Sir Tom Jones booed at Cardiff gig as he's forced to halt show

Sir Tom Jones was booed as he addressed the controversy surrounding one of his beloved songs during a recent gig. On Wednesday (August 22), the 85-year-old singer headlined at Cardiss Castle for two nights from August 20, and performed some of his biggest hits including What's New Pussycat, I'm Growing Old and Sex Bomb for the cheering crowd. But things became tense when it came to Delilah, which was adopted as the Welsh rugby national anthem for many years until it was banned by the Welsh Rugby Union in 2023.

The ban came as a result of the song's lyrical content, which describes a man murdering the titular Delilah after he discovers she's been unfaithful. 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."

It was decided three years ago that the song should not be heard at major sporting events in Wales anymore because it was thought to glorify violence against women.

Speaking about the recent ban at his show, Tom told the crowds: "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 beloved track being performed by thousands of fans 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 at this point that the crowd booed in support of Tom's frustration with the song, reports Wales Online. Delilah was first released in 1968 and became the sixth best-selling single of that year after reaching number two on the music charts.

It went on to become one of Tom's biggest hits and featured in the 1990 film Edward Scissorhands, which starred Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder. The crooner even performed it live at Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee in 2012.

But questions about the violent nature began to rise as far back as 2015, with the song's official removal from the Principality Stadium taking place almost a decade later.

A spokesperson from the stadium said: "Delilah will not feature on the playlist for choirs for ruby internationals at Principality Stadium. The WRU removed the song from its halftime entertainment and 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."

The use of the song had previously been criticised by Dafydd Uwan, whose version of Yma O Hyd has become synonymous with Welsh football, after he said it was "a song about murder and it does tend to trivialise the idea of murdering a woman."

Rhondda MP Chris Bryant referenced the rise in domestic abuse during live sport as reason to stop playing it.