Tom Jones - - This Is Tom Jones - - DVD review

So far, so good. Except that this restoration is problematic in at least two ways: first, the copies he's recently acquired are of wildly varying quality, forcing him, in pre-episode present-day intros, to ask fans for color copies to replace his B&W ones. Secondly, the Time-Life compilers have judiciously taken a knife to these broadcasts, scissoring out the less fortunate guests who aren't remembered today; fans of Glen Campbell, The Hollies, Joey Heatherton, and Leslie Uggams will be put out. You still get a lot of Tom Jones in this 3-CD set, mind you, but as a time capsule, it only works fitfully -- and there are even times, like during Anne Bancroft's incredibly dated, bubble-bath reading of Judith Viorst's poem “A Women’s Liberation Movement Woman,” when you wish they'd rewritten history a little more.

DISC 1
Original Air Date: FEBRUARY 7, 1969
It's Not Unusual – Tom Jones
Help Yourself – Tom Jones
Departure; Ride My See-Saw – The Moody Blues
Comedy Sketch – Richard Pryor
Those Were the Days – Mary Hopkin
Comedy Spot – Peter Sellers
The Concert: Kansas City -- Tom Jones
Danny Boy – Tom Jones

Original Air Date: APRIL 18, 1969
It's Not Unusual – Tom Jones
Hello Young Lovers – Tom Jones
Comedy Spot – Pat Paulsen
Pinball Wizard – The Who
The Rose – Tom Jones
The Concert: Turn on Your Lovelight; Shake – Tom Jones

Original Air Date: SEPTEMBER 25, 1970
Ain't That Good News – Tom Jones
I (Who Have Nothing) – Tom Jones
What's New Pussycat? – Tom Jones
The Look of Love – Tom Jones with Burt Bacharach
What the World Needs Now Is Love – Tom Jones with Burt Bacharach
Comedy Spot – The Ace Trucking Company
Dramatic Sketch – Anne Bancroft
Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head – Tom Jones with Burt Bacharach and Big Jim Sullivan
Comedy Sketch – Anne Bancroft with Tom Jones
The Concert (medley): I'll Never Fall in Love Again/Green, Green Grass of Home/Love Me Tonight/ It's Not Unusual – Tom Jones

DISC 2
Original Air Date: DECEMBER 4, 1969
It's Not Unusual – Tom Jones
You Came a Long Way From St. Louis – Tom Jones (Glen Campbell intro)
Comedy Sketches – The Committee
Little Girl Blue – Janis Joplin
Comedy Sketch – The Committee with Tom Jones
Raise Your Hand – Janis Joplin with Tom Jones
The Concert: In the Midnight Hour; Danny Boy – Tom Jones
Land of 1000 Dances – Tom Jones

Original Air Date: FEBRUARY 19, 1970
It's Not Unusual – Tom Jones
We Can Work It Out – Tom Jones (Leslie Uggams intro)
Delta Lady – Joe Cocker and the Grease Band with Tom Jones
Angel Eyes – Tom Jones with Johnnie Spence
The Letter – Joe Cocker and the Grease Band
Somewhere – Tom Jones with Leslie Uggams
The Concert: She Loves Me – Tom Jones

Original Air Date: NOVEMBER 27, 1969
It's Not Unusual – Tom Jones
I Got Plenty o' Nuttin' – Tom Jones
Comedy Sketch -- The Ace Trucking Company with Tom Jones
Lucille -- Little Richard
Medley: Jenny, Jenny/Rip It Up/Send Me Some Lovin'/Good Golly, Miss Molly -- Little Richard with Tom Jones
Comedy Sketch -- The Ace Trucking Company
The Concert: I'm Coming Home -- Tom Jones

DISC 3
Original Air Date: APRIL 25, 1969
It's Not Unusual – Tom Jones
Medley: For Once in My Life/Thank You Love/For Once in My Life – Stevie Wonder
Comedy Sketch – Pat Paulsen
Medley: A Place in the Sun/Uptight (Everything's Alright)/It's Not Unusual/Nothing's Too Good For My Baby/Uptight (Everything's Alright) – Stevie Wonder with Tom Jones
The Concert: Lucille – Tom Jones

Original Air Date: OCTOBER 9, 1970
Ain't That Good News -- Tom Jones
I Say a Little Prayer – Aretha Franklin
Comedy Sketch – The Ace Trucking Company
Comedy Sketch – Bob Hope
Medley: It's Not Unusual/See Saw/Spirit in the Dark – Aretha Franklin with Tom Jones
Comedy Sketches – The Ace Trucking Company
The Party's Over – Aretha Franklin with Tom Jones
The Concert: Lodi – Tom Jones