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.
Jackpot
The Congos Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Little did he know, him pot ketch trash (pot ketch trash)
I tell him, little did he know yeah
Him pot ketch trash (pot ketch trash)
Be careful of the strange voices
In the wilderness (wilderness, wilderness)
For they will lead you in desolate places
Confession, it's good, for the soul
Manifestation, that's how, I know
Confession, it's good, for the soul
Manifestation, that's how, I know
The rich man have all the food, in his barn. yeah
The poor man get none, so him get to suffer (suffer, suffer)
The preaching of the gospel
It's over now (it's over now, it's over now)
The teaching of the Ises, has just begun
(.)
The devil tink seh him ketch jackpot (ketch jackpot)
The devil tink seh him ketch jackpot (ketch jackpot)
Little did he know, yeah
Him pot ketch trash (pot ketch trash)
I tell him, little did he know yeah
Him pot ketch trash (pot ketch trash)
Be careful of the strange voices
In the wilderness (wilderness, wilderness)
For they will lead you in desolate places
For they will lead you in desolate places
Confession, it's good, for the soul
Manifestation, that's how, I know
Confession, it's good, for the soul
Manifestation, that's how, I know
The lyrics to The Congos' "Jackpot" suggest a warning against temptation and deception. The first verse refers to the devil thinking he has won the jackpot, but in the end, he only catches trash. This can be interpreted as a caution against falling for the trap of greed and materialism, as what seems like a big win may ultimately lead to disappointment and destruction. The following lines caution against being led astray by unfamiliar voices in the wilderness, warning that they will lead one to desolation. The chorus emphasizes the importance of confession and manifestation, suggesting that admitting one's faults and taking action are necessary for spiritual growth and understanding.
The second verse touches on the disparity between the rich and the poor, suggesting that preaching and teaching should not perpetuate this divide, but rather work towards equality and empowerment. Overall, the lyrics of "Jackpot" can be read as a call to resist temptation and deception in order to achieve true enlightenment and freedom.
Line by Line Meaning
The devil tink seh him ketch jackpot (ketch jackpot)
The devil thought he hit the jackpot.
Little did he know, him pot ketch trash (pot ketch trash)
Unfortunately, his win turned out to be garbage.
I tell him, little did he know yeah
I informed him of his mistake, but he didn't believe me.
Him pot ketch trash (pot ketch trash)
His winnings are worthless.
Be careful of the strange voices
Beware of unfamiliar, untrustworthy voices.
In the wilderness (wilderness, wilderness)
In places without guidance or clarity.
For they will lead you in desolate places
They will guide you into unhappy, empty locations.
Confession, it's good, for the soul
Admitting to mistakes and sins can bring peace to the psyche.
Manifestation, that's how, I know
One can understand themselves by observing what they bring into reality.
The rich man have all the food, in his barn. yeah
Wealthy people have a surplus of resources while others suffer from scarcity.
The poor man get none, so him get to suffer (suffer, suffer)
Those without wealth have to endure the consequences.
The preaching of the gospel
Religious sermons and teachings.
It's over now (it's over now, it's over now)
The era of such preaching has ended.
The teaching of the Ises, has just begun
A new form of religious instruction has commenced.
(.)
End of song.
Writer(s): Cedric Constantine Myton, Roydel Johnson
Contributed by Harper S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.