Surrounded By Time

Product Information

A non-import version of the CD release for United States markets was released on 7 May through S-Curve. The Daily Telegraph 's Neil McCormick awarded the album five out of five stars, lauding Jones' vocal ability at 80 years of age. It contains the obvious gag that Lazarus couldn’t make a comeback without Jesus (Jones couldn’t without Johns).

For the Japanese CD release, Jones' 1965 recording of " It's Not Unusual" was included as a bonus track. This feat also made Jones both the oldest male to earn a number-one UK album and the oldest artist ever to earn a number-one UK album with an album of newly recorded material, overtaking Bob Dylan, who topped the chart at 79 years old in June 2020 with Rough and Rowdy Ways. The Guardian 's Alexis Petridis wrote a less favourable review of the album, but still enjoyed parts of it; he praised certain cover versions while stating "the other experiments are a mixed bag. While on his tour supporting Long Lost Suitcase, Jones' wife Linda Rose Woodward was diagnosed with cancer, causing Jones to cancel his tour dates for the foreseeable future.Sir Tom Jones opens up about making new album Surrounded By Time and starting again after the death of his wife.

The album received positive reviews from critics, with much praise being directed towards Jones' vocals at 80 years of age as well as the selection of songs for the album. Stevens wrote the track out of contempt for the record execs who wanted him to hit the perky mainstream. Prior to her death, Woodward encouraged Jones to continue recording and performing music after her passing. But it’s also powerfully about the miracle of the life we have when our desire and ability to sing can seem impossible. The album's second single, "No Hole in My Head", originally written by Malvina Reynolds, was released roughly two weeks later on 27 January alongside a music video.It debuted at number one in the United Kingdom, making Jones the oldest male to earn a number-one UK album, and charted within the top 25 in five other countries. In the United Kingdom, Surrounded by Time debuted at number one on the albums chart; [38] it was considered to be on track for a number-one debut during the midweek chart update. The album begins with a pared-back take on “I Won’t Crumble With You if You Fall”, written in 1997 by civil rights activist Bernice Johnson Reagon. Jones was awarded an OBE in 1999 and in 2006 he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for services to music. Lisa Wright of DIY also considered it to go beyond a typical covers album, writing that "ostensibly a covers collection .