- - -
Frederick "Toots" Hibbert, the leader of the group, was born in May Pen, Clarendon, Jamaica. He was the youngest of seven children. He grew up singing gospel music in a church choir, but moved to Kingston in 1958 at the age of thirteen. In Kingston, Hibbert met Henry "Raleigh" Gordon and Nathaniel "Jerry" McCarthy, forming in 1962 a group whose early recordings were incorrectly attributed to "The Flames" and "The Vikings" by Island records in the UK.
The Maytals first had chart success recording for producer Clement "Coxsone" Dodd at Studio One. With musical backing from Dodd's house band, the legendary Skatalites, the Maytals' close-harmony gospel singing ensured success, overshadowing Dodd's other up-and-coming vocal group, The Wailers. After staying at Studio One for about two years, the group moved on to do sessions for Prince Buster before recording with Byron Lee in 1965. With Lee, the Maytals won their first Festival Popular Song Competition with "Bam Bam". However, the group's musical career was interrupted in late 1966 when Hibbert was arrested and imprisoned. Toots states that he was not arrested for ganja but while bailing a friend. He also states that he made up the number 54-46 when writing 54-46 That's My Number about his time in jail.
Following Hibbert's release from jail towards the end of 1967, the Maytals began working with Chinese-Jamaican producer Leslie Kong, a collaboration a string of hits throughout the late sixties and early seventies - "Do the Reggay", a 1968 single widely credited with coining the word reggae, "Pressure Drop", "54-46" the 1969 Jamaica festival's popular song winner, "Sweet & Dandy" and "Monkey Man", the group's first international hit in 1970 . In 1972 they won their third Jamaica festival popular song with "Pomps & Pride". The group was also featured in one of reggae's greatest breakthrough events - The Harder They Come, the 1972 film and soundtrack starring Jimmy Cliff, named as one of Vanity Fair's Top 10 Best Soundtracks of all time.
Following Kong's death in 1971, the group continued to record with Kong's former sound engineer, Warwick Lyn; the group released three best-selling albums produced by Lyn and Chris Blackwell of Island Records, and enjoyed international hits with Funky Kingston in 1973 and Reggae Got Soul in 1975. Following the release of "Reggae Got Soul", Toots & The Maytals were invited to tour as the warm-up act for The Who during their North American Tour. The tour went poorly and Toots & The Maytals never went on the success of Bob Marley or Peter Tosh in the US.
Toots and the Maytals' compositions would be given a second airing in 1978-80 during the reggae-punk and ska revival period in the UK, when The Specials included "Monkey Man" on their 1979 debut album and The Clash produced their version of "Pressure Drop". They were also included in the Bob Marley and the Wailers song, *Punky Reggae Party". "The Wailers will be there, The Damned, The Jam, The Clash, The Maytals will be there, Dr. Feelgood too".
Having toured throughout the world for many years, Toots and the Maytals disbanded in the early 1980s, but reformed in the early 90s to continue touring and recording successfully. Sublime recorded cover versions of some Maytals songs in the 1990s as well.
The group recently won the 2005 Grammy award for best reggae album True Love, an album consisting of re-recorded versions of their classics alongside popular and legendary musicians such as Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, Eric Clapton, and Keith Richards, as well as popular artists today such as No Doubt, Ben Harper, The Roots, and Shaggy.
In 2006, they recorded a reggae/ska version of Radiohead's Let Down for the tribute album, Radiodread, by the Easy Star All-Stars. The album is a complete song for song makeover of the English rock band's album OK Computer into reggae, dub and ska. Let Down has been frequently cited by reviewers as one of the successes of the album.
A follow up to 2004's Love was being recorded in 2005 and released in 2007, and featured re-workings of classics such as "Johnny Cool Man" as well as new material. Light Your Light was nominated for the Grammy in the category Best Reggae Album.
Frederick Nathaniel 'Toots' Hibbert passed away September 11, 2020 at age 77.
Desmond Dekker Came First
The Maytals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Reggae soul my brother
There is a right or a wrong way
Just to do everything
There's a right or a wrong way
Just to do everything
And The Techniques, they came third
Clancy Eccles, he runs fourth
And Derrick Harriot, he came fifth
So I came second... mmmmm mmm mmm...
In the competition
In "Desmond Dekker Came First" by The Maytals, the lyrics speak to the competitive nature of the music industry. The opening lines, "Sing a song yeah, Reggae soul my brother," establish the song's soulful reggae rhythm and encourage people to express their creativity through music. The idea that there is a right or a wrong way to do everything is echoed throughout the song, emphasizing the importance of hard work and perseverance in the music industry.
The song's title refers to the ranking of popular Jamaican musicians at the time. Desmond Dekker, a ska and rocksteady singer, is recognized as the pioneer of Jamaican music and the first Jamaican artist to have a number one hit in the UK. The Techniques followed closely behind him, while Clancy Eccles and Derrick Harriott were also successful singers in their own right. Toots Hibbert, the lead singer of The Maytals, acknowledges his own achievement of coming in second, embracing the competitive nature of the music industry while also recognizing the talent of his peers.
Overall, the lyrics of "Desmond Dekker Came First" celebrate the rich history and competitive nature of Jamaican music, reminding listeners that hard work and persistence are essential ingredients for success.
Line by Line Meaning
Sing a song yeah
Let's celebrate through music
Reggae soul my brother
Let's play reggae music with soul, my friend
There is a right or a wrong way
There are correct and incorrect methods
Just to do everything
For all actions, there are appropriate procedures
Desmond Dekker, he came first
Desmond Dekker was the first to make a significant contribution
And The Techniques, they came third
The Techniques were the third group to make a major impact
Clancy Eccles, he runs fourth
Clancy Eccles was the fourth person to have a significant influence
And Derrick Harriot, he came fifth
Derrick Harriot was fifth in terms of making a noteworthy impact
So I came second... mmmmm mmm mmm...
Therefore, I am the second most significant figure in this competition
In the competition
In the contest among these artists
Writer(s): Frederick Hibbert
Contributed by Addison F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@jasongusmann1829
Sorry folks, but Bim Today is really second-rate Toots and Intensified! is one of Desmond Dekker's absolute best (plus it has that killer spoken-word section). one of the only times I wouldn't fight that Toots is #1
@timonyremo
It's the first time I read this point of view. You can read from reliable sources that this song was meant to approve his fellow's victory... so the song is in fact, rather than a sore loser's lament, a tribute to Desmond (and also to those who came 3rd, 4th, and 5th in the competition!).
@atcdebac
I always thought it was a very grateful (if somewhat cheeky) tribute to Desmond.
@ChristopherCribbs
Listen. Toots tells you there is a right way and a wrong way in the competition. Toots make sure Desmond come in First. A tip of the hat to those that follow, and a little cocky. Without SAYing IT Toots is reminding you He comes in 2nd. That was Desmond's year.
@ramblerunner
He was right to think that, Bim Today is an absolute killer of a tune, Intensified doesn't come close to it.
@asitakaz8059
happy birthday Toots! we miss you
@asitakaz8059
RIP Toots...
@pasipanki
my question is... after listening to Desmond Dekker's song about Israelites... How the fuck did Toots loose !competition? No disrespect to Desmond D. but C'Mon
@chuckemeade
There is only 1 'O' in lose not 2
@wylie4440
@16051957 I'll Second that motion.