Lynn Taitt got his start as a musician playing in local Trinidadian steel drum bands, before taking up the guitar aged 14. He formed his own band, which was booked by Byron Lee to perform at the 1962 independence celebrations in Jamaica. Taitt decided to stay in Jamaica, living in Kingston, and played in a number of bands including The Sheiks, The Cavaliers, and The Comets, and worked with Baba Brooks, The Skatalites and Tommy McCook and the Supersonics. The most successful of his groups was The Jets, formed in 1966 and which included Hux Brown, Headley Bennett, Hopeton Lewis, Gladstone Anderson, and Winston Wright. Taitt's guitar style was inventive and unconventional, with a sharp percussive sound that accented the rocksteady beat. Lynn Taitt and the Jets played on hundreds of recording sessions for Jamaican producers such as Bunny Lee, Duke Reid, Joe Gibbs, Coxsone Dodd, and Sonia Pottinger, often performing up to five sessions a day. Their recording of "Take It Easy" was one of the first rocksteady singles and it reached number one in the Jamaican singles chart.
Taitt's contribution to Jamaican popular music includes his role as arranger and session leader for many of the recordings that he appeared on. He has been credited as having created the first rocksteady bassline, on the song "Take It Easy" by Hopeton Lewis. Various other Jamaican recordings have been cited as the "first" rocksteady release such as Alton Ellis & the Flames' "Girl I've Got a Date", and the Derrick Morgan rude boy anthem "Tougher Than Tough" with Lynn Taitt playing guitar on all of three.
Taitt emigrated to Toronto, Canada in August 1968, to take up the position of arranger for the house band at the West Indian Federated Club. Although he left Jamaica just before the rise of reggae, his playing was a strong influence on musicians such as Hux Brown who adapted Taitt's approach to the newer reggae style. Taitt's work can be heard on various 60s recordings by Derrick Morgan, Desmond Dekker, Lee Perry, Ken Boothe, Bob Marley and Joe Higgs, among others. He recorded with Johnny Nash on some of the latter's international hits, including "Cupid" and "Hold Me Tight".
Taitt remained active as a musician in Montreal, having recorded with such acts as The Kingpins ("Let's Go To Work" CD 1999) as well as performing live with the Montreal Ska All Stars and at the Montreal International Jazz Festival with The Jets (2002) and the Fabulous LoLo sings Rocksteady (2006).
He was the subject of the 2006 documentary Lynn Taitt: Rocksteady, directed by Generoso Fierro, and another titled Ruff 'n' Tuff.
Taitt died on 20 January 2010 after a long battle with cancer. His death was recorded in Montreal, Canada, at the age of 75.
Discography
Glad Sounds (1968), Bigshot (Gladdy with Lynn Taitt & the Jets)
Rock Steady: Greatest Hits (1968), Merritone (Lynn Taitt & the Jets)
Hold Me Tight: Anthology 65-73 (2005), Trojan
El Casino Royale
Lynn Taitt & The Jets Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They came to save the world and win a gal at Casino Royale!
Six of them went to a heavenly spot,
The seventh one is going to a place where it's terribly...hot.
The formula is safe with ole double-oh seven!
He's got a redhead in his arms!
Oh, he's a lover, when you're in trouble
Have no fear, look who's here...James Bond...
They've got us on the run…With guns…And knives...
We're fighting for our lives...Have no fear, Bond is here...
He's gonna to save the world at Casino Royale!
Never fear, Bond is here!
The formula is safe with ole double-oh seven!
He's got a redhead in his arms!
Oh, he's a lover, when you're in trouble
Have no fear, look who's here...James Bond...
They've got us on the run…With guns…And knives...
We're fighting for our lives...Have no fear, Bond is here...
He's gonna to save the world at Casino Royale...
James Bond...is here...so have...no fear...
so have...no...fear.
The lyrics of El Casino Royale by Lynn Tait & The Jets are about the famous character James Bond, who is depicted as a savior of the world, especially when it comes to gambling. In the song, seven versions of James Bond are present at the casino, and they are there to save the world and win a woman's heart. Bond is depicted as a confident and brave fighter who can take on gunmen and knife-wielding adversaries. He is an expert gambler and can easily win any game of chance.
The lyrics describe the ultimate adventure at the casino, where Bond faces multiple challenges, but emerges victorious. The line "...The formula is safe with ole double-oh seven!" implies that he is guarding something valuable, which he manages to protect from those who seek to steal it. The line "He's got a redhead in his arms!" could refer to a love interest, but it could also be a metaphor for an important asset that Bond has secured.
Overall, the song is a tribute to the James Bond franchise and a celebration of the character's many talents and abilities.
Line by Line Meaning
Seven James Bonds at Casino Royale,
There are seven men at Casino Royale who go by the name James Bond.
They came to save the world and win a gal at Casino Royale!
These seven men are on a mission to save the world and impress a woman at the same time.
Six of them went to a heavenly spot,
Six of the James Bonds have succeeded in their mission and gone to a safe place.
The seventh one is going to a place where it's terribly...hot.
The seventh James Bond has failed and is heading to a dangerous place as a result.
The formula is safe with ole double-oh seven!
James Bond with the code name 007 has successfully protected a valuable formula.
He's got a redhead in his arms!
James Bond is currently holding a woman with red hair.
Oh, he's a lover, when you're in trouble.
James Bond is protective of those he cares about.
Have no fear, look who's here...James Bond...
James Bond has arrived, and there's no need to be afraid anymore.
They've got us on the run…With guns…And knives...We're fighting for our lives...
There is a dangerous situation with people chasing and attacking with weapons, and the situation is dire.
He's gonna to save the world at Casino Royale!
James Bond's ultimate goal is to save the world while at Casino Royale.
Never fear, Bond is here!
James Bond's arrival will bring confidence and reassurance that things will be okay.
James Bond...is here...so have...no fear...so have...no...fear.
James Bond's presence is a source of comfort and safety, and there's no need to be afraid of anything with him around.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BURT BACHARACH, HAL DAVID
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind