Sir Tom Jones' most controversial hit explained as he's booed on stage

Sir Tom Jones returned to the stage in Wales last night after cancelling a string of gigs due to ill health, but his big comeback wasn't all positive.

The She's A Lady hitmaker, 85, headlined the Cardiff Castle for two nights from 20 August, and worked his way through classics like What's New Pussycat, I'm Growing Old and Sex Bomb for the crowd.

But things too a turn when it came to Sir Tom belting out Delilah - with the crowd booing the legendary Welsh rocker as he defended his divisive hit.

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Why is Delilah controversial?

Sir Tom recorded the track in 1968, which climbed to No. 2 in the charts and quickly became a beloved anthem amongst Welsh rugby fans. The song, which reached No. 2 in the charts when it was released in 1968, tells the story of a jealous lover who murders his unfaithful partner.

One line reads: "I crossed the street to her house and she opened the door; she stood there laughing, I felt the knife in my hand and she laughed no more."

The lyrics have sparked controversy over the years. Dafydd Iwan, whose ballad 'Yma O Hyd' about the survival of the Welsh language and culture has become an anthem among Wales football fans, expressed in 2014 that it was "a song about murder and it does tend to trivialise the idea of murdering a woman. It's a pity these words now have been elevated to the status of a secondary national anthem."

Rhondda MP Chris Bryant also voiced his disapproval in 2016. "It is a simple fact that when there are big international rugby matches on, and sometimes football matches as well, the number of domestic violence incidents rises dramatically," he said.

"I know that some people will say, 'Oh, here we go, he's a terrible spoilsport,' but the truth is that that song is about the murder of a prostitute."

What has Sir Tom Jones said about it?

Speaking out about the banning, Tom told the crowds at his recent gig: “Who’s that man who said we shouldn’t sing that song anymore? That used to make my day that, on an international match."

The Voice UK judge used to look forward to hearing his track performed by thousands ahead of a big game, and insisted that none of the lyrics should be 'taken literally'.

He added: "I used to wait for it and then they said we can’t sing it anymore. Who is this man who said we can’t sing Delilah? They said it’s about a man killing his wife with a knife. Well it is, but you shouldn’t take it literally." It was then that crowd booed in support of Tom's backing of the song.

When did Delilah get banned?

In 2023, it was announced that Sir Tom's hit song and Welsh rugby anthem Delilah would no longer be a formal fixture at the Principality Stadium, not played at the stadium or sung by choirs

The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) had previously removed Delilah from its half-time entertainment and music playlist during international matches in 2015, and more recently asked guest choirs to refrain from performing it. Now, the ballad has been officially struck off the choirs' playlists.

The decision to ban one of Sir Tom's most famous hits came amid a period of significant review at the WRU following serious allegations of sexism, misogyny and racism. The accusations led to the resignation of chief executive Steve Phillips and the pledge of an external taskforce to examine the governing body's culture and behaviours.

A spokesperson for the Principality Stadium stated: "Delilah will not feature on the playlist for choirs for rugby internationals at Principality Stadium. 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.

"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."

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