Synopsis

A young man settles in at home to watch Tom Jones perform "If I Only Knew" on television. When his dog needs exercise, he sends it outside on a leash attached to an overhead track, allowing the animal to walk itself through the neighborhood. Other dogs join the strange automated outing, creating a surreal procession through the city while Jones' exuberant performance continues on the screen. The video's humor comes from treating a familiar everyday chore as a bizarre piece of futuristic domestic technology.

Factoids & Trivia

• "If I Only Knew" was originally recorded by the American experimental group Rise Robots Rise and appeared on their self-titled 1992 album.

• Tom Jones recorded his version for the 1994 album *The Lead and How to Swing It*. Trevor Horn produced the track, with Bruce Woolley also involved in its development.

• The recording helped reposition Jones in a contemporary 1990s setting. It reached No. 11 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming one of his most successful later singles.

• Jones later recalled that Jimmy Iovine became interested after hearing about his performance with Sting at a Rainforest Foundation benefit concert at Carnegie Hall. Iovine subsequently signed Jones to Interscope Records.

• The song became the subject of a songwriting-credit dispute. Rise Robots Rise writers Joe Mendelson and Ben Nitze were credited alongside Jones, Horn, and Woolley after changes were made to the melody and rap section.

• The video is notable for turning the song's title into a visual joke: the central character appears to have no idea how an elaborate dog-walking system could possibly be considered normal.