Myton had previously been a member of The Tartans in the late 1960s (along with Prince Lincoln Thompson, Devon Russell and Lindburgh Lewis), and Ras Michael's group, and had recorded with Thompson's Royal Rasses in the mid-1970s. He formed the Congos, initially as a duo with Johnson, recording the single "At the Feast" for Lee "Scratch" Perry. Perry expanded the group to a trio with the addition of Burnett, this line-up recording the classic roots reggae album Heart of the Congos in 1977 at Perry's Black Ark studio. The album featured illustrious backing singers such as Gregory Isaacs, The Meditations, and Barry LLewellyn and Earl Morgan of The Heptones. The album has been described as "the most consistently brilliant album of Scratch's entire career".
Perry's previous productions by Max Romeo and Junior Murvin had been huge commercial successes thanks to a deal with Island Records, but Perry was in dispute with Island at the time the Congos' album was finished, so it was released on his own Black Ark label, limiting its success overseas, and causing a rift with the group. The Congos went their own way, organising a limited pressing of the album themselves. United Kingdom label Go Feet eventually reissued the album in 1980, and although the group had recorded new material since leaving Perry, Heart of the Congos proved a hard act to follow and their other releases suffered as a consequence. Albums such as Congo Ashanti were sparser and sounded ordinary compared to Perry's kitchen-sink-and-all massive productions.
Burnett quit the group, soon followed by Johnson, who embarked on a solo career. Myton continued to record as The Congos with various other musicians until the mid-1980s.
In the mid-1990s, The Congos reformed, with Myton and Burnett joined by Lindburgh Lewis, several albums following in subsequent years. In 2005 Myton recorded Give Them the Rights with a host of backup singers and star session players such as Sly and Robbie and Earl "Chinna" Smith, very much in the spiritual 70s roots vein. In 2006, the UK reggae revival label Blood and Fire released the album Fisherman Style featuring a remixed version of the classic cut "Fisherman" from Heart of the Congos plus such legends as Horace Andy, Big Youth, Dillinger, Prince Jazzbo, Luciano, Freddie McGregor, Gregory Isaacs, Max Romeo, Mykal Rose, Dean Fraser, Sugar Minott, and U-Roy doing their own new versions over the original rhythm.
In 2002, they appeared on the album The Slackers and Friends by the ska/reggae band The Slackers.
In 2008, The Congos appeared in the independent feature film, Wah Do Dem which captures them performing "Fisherman," and "Congoman Chant," under a full moon at Helshire Beach outside Kingston.
In 2009, Myton, Burnett, and Johnson reunited with Perry to record the album Back in the Black Ark, which, despite its title, was recorded at Myton's studio in Portmore and at Mixing Lab, Kingston.
JUDGEMENT DAY
The Congos Lyrics
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Like candles fading unaware
Imprisoned by a world of glass
We fight for freedom, but when will we face it
Sinners and saints living under the same sun
Holding the key to the world in thier hands
Our time on earth's drawing nearer the end
In the light of judgement day
Hiding under the dreams that died
What lies beneath might be revealed
So we keep running, from the face of God we turn
Sinners and saints living under the same sun
Holding the key to the world in thier hands
Our time on earth's drawing nearer the end
In the night of judgement day
Sinners and saints living under the same sun
Holding the key to the world in thier hands
Our time on earth's drawing nearer the end
In the light of judgement day
The Congos's song "Judgement Day" is a contemplative and somber piece that reflects on the fragility of human life and the inevitability of judgement. The opening lines, "I've seen them falling everywhere, like candles fading unaware," suggest the transient nature of life and the sense that we are all subject to forces beyond our control. The theme of imprisonment is also present in the line "imprisoned by a world of glass," which speaks to the confining and limiting nature of the world we live in.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the idea that we are all sinners and saints, living under the same sun and holding the "key to the world in their hands." This dichotomy between good and evil is central to the song, and the lyrics suggest that we are all complicit in the choices we make. The lines "our time on earth's drawing nearer the end, in the light of judgement day" emphasize the idea that we will all face the consequences of our actions eventually, and that this judgement will reveal the truth about who we are.
Line by Line Meaning
I've seen them falling everywhere
The singer has observed people around them suffering and struggling in various ways.
Like candles fading unaware
These people are like candles, gradually losing their light and energy without realizing it.
Imprisoned by a world of glass
The world around us is like a glass prison, trapping and limiting us in ways we may not realize.
We fight for freedom, but when will we face it
Despite our struggles and efforts to attain freedom, we have yet to truly face it and experience it fully.
Sinners and saints living under the same sun
People with differing actions or intentions still coexist together.
Holding the key to the world in thier hands
People have the capacity to make a difference in the world through their actions and decisions.
Our time on earth's drawing nearer the end
Our time on this earth is limited, and we must make the most of it while we can.
In the light of judgement day
One day we will be held accountable for our actions and decisions, and everything will be revealed.
We bow our heads for our pride
We are ashamed and humbled by our own pride and the mistakes it has caused us to make.
Hiding under the dreams that died
We may be hiding from reality and living in the past, holding onto dreams that are no longer possible.
What lies beneath might be revealed
The truth or hidden reality of a situation may come to light and be exposed.
So we keep running, from the face of God we turn
We are afraid of facing the consequences of our actions and decisions, and may try to avoid or deny them - even turning away from faith or spirituality in the process.
In the night of judgement day
Even in the darkness and uncertainty of that fateful day, we will still be held accountable for what we have done.
Contributed by Eva T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.