Delilah: Rugby fans torn over WRU choir ban on Tom Jones song

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Tom Jones’s song Delilah has caused controversy in recent years

It’s the song that fans have belted out for many years at Wales rugby games.

But now the Welsh Rugby Union has announced that Delilah will no longer be sung by choirs at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.

The 1968 Tom Jones hit has long been controversial because of its references to a woman’s murder by her jealous partner, and it was removed from the choir’s playlist in 2015.

But, with Welsh rugby at the centre of a storm about sexism and misogyny, the WRU officially banned it this week.

It continues to divide opinion.

The Scottish singer Lewis Capaldi performed it at his show in Cardiff on Wednesday night, hours after the news broke.

The Old Arcade pub in Cardiff, a popular match day venue for rugby fans, tweeted: “We will be playing Delilah… it will be loud… it will be on a loop…”

But a Welsh police chief said that at a time when two women a week were killed by a partner or an ex: “It’s time to sing something else.”

So what do people make of the decision inside and outside Wales?

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In Pontypridd, Sulwen Byard says the song is controversial, but is unsure where she stands on the ban

In Tom Jones’s home town of Pontypridd, Karl Shortman, 32, said he had been unaware of the lyrics: “It’s a bit of a tradition. I’m going to the England v Wales game, I think the fans will sing it.

“You can’t stop fans but I understand if there are negative connotations, especially with everything that’s going on with the WRU at the moment.”

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Nicola Macgregor describes the ban as “silly”

Nicola Macgregor, 49, a call centre worker, said: “I think the world has gone crazy to be honest with you.

“I think they should be allowed to sing it. We go to the game for fun and the atmosphere, they are spoiling the atmosphere and fun for everyone.”

Sulwen Byard, 62, said: “I do understand the lyrics and I do not agree with the lyrics but I don’t know where I stand on it.”

Domestic abuse survivor

Listeners to Nicky Campbell’s BBC Radio 5Live programme also gave their views.

One anonymous texter said they were a domestic abuse survivor who regularly attends matches at the Cardiff stadium.

“It’s such a relief to know that I won’t have to listen to a stadium singing about the glorification of domestic violence. I don’t want this song to represent our culture,” they said.

Another caller, Tony, from Bridgend, said it is “the best song” and called the decision a “disgrace”.

“It’s just a song, it gets the crowd on its feet, we’re singing and dancing.

“Tom Jones is Welsh through and through let’s keep it that way, certainly not ban it because Welsh rugby is going through a bad patch of dirt at the moment.”

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Choirs stopped singing Delilah at international rugby games in 2015

Another listener, Mo from Tamworth, Staffordshire said they turned off the radio if they heard it.

“I don’t want that song left in my head when I leave that situation because it has that much of an effect on me. I’ve not been involved in domestic violence but I’ve got relatives who have.”

Caroline from Bedfordshire told the programme: “I think we’ve turned into a nation of snowflakes.

“I am a survivor of domestic abuse and it was bad domestic abuse to the point where I almost lost my children but I’m a survivor I’m not a victim so I don’t listen to the song and think oh poor me.

“As a survivor or a victim, you are always going to have a trigger somewhere and how you deal with that depends on you.

‘Misplaced criticism’

“I could walk down the street and something would make me remember it but I have to walk down the street everyday you know you can’t top that.”

“Obviously I don’t condone domestic abuse, it’s awful, it’s dreadful and it shouldn’t happen at all but it’s an old song.”

Dyfed-Powys chief constable Richard Lewis wrote on Twitter: “There’s been a lot of misplaced criticism of this decision to stop singing Delilah.

“The song depicts the murder of a woman by a jealous partner. For context, approximately two women a week are murdered by a partner or ex-partner. It’s time to sing something else.”

There’s been a lot of misplaced criticism of this decision to stop singing ‘Delilah’

The song depicts the murder of a woman by a jealous partner

For context, approx 2 women a week are murdered by a partner or ex-partner

It’s time to sing something else https://t.co/noB0dnEXX8

— Chief Constable Dr. Richard Lewis (@RichardWLewis) February 1, 2023 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.View original tweet on Twitter

Rhondda Labour MP Sir Chris Bryant said on BBC Breakfast: “I’m glad the WRU are finally now saying we are going to stop promoting Delilah because it’s a very violent song.

“The lyrics are about killing a woman and unfortunately on big match days we see a dramatic rise in the number of domestic violence cases across Wales, so it’s good to do this.”

‘Distraction from really serious issues’

Cardiff West Labour MP for Kevin Brennan said: “I understand why people don’t like that song, but I think it’s a distraction from the really serious issues we ought to be talking about in rugby.”

Image source, Adam Davy / PA Wire Image caption,

More than 70,000 fans attend most Wales games at the Principality Stadium

Rhian Bowen Davies, a former Welsh government national adviser for violence against women, who is now an independent consultant in that field, said: “I think it’s the right decision, in particular in light of recent events at the union.”

“But also on a wider basis, I think it is really problematic that this song was part of a playlist that 70,000 people would be singing and yet it depicted male violence against women.

“The messages that sends to young girls, women, men and boys who are there and watching is that it effectively condones that.

“If we are to change societal attitude and people’s beliefs around violence against women, we have to challenge what to some people may appear quite small things.”