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.
Seeking a Favor
The Congos Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So man you lighting a fire that will cause a disaster
But I'm warning you don't kindle those flames
For when it burns, burns, burns you will bear a bad name
We are brothers and sisters birth from one mother
Yet oppression turns us against one another
Then you'll become your brother's rival
So no seek no favor in the eyes of the master
So man you lighting a fire that will cause a disaster
But I'm warning you don't kindle those flames
For when it burns, burns, burns you will bear a bad name
Let us break down the system of curry favor
And let good behavior become our savior, yea
For as long as we can love one another, yea
We can live together like sisters and brothers
Class, creed and color is a barrier
Which changes mankind into warriors
But equality and justice stands for all
Slave master your kingdom is bound to fall
So no seek no favor in the eyes of your master
So man you lighting a fire that will cause a disaster
But I'm warning you don't kindle those flames
For when it burns, burns, burns you will bear a bad name
So no seek no favor in the eyes of your master
So man you lighting a fire that will cause a disaster
But i'm warning you don't kindle those flames
For when it burns, burns, burns you will bear a bad name
The Congos’ song “Seeking a Favor” addresses the issue of people trying to curry favor with a master or authority figure, warning that doing so will ultimately lead to disaster. The song encourages listeners to reject the system of favoritism and instead focus on treating each other with kindness and respect. The lyrics suggest that oppression causes friction between people who should be working together and that this friction leads to competition and conflict. However, the song offers an alternative solution of breaking down the system of favoritism and treating each other as equals, which will prevent division and improve unity.
The lyrics make use of powerful metaphors to convey their message. The image of “lighting a fire” that will cause a “disaster” suggests both the danger and destructiveness of attempting to curry favor with those in power. The line “Let us break down the system of curry favor / And let good behavior become our savior” emphasizes that treating each other well is the key to creating a harmonious society, rather than kowtowing to those in power. The reference to “class, creed and color” as a barrier that divides people reinforces the idea that these categories are arbitrary and contribute to injustice and inequality.
Overall, “Seeking a Favor” is a powerful call to reject systems of inequality and instead work towards treating each other with respect and kindness. The song highlights the destructive nature of trying to curry favor with those in power, and encourages listeners to break down systems of oppression to achieve a more just society.
Line by Line Meaning
So you seeking a favor in the eyes of your master
You are trying to gain favor with someone in power.
So man you lighting a fire that will cause a disaster
Your actions will have consequences and could cause harm.
But I'm warning you don't kindle those flames
I advise you not to pursue this course of action.
For when it burns, burns, burns you will bear a bad name
If things go wrong, you will be blamed and suffer a negative reputation.
We are brothers and sisters birth from one mother
We are all related and should treat each other with respect and kindness.
Yet oppression turns us against one another
Unfortunately, systems of oppression can create divisions among people.
Then you'll become your brother's rival
You may end up in conflict with someone who should be your ally.
Because you're fighting, fighting for survival
You may feel like you have to fight in order to survive in a oppressive system.
Let us break down the system of curry favor
We should dismantle systems of corruption and favoritism.
And let good behavior become our savior, yea
Instead, we should prioritize being kind, honest, and just.
For as long as we can love one another, yea
If we can love and care for each other, we can overcome divisions created by oppression.
We can live together like sisters and brothers
We can coexist peacefully as equals.
Class, creed and color is a barrier
Socioeconomic status, religion, and race create divisions between people.
Which changes mankind into warriors
These divisions can turn people against each other, leading to conflict and violence.
But equality and justice stands for all
We should prioritize creating a fair and just system that benefits everyone.
Slave master your kingdom is bound to fall
Systems of oppression are unsustainable and will eventually crumble.
So no seek no favor in the eyes of your master
Don't try to gain favor from those who hold power over you.
So man you lighting a fire that will cause a disaster
Your actions could have negative consequences.
But i'm warning you don't kindle those flames
I advise against taking risky or harmful actions.
For when it burns, burns, burns you will bear a bad name
If things go wrong, you will be blamed and suffer a negative reputation.
Writer(s): Yvonne Elaine Myton, Cedric Constantine Myton
Contributed by Camilla I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
L'Z
Yooo much respect to you my brother! i’ve been tryna find this album everywhere! RAS♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
UNLUCKY
Rastafari