Jones has a cameo role.
The song appears in the Terry Gilliam film Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
The song was also played in one of the episodes of Will & Grace, "The Honeymoon's Over", in the Friends episode "The One in Vegas, Part One", and in an episode of The O.C., "The Links".
The song has been sang in the Glee episode, "The Purple Piano Project", by Darren Criss' character, Blaine Anderson.[2]
This song can be heard in the 1996 movies House Arrest and Flipper.
The song was briefly featured as part of a clue sketch in the Season 4 episode "Medieval Evil" in the PBS game show Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?
The Nostalgia Critic features it in his review of the 1986 film Rad.
Czech pop singer Pavel Novak performed a local version with the title "Jeden tyden " ("It's not usual")
| Preceded by "I'll Never Find Another You" by The Seekers |
UK number-one single 11 March 1965 (1 week) |
Succeeded by "The Last Time" by The Rolling Stones |