Even after six decades of performing, Sir Tom Jones continues to surprise audiences — not with his signature swagger or powerhouse voice, but with quiet moments of vulnerability. “Did Trouble Me,” one of the standout tracks from his 2010 gospel-inspired album Praise & Blame, marks a deeply spiritual chapter in his legendary career.
A Song That Speaks to the Soul
Released when Tom was 70, “Did Trouble Me” isn’t your typical pop or soul ballad. Instead, it’s a haunting meditation on conscience, faith, and the voice within that refuses to stay silent. Written by Susan Werner, the song was first a little-known Americana piece until Jones gave it his thunderous yet tender treatment — transforming it into a confession from a man who’s seen it all and still finds himself humbled by life’s moral reckonings.
With its sparse arrangement — a few guitar chords, subtle percussion, and Jones’s gravelly vocals — the song strips away the glitz of fame. It sounds like a man alone in a church at midnight, talking to God. “When I close my eyes, so I would not see / My Lord did trouble me,” he sings — a line that hits harder when sung by someone who has lived through fame, loss, and the quiet ache of self-reflection.
A Spiritual Turning Point
At the time of the song’s release, Tom Jones was experiencing a transformation. Known for decades as the Welsh tiger — the man behind hits like “It’s Not Unusual” and “Delilah” — he had spent years performing in Las Vegas and on massive stages. But “Did Trouble Me” marked a shift inward. “I wanted to make an album that felt real,” he said in interviews. “Something that came from the heart, not the spotlight.”
The Praise & Blame album drew comparisons to Johnny Cash’s American Recordings — raw, honest, and stripped down to the truth. Producer Ethan Johns (known for his work with Kings of Leon and Ryan Adams) helped capture Jones in his purest form: no heavy production, just voice and emotion.
Beyond Religion — A Human Confession
Although rooted in gospel, “Did Trouble Me” transcends any single faith. It’s not a sermon; it’s a confession. It speaks to anyone who has ever ignored their conscience or looked away when life demanded compassion. “When I gave my heart to what was vile / My Lord did trouble me” — these lines reveal the self-awareness of a man who’s not seeking perfection, but redemption.
Critics praised the song for its honesty. The Guardian called it “a stark, riveting confession of the soul.” Rolling Stone noted that Jones “sings as if he’s atoning, yet still defiant.” For fans, it showed another side of a legend — one not built on fame, but on truth.
A Video That Mirrors Reflection
The official music video mirrors the song’s meditative tone. Filmed in somber black and white, it shows Tom walking through empty fields and shadowed rooms, occasionally staring into the camera with quiet defiance. There are no flashing lights, no glamorous sets — just a man, his faith, and his reckoning.
In the stillness, viewers can sense the weight of his journey. Every wrinkle, every gaze tells the story of a man who’s loved deeply, sinned boldly, and lived fully — yet still finds himself “troubled” by conscience.
Legacy and Message
“Did Trouble Me” remains one of Tom Jones’s most powerful late-career works. It’s not about chart success or radio play — it’s about legacy. About how an artist who once sang of passion and power can, in his twilight years, sing of humility and the quiet persistence of conscience.
Today, at over 80, Tom still performs the song on select occasions, often introducing it as “a reminder that the voice within never stops speaking.” For fans who have followed him for decades, it’s a reminder that greatness isn’t just about the notes you hit — it’s about the truths you dare to face.
Lyrics
When I close my eyes, so I would not see,
My Lord did trouble me.
When I let things stand that should not be,
My Lord did trouble me.
Did trouble me,
With a word or a sign,
With a ring of a bell in the back of my mind.
Did trouble me,
Did stir my soul,
For to make me human, to make me whole.
When I slept too long and I slept too deep,
Put a worrisome vision into my sleep.
When I held myself away and apart,
And the tears of my brother didn’t move my heart.
Did trouble me,
With a word and a sign,
With a ringing of a bell in the back of my mind.
Did trouble me,
Did stir my soul
For to make me human, to make me whole.
And of this I’m sure, of this I know:
My Lord will trouble me.
Whatever I do, wherever I go,
My Lord will trouble me.
In the whisper of the wind, in the rhythm of a song
My Lord will trouble me.
To keep me on the path where I belong,
My Lord will trouble me.
Will trouble me,
With a word or a sign,
With the ringing of a bell in the back of my mind.
Will trouble me,
Will stir my soul,
For to make me human, to make me whole.
To make me human, to make me whole.