When surprise is no longer required
By 1969, when Tom Jones walked onto the stage of This Is Tom Jones, audiences were no longer surprised by his voice. They expected greatness. What held them still was something deeper — the way he owned the song It’s Not Unusual, as if it existed solely to confirm one simple truth: his presence needed no explanation.
From playful flirtation to a statement of confidence
When It’s Not Unusual was first released in 1965, it sounded light, witty, almost teasing. The narrator sees the woman he loves with someone else — it hurts, but he shrugs it off. Love, jealousy, disappointment? That’s not unusual.
But in 1969, Tom Jones sang the same song with an entirely different weight. No longer a rising star, he was a seasoned performer — a man shaped by sold-out venues, roaring crowds, and global attention. Now, It’s Not Unusual felt less like a love song and more like a declaration of self-assurance.
A voice that no longer seeks approval
Tom Jones didn’t rely on spectacle. No elaborate choreography, no distractions. He stood still, confident, letting his voice do the work. In an era when American television still favored restrained masculinity, Jones represented something new: strength without stiffness, sensuality without apology.
In the 1969 performance, every line carried an unspoken message:
That I am admired, desired, and listened to — that is not unusual.
A song that mirrored a cultural shift
The late 1960s marked a turning point in popular culture. Audiences wanted more than technical skill — they wanted identity. Tom Jones’s It’s Not Unusual became a reflection of that change. Music was no longer just something you heard; it was something that revealed who the performer truly was.
That is why the song has endured. Confidence that doesn’t ask permission never goes out of style.