Sir Tom Jones is to defy a ban on the song Delilah and sing it at a show in his homeland Wales.
The song – an award winning hit in 1968 – has been banned from rugby matches by the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU).
It’s been staple of the crowds for decades.
The song is about a woman called Delilah who is stabbed to death after she’d been found cheating on her husband.
The WRU said:
“We removed the song from the music playlist 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.
“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.”
However, Delilah has been included on Sir Tom’s set list for his show at Cardiff Castle in July.
The 82-year-old singer said the song was not to be taken “literally”.
He told the BBC in 2014:
“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 [and] he just loses it.
‘The great thing about the song that everyone picks up on is the chorus.
“I don’t think that they are really thinking about it.
“I wasn’t thinking that I was the man that was killing the girl when I was singing the song, I was acting out the part and that’s what the song is
“If it’s going to be taken literally like that then I think it takes the fun out of it.
“I think it takes the spirit out why it’s being sung.”
Sir Tom last performed Delilah at the stadium in June 2022.
