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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.
Pressure
The Maytals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hmm hmm hmm, yeah
Hmm hmm hmm, yeah
It is you (oh yeah)
It is you, you (oh yeah)
It is you (oh yeah)
Oh yeah pressure drop a drop on you
I say a pressure drop, oh pressure
Oh yeah pressure drop a drop on you
I say when it drops, oh you gonna feel it
Know that you were doing wrong
I say when it drops, oh you gonna feel it
Know that you were doing wrong
Hmm hmm hmm, yeah
Hmm hmm hmm, yeah
Hmm hmm hmm, yeah
I say a pressure drop, oh pressure
Oh yeah, pressure drop a drop on you
Oh yeah, pressure drop a drop on you
It is you (oh yeah)
It is you, you (oh yeah)
It is you (oh yeah)
I say a pressure drop, oh pressure
Oh yeah, pressure drop a drop on you
Oh yeah, pressure drop a drop on you
I say when it drops, oh you gonna feel it
Oh yeah, pressure drop a drop on you
The Maytals' "Pressure Drop" is a classic reggae track that has been covered by various artists over the years. The song deals with the concept of karma and how it comes back to haunt those who have done wrong. The opening lines set the tone for the rest of the song, with the repetition of the phrase "It is you (oh yeah), It is you, you (oh yeah), It is you (oh yeah)" emphasizing the idea that the person being addressed is responsible for their actions and will face the consequences.
The chorus of the song, "Oh yeah, pressure drop a drop on you", refers to the moment when karma catches up with the wrongdoer. The singer warns that when the pressure drops, the person will feel it and know that they were doing wrong. This message is reinforced throughout the song, with the repetition of the phrase "I say when it drops, oh you gonna feel it, know that you were doing wrong" serving as a warning to the listener.
The song's overall message is about taking responsibility for one's actions and realizing that karma will eventually catch up to you. The Maytals' use of repetition and catchy lyrics make the song both enjoyable and thought-provoking.
Line by Line Meaning
Hmm hmm hmm, yeah
The singer is starting the song with verbalized sounds that show their emotions or feelings.
It is you (oh yeah)
The person being addressed is identifiable to the singer.
It is you, you (oh yeah)
The repetition of 'you' emphasizes the singer's direct address to the listener.
'Cause a pressure drop, oh pressure
A pressure drop is going to happen and it will be a significant event.
Oh yeah pressure drop a drop on you
The pressure drop will impact the listener.
I say when it drops, oh you gonna feel it
The pressure drop will be noticeable to the listener.
Know that you were doing wrong
The pressure drop is a result of the listener's wrongdoing.
I say a pressure drop, oh pressure
The singer is reiterating the pressure drop event that is about to happen.
Oh yeah, pressure drop a drop on you
The pressure will affect the listener.
It is you (oh yeah)
The singer is emphasizing that the listener is the one who will experience the pressure drop.
It is you, you (oh yeah)
The repetition of 'you' emphasizes the singer's direct address to the listener.
I say when it drops, oh you gonna feel it
The pressure drop will be noticeable to the listener.
Oh yeah, pressure drop a drop on you
The pressure will negatively affect the listener.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Frederick Hibbert
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind