Tom Jones Classic Song Banned From Being Played At Rugby Stadium

The Tom Jones 1968 classic, Delilah, has been banned from being sung by choirs at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. In 2015, the stadium removed the song from half-time playlists as its lyrics depict a woman murdered by a jealous lover. 

Delilah has been deemed "problematic" by a stadium representative (per the BBC).

The BBC notes that the decision to ban choir singalongs to Delilah arrived on the same week that the Chief Executive of the Welsh Rugby Union resigned after allegations of sexism, misogyny and racism surfaced.

Welsh rugby player Louis Rees-Zammit quipped about the decision on Twitter, "All the things they need to do, and they do that first."

A representative for the Principality Stadium said that the reason comes from a strong stance against domestic violence, stating that the "WRU condemns domestic violence of any kind." 

The representative added, "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."

In a 2016 gig review, we found that the emotion-heavy Delilah made the audience sway in sync and shout its villainous lyrics with passion until Jones pulled the mood back with I'll Never Fall In Love Again.

Jones and band rolled through an arsenal that included an accordion, banjo and tuba and unleashed the hits Green, Green Grass Of Home, It's Not Unusual and more, ultimately at their best with guitar-driven blues-rock numbers like Soul Of A Man and upbeat crowd-favourites that included Joe Cocker's You Can Leave Your Hat On.

Not relying on overzealous production elements, the show rested almost entirely on Jones' powerful voice, as evident during the stripped-back Elvis Presley Blues and Leonard Cohen's Tower Of Song.

At 75 years of age and 50 years after his first visit Down Under, Jones' energy and vocals didn't fault once during a set that spanned countless hits across blues, country, rock, gospel and jazz.