Keith Wallin (@onefortheroad)
May 28th 2023, 10:41 pm
125 Listens
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This song was released as a single by the Welsh singer Tom Jones in 1967. The song was written by Lonnie Donegan and Jimmy Currie and peaked at #2 in the UK charts.

In the USA it was originally less successful, only reaching #49, but it was reissued two years later in the US, this time reaching #6.

The name Lonnie Donegan will be familiar to many of you. "The King of the Skiffle" was Britain's most successful and influential recording artist before The Beatles chalking up 24 successive Top 30 hits in the late '50s and early '60s.

Jones recalled recording song to The Mail On Sunday February 6, 2011: "This wonderful song was co-written by Lonnie Donegan. I did some shows with Lonnie and we became friends. He was one of the first British guys I heard singing rock in the '50s.

One night he said: 'Look, I have this song, you'd sing the pants off it. I've recorded it, but I can't really sing it. It's a sort of a rewrite of a song from the Thirties when the Depression was going on, called I'm Never Going To Cease My Wandering.'

I knew that song, because a lot of guys used to sing it in pubs in Wales. I went to his house in Virginia Water, and he got this record out to listen to. It was the B-side of one of his hits.

With the big chorus on it, it sounded fantastic. He was singing it Lonnie Donegan style, completely different from the way I did, like somebody busking."

This tune is not to be confused with the Burt Bacharach and Hal David song of the same title, which was a hit for both Dionne Warwick and Bobbie Gentry in the late '60s.

Aragorn: @onefortheroad Fabulous vocals, Keith. Some real amazing note holds here, my friend. Great listen!
May 28th 2023, 10:52 pm Report
Qwilleran: Interesting information. Only knew of the Warwick version. So, me neither. A great rendition, full of power and emotion.
May 29th 2023, 8:32 am Report
Jerry: @onefortheroad Good song choice...a difficult one to sing. A few years back I recorded the Elvis version which is way cool too. A great listen and a robust recording!
May 29th 2023, 11:18 am Report
Keith Wallin: @aragorn Thank you very much, Paul! This was a difficult sing for me. I used to sing it so easily back in the day. It sucks getting old.....lol. I tried changing keys but, it just didn't sound right. So I had to step up my game and belt it. ...lol I had to significantly change up the ending, though. I could not even come close to Tom Jones' 20 year old voice. Glad you enjoyed my rendition of his hit song. Have a great night....:-)
May 29th 2023, 2:12 pm Report
Keith Wallin: @qwirky The Dionne Warwick song, by the same title, is an entirely different song. "What do you get when you kiss a boy? You get enough germs to catch pneumonia". Tom had this out in 1967 when I was in High School in England.He has such a powerful voice and incredible range. I could keep up with him way back when but, I can't even cash the notes he's hitting at the end of his version of this song. Have a great night....:-)
May 29th 2023, 2:17 pm Report
Keith Wallin: @joyceishere I couldn't come close to duplicating the range that he had back then, so I changed it up to suit my range now....lol. I was trying to emote the meaning in the lyrics because that is what the songwriter intended, I believe. Appreciate you dropping in to listen and as always, your insightful comments are always appreciated. Have a wonderful evening, Joyce. Chipotle encrusted tilapia sounds good.....lol....:-)
May 29th 2023, 2:22 pm Report
Keith Wallin: @jerry Elvis sings every song incredibly. He covered a lot of other artists' songs and in a lot of cases, sang them better than the originals. Tom had incredible range and power when he first came out and it was really hard trying to sing any of his material. I was a teenager when this song came out and I had always been in choirs at school and in church since i was 12. He was an early influence on me as a vocalist because of the raw power and energy he constantly displayed.
May 29th 2023, 2:31 pm Report
Bev: @onefortheroad Hi Keith. You did an awesome job singing this great song. Loved my listen this morning. ♥♫
May 30th 2023, 2:43 am Report
Jay Dotson: Jay455Always loved this song and this is a great performance Keith much enjoyed my listen
May 30th 2023, 3:07 am Report
Keith Wallin: @bevb Thanks, Bev! This was definitely a stretch for these old pipes....lol. Glad you liked my take on it. I really enjoy singing this song. Have a great night....:-)
May 30th 2023, 4:33 pm Report
Keith Wallin: @jay455 Thanks, Jay! I appreciate the listen and the props a lot. Glad you enjoyed ny performance of this TJ classic. Have a wonderful evening....:-)
May 30th 2023, 4:34 pm Report
Joshua Bo Gallotti: divolino You should be very very proud of yourself, this rendition is both emotionally and technique wise a perfection.
May 31st 2023, 4:25 am Report
Brad Mayo: Hey Keith, sounding super my friend. Tom Jones is a tough act to follow, but you served it up on a silver platter. Well done...
May 31st 2023, 4:36 am Report
Keith Wallin: @divolino Thank you so much, Joshua! This is such a really cool song. Glad you enjoyed my performance. Your over-the-top response to my cover is very much appreciated. Hope you are having a fabulous. week....:-)
May 31st 2023, 7:29 pm Report
Keith Wallin: @starlyter Thanks, Brad! I am not going to lie. This was a tough song to sing. I had to change up the ending from the original because there was NO WAY, I was ever going to hit those high notes. But then again, I am not 27 anymore which Tom was when he recorded this....lol. Appreciate the listen and the commentary. Glad you enjoyed my take on this classic. Have a great night.....:-)
May 31st 2023, 7:37 pm Report