Tom Jones has hit out at the decision to ban “Delilah” from being sung during rugby games.
In February, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) announced the 1968 song would no longer be performed by choirs at the Principality Stadium.
The decision stems from the fact the song, wirrten by Barry Mason, features a lyric describing a woman’s murder by her boyfriend after she’s caught with another man.
“‘Delilah’ will not feature on the playlist for choirs for rugby internationals at Principality Stadium,” a Principality Stadium statement said.
“The WRU removed the song from its half-time entertainment and music play list during international matches in 2015. Guest choirs have also more recently been requested not to feature the song during their pre-match performances and throughout games.”
They continued: “The WRU condemns domestic violence of any kind. We have previously sought advice from subject matter experts on the issue of censoring the song and we are respectfully aware that it is problematic and upsetting to some supporters because of its subject matter.”
During a gig at Cardiff castle on Saturday (22 July), however, Jones performed the song.
Media including the BBC and The Telegraph report that the 83-year-old told the crowd: “You can’t stop us singing ‘Delilah’. Can you imagine? Who was the man who didn’t want us to sing ‘Delilah’?
He reportedly added: “They may stop the choir from singing it, but they haven’t stopped the crowd. Keep on singing it – and I’ll keep on singing it too.”
Jones previously defended the song in 2014, amid calls to have it banned from being sung at rugby matches.
Tom Jones— (Getty Images for Stagecoach)
He said: “I love to hear it sung at rugby games. It makes me very proud to be Welsh. I think if they’re looking into the lyric about a man killing a woman, it’s not a political statement. It’s just something that happens in life that [a] woman was unfaithful to him and he just loses it.”
