Jamaican Toots and the Maytals was until 1971 a vocal group called simply T… Read Full Bio ↴Jamaican Toots and the Maytals was until 1971 a vocal group called simply The Maytals. They are one of the best known and highest professionally rated (Rolling Stone, AllMusic, etc) ska, rocksteady and reggae groups. They were icons for the early skinhead movement of white working-class youth in UK. Their sound was unique, highly influenced by gospel, soul, and funk. Maytals (Hebrew = "dewdrops") was formed in Kingston, Jamaica 1961 by Frederick "Toots" Hibbert, Henry "Raleigh" Gordon & Nathaniel "Jerry" Mathias. Well known songs are '54-46 Was My Number', 'Funky Kingston', 'Pressure Drop', 'Monkey Man', 'Never You Change' 'Bam Bam'. The group had 2 songs in Jimmy Cliff's 1972 film The Harder They Come, and started to enjoy international hits 1973 on Island Records.
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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.
- - -
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.
Happy Christmas
The Maytals Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'Happy Christmas' by these artists:
- John Lennon (Happy Christmas Kyoko) (Happy Christmas Julian) So this…
Auld Lang Syne Humm Choir It's almost Christmas Everyone is wishing for everything the…
Brightman & Trio So this is Christmas and what have you done, Another year…
Céline Dion So this is Christmas And what have you done Another year ove…
Chris Cozens So this is Christmas and what have you done, Another year…
Colbie Caillat It's almost Christmas Everyone is wishing for everything the…
Cord Carpenter So this is Christmas and what have you done, Another year…
Damien Dempsey And so this is Christmas And what have you done Another year…
David Young So this is Christmas and what have you done, Another year…
Fir Na Keol So this is Christmas and what have you done, Another year…
Handsome & Gretyl Have yourself a little happy Christmas Have a happy day Let …
Hanson So happy Christmas so happy Christmas I love you all over…
Harlem Community Choir / John Lennon & the Plastic Ono Band / Yoko Ono SO THIS IS CHRISTMcS, cND WHcT HcVE YOU DONE cNOTHER YEcR…
Howard Carpendale So this is Christmas And what have you done Another year ove…
Howard Carpendale & Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Alles verschneit und ich steh' an der Autobahn Rede schon mi…
Ivan & Alyosha Everybody's happy for Christmas Fridays are black every week…
Jo Lemaire New York Stage Orchestra & Choir So this is Christmas and what have you done, Another year…
John & Yoko & The Plastic Ono SO THIS IS CHRISTMcS, cND WHcT HcVE YOU DONE cNOTHER YEcR…
John & Yoko and The Plastic Ono Band So this is Christmas, and what have you done, Another year…
John & Yoko the Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Choir SO THIS IS CHRISTMcS, cND WHcT HcVE YOU DONE cNOTHER YEcR…
John & Yoko/The Plastic One Band So this is Christmas, and what have you done, Another year…
John and Yoko the Platic Ono So this is Christmas and what have you done, Another year…
John And Yoko and The Plastic Ono Band So this is Christmas, and what have you done, Another year…
John Lennon SO THIS IS CHRISTMcS, cND WHcT HcVE YOU DONE cNOTHER YEcR…
John Lennon & Yoko Ono So this is Christmas And what have you done Another year o…
John Lennon & Yoko Ono & The Plastic Ono Band SO THIS IS CHRISTMcS, cND WHcT HcVE YOU DONE cNOTHER YEcR…
John Lennon (Holiday) (Happy Christmas Kyoko) (Happy Christmas Julian) So this…
John Lennon Yoko Ono & The Plastic Ono Band SO THIS IS CHRISTMcS, cND WHcT HcVE YOU DONE cNOTHER YEcR…
John Lennon/Yoko Ono (Happy Christmas Kyoko) (Happy Christmas Julian) So this…
Jonathan and Emily Martin Pull out all the decorations Grab a big ole evergreen Put so…
José Carreras;Plácido Domingo;Luciano Pavarotti So this is Christmas and what have you done, Another year…
Lennon John & Yoko & The Plastic Ono Band with The Harlem Community Choir SO THIS IS CHRISTMcS, cND WHcT HcVE YOU DONE cNOTHER YEcR…
Maroon So this is Christmas And what have you done Another year ove…
Maroon 5 So this is Xmas And what have you done Another year over …
Maroon 5 (Holiday) So this is Christmas And what have you done Another year ove…
MAY'S 締まったままの オシャレなワンピ着て 高いヒールを 履いて出かけようか ドアを開けて 街中が騒ぎ始めてる Winter …
Neil Diamond So this is Christmas and what have you done, Another year…
Per Kristian Indrehus Christmas bells are ringing And winters soon on it 's w…
Placido Domingo & Sarah Brightman So this is Christmas and what have you done, Another year…
Plcido Domingo So this is Christmas and what have you done, Another year…
Rebecca St. James So this is Christmas And what have you done Another year ove…
Richard & Adam Happy Christmas, your mother looks older And sadder than I'v…
Roch Voisine So this is Christmas And what have you done Another year o…
Sam Martin A very Merry Christmas And a happy New Year Let's hope it's…
Sarah Brightman And so this is Christmas And what you have done? Another y…
Sarah Brightman & Trio So this is Christmas and what have you done, Another year…
Sense Field So this is Christmas, and what have you done? Another year…
St. Peter's Male Voice Choir So this is Christmas and what have you done, Another year…
Studio 99 So this is Christmas and what have you done, Another year…
Suzuko Mimori ベルが鳴るよ午後6時 みんな急ぎ足で どれにしようかなってプレゼント選んでる もうすぐ雪が降りそう 白い息に包まれて 頬…
Tahta Menezes Happy Christmas, Kyoko Happy Christmas, Julian So this is Ch…
Tarja So this is Christmas And what have you done Another year ove…
Tarja Turunen So this is Christmas And what have you done Another year o…
The Alarm So this is Christmas and what have you done, Another year…
The Bachelors So this is Christmas and what have you done, Another year…
The Canadian Brass So this is Christmas and what have you done, Another year…
The Christmas All-Stars So this is Christmas and what have you done, Another year…
The Homesound Happy christmas Happy christmas 고요하게 흐르는 Melody …
The Polyphonic Spree So this is Christmas and what have you done, Another year…
The Sing-Off Contestants Oh happy day Oh happy day Oh happy day Oh happy day Oh happ…
Timm Brown So it's Christmas timeCome on in.The doors are openLet the…
Various Artists Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Merry Christmas, Merry Ch…
Vienna Boys Choir So this is Christmas and what have you done, Another year…
Voisine Roch So this is Christmas And what have you done Another year o…
Winter Dreams So this is Christmas and what have you done, Another year…
Wolfgang Niedecken So this is Christmas And what have you done Another year ove…
Yoko Ono SO THIS IS CHRISTMcS, cND WHcT HcVE YOU DONE cNOTHER YEcR…
We have lyrics for these tracks by The Maytals:
13.Never you change Let me hear you again, now, oh baby, sir Sweetheart, darlin…
13.Never you change. Let me hear you again, now, oh baby, sir Sweetheart, darl…
14. Pressure Drop Hmm hmm hmm, yeah Hmm hmm hmm, yeah Hmm hmm…
54 I said, yeah (I said, yeah) Listen what I say (listen…
54 46 That's My Number I said yeah (I said yeah), listen what I say…
54-46 I said, yeah (I said, yeah) Listen what I say (listen…
African Doctor You can stay in the dark, brother You can stay in…
Alidina Alright, Alidina, go on, go do the work Alright alright …
Are You Mine Are you mine? I need no one but you, you Are you…
Bam Bam Ah? I want you to know that I am the man…
Bim Today Bim Today, Bam Tomorrow I want you tell me the truth…
Bla Bla Bla I called my baby to the breakfast table My baby calls…
Cry Over You Yeah I'm gonna sit right down and cry over you I'm gonna…
Daddy You're my love You're my angel You're the girl of my dreams …
Desmond Dekker Came First Sing a song yeah Reggae soul my brother There is a right…
Do the Reggay I got a rich one (yeah) Do you love me? (yeah) Do…
Doctor Lester aka 'African Doctor' You can stay in the dark, brother You can stay in…
Don't Let Don't let no one tell you that I'm not in…
Don't Trouble Bam, Bam Ah I want you to know that I am the…
Feel So Good As I was walking on Orange Street, I feel so…
Funky Kingston Everybody, give it to me huh Hey Hey Hey I want you…
Give Peace A Chance Two, one two three four Everybody's talking about Bagism, Sh…
Gold And Silver All over this world Desolate All over creation Desolate Mmm …
Gonna Need Somebody Every morning, every night you make me cry Just because you…
Got to Feel Got to, got to, got to Sure I saw you walking…
HALLELUJAH Once I was B-O-U-N-D Bound in the name of J-E-S-U-S Through …
I Feel Alright As I was walking on Orange Street, I feel so…
I Know I know we can make it if you don't break…
I Shall Be Free I know, oh yes, I know, I know, oh yes,…
I'll Never Grow Old I will never grow old No I'll never I'll never I'll never I'…
I'm Gonna Sit Down Yeah I'm gonna sit right down and cry over you I'm gonna…
It Must Be True Love When you feel like loving I feel like loving too When you…
It's You It's you, it's you, it's you, it's you Yeah, yeah, it's…
John & James John James went down to London town, London town Yeah, he…
Johnny Coolman They call me Johnny Cool Man They call me Johnny Cool…
Just Got to Be Lord I must know If you've been weeping and wailing Naughty,…
Know Me Good You sure do know me Know me, know me, know me,…
Koo Koo Koo, Koo, you have me in the corner, baby Hey, hey,…
Loving Spirit I say, I feel the loving spirit deep down in…
Monkey Girl This one's for the bouncers. big, big monkey man Aye…
Monkey Man Aye aye aye, aye aye aye Tell you baby, you huggin'…
Never You Change Let me hear you again, now, oh baby, sir Sweetheart, darlin…
Night & Day Night and day and night I wonder if the time can…
Oh Yeah Everybody, give it to me, huh Hey, hey, hey I want you…
One Do do do do do, ohh ohh ohh Fret not for…
Pee Pee Cluck Cluck Pee pee cluck cluck Lara Look at me You should know that…
Peeping Tom Peeping, peeping, peeping tom Peeping, peeping, peeping tom …
Pomps And Pride Everybody just Cryin out (cry out) Calm down (calm down) Hav…
Pressure Hmm hmm hmm, yeah Hmm hmm hmm, yeah Hmm hmm hmm, yeah It…
Reborn When I look When I look When I look Oh yes indeed When I…
Revival Reggae You got lovin', yeah you got lovin' yeah yeah You go…
scare him Scare him, scare him, scare him Scare him, don't let them…
She's My Scorcher I said, turn her back, turn her back and don't…
Six & Seven Books And the six and the seven books He wrote them all From…
Six And Seven Book Of Moses And the six and the seven books He wrote them all From…
Six And Seven Books And the six and the seven books He wrote them all From…
Sweet & Dandy Etty in the room a cry Mama say she must wipe…
Sweet And Dandy Etty in the room a cry Mama say she must wipe…
Tell Me You Love Me Tell me, tell me, tell me...what's on your mind? Tell me,…
The Preacher Got to, got to, got to, got to Kneeling, oh kneeling Oh,…
Thy Kingdom Come Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done On earth as it…
True Love Love is a habit My true true love I found A love…
Walk With Love Walk With Love, Talk With Love You will all walk with…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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Tits McGee
Happy Christmas to you Toots! RIP and thank you for this one and so many more through years. We miss you. God bless
Heather Cargill
I love these guys! I saw them two years ago. Wonderful band!
Da Royal General
BIG TUNE!! love it from I was a kid in da early 80's.
Steven Walker
The Maytals Fantastic ❤ 😁👍
Jörgen Edlund
Wonderful!
Jeannette Gibson
in 2015 still sounds good
NaturalProd007 Natural Prod'
BIG TUNE!!
Agnes Edwards
Lovely
Mike Escobar
Fractal Native did a cover of this at a show once. good Northwest reggae!
pammieb123
Nice one!