In Kingston, he met Henry "Raleigh" Gordon and Nathaniel "Jerry" McCarthy, forming a group whose early recordings were attributed to "The Flames" and, possibly, "The Vikings". Having renamed the group the Maytals, the vocal trio recorded their first album, "Never Grow Old - presenting the Maytals", for producer Clement "Coxsone" Dodd at Studio One in 1962-63. With musical backing from Dodd's house band, the legendary Skatalites, the Maytals' close-harmony gospel singing ensured instant success for the 1964 release, overshadowing Dodd's other up-and-coming gospel trio, The Wailers. The original album augmented by studio out-takes from the Studio One sessions was re-released by Heartbeat/Rounder Records in 1997, and is essential listening for Maytals and Skatalites fans.
After staying at Studio One for about two years, the group moved on to do sessions for Prince Buster (released in 1974) before recording their second album produced by Byron Lee in 1965. However, the band's musical career was rudely interrupted in late 1966 when Hibbert was arrested and imprisoned on drugs possession charges.
Following Hibbert's release from jail towards the end of 1967, the band officially changed their name to Toots and the Maytals and began working with Chinese-Jamaican producer Leslie Kong, a collaboration which produced three classic albums and 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 was my number" and "Monkey Man", the group's first international hit in 1970. The group was featured in one of reggae's greatest breakthrough events - The Harder They Come, the 1972 film and soundtrack starring Jimmy Cliff.
Following Kong's death in 1971, the group continued to record with Kong's former sound engineer, Warwick Lyn; produced by Lyn and Chris Blackwell of Island Records, the group released three best-selling albums, and enjoyed international hits with "Funky Kingston" in 1973 and "Reggae Got Soul" in 1976.
The compositions of Toots & the Maytals (also known as Toots and the Maytals) 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", with other Maytals' covers being recorded by Sublime. 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.
The band recently won the 2005 Grammy award for reggae for the 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.
They also contributed to the album 'Radiodread' (a tribute to Radiohead's OK Computer).
Bam Bam
Toots & The Maytals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I want you to know that I am the man who
Fight for the right, not for the wrong
Going there, I'm growing there
Helping the weak against the strong
Soon you will find out the man I'm supposed to be
Help this man, don't trouble no man
But if you trouble that man it will bring a bam bam
What a bam bam
Bam bam
See that?
Bam bam
It will bring a bam bam
Can you see that?
Ah… (it will bring a bam bam)
What a bam bam (what a bam bam)
Can you see that? (what a bam bam)
Hear what I say (what a bam bam)
Yeah hey (what a bam bam)
(what a bam bam…)
This man, don't trouble no man
He know you go to nourish man
This man, don't trouble no man
This man is friend and is trying to trouble no man
That's if you trouble this man
It going to bring a bam bam
What a bam bam
Get a bam bam…
The lyrics to Toots & The Maytals's song Bam Bam convey a message of standing up for what is right and helping those in need. The singer declares himself as a man who fights for the right things and opposes wrongdoings. He expresses his willingness to help the weak against the strong, and in doing so, he is growing and developing as a person.
The lyrics also caution against causing harm to others, particularly the man the singer is trying to help. He urges listeners to lend a hand rather than trouble others, because if they trouble that man, it will bring a "bam bam." The repetition of "bam bam" emphasizes the sound of violence and the consequences of causing harm to others.
Throughout the song, Toots & The Maytals incorporate a blend of reggae, ska, and rocksteady music, creating a strong beat that mirrors the message of the lyrics. The song serves as a tribute to the power of community support and collaboration, emphasizing the need for people to work together to create a more just and equitable world.
Line by Line Meaning
I want you to know that I am the man who
I want you to understand that I am the type of man who
Fight for the right, not for the wrong
I stand up for what is right and just, not what is wrong
Going there, I'm growing there
As I journey through life, I am constantly growing and evolving
Helping the weak against the strong
One of my purposes in life is to assist the vulnerable and powerless against the dominant and mighty
Soon you will find out the man I'm supposed to be
You will eventually come to realize the true nature of my character
Help this man, don't trouble no man
Assist your fellow human being, and avoid causing anyone unnecessary discomfort
But if you trouble that man it will bring a bam bam
However, if you intentionally provoke that individual, you will meet with unwelcome and unpleasant consequences
What a bam bam
Such an occurrence would result in chaos and confusion
Bam bam
Chaos and confusion
See that?
Do you understand what I am saying?
It will bring a bam bam
There will be severe repercussions if you continue to cause trouble
Can you see that?
Do you comprehend the gravity of this situation?
This man, don't trouble no man
This particular individual is peaceful and does not seek to cause harm
He know you go to nourish man
He understands the importance of taking care of one another
This man, don't trouble no man
Again, he has no intention of causing anyone pain or suffering
This man is friend and is trying to trouble no man
He is a friend to all and seeks to maintain harmony and goodwill
That's if you trouble this man
However, if you antagonize this man
It going to bring a bam bam
You will experience an intense reaction and the situation will spiral out of control
Get a bam bam...
A chaotic and potentially dangerous situation
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: FREDERICK HIBBERT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@aswadsaswad1759
Sister Nancys version was an unprepared freestyle when she was about 19 just messing around in a studio. Amazing really.
@DoRemember
If you look back at Reggae Hip Hop and R&B music there are alot of Artists who around the age of 19 created music that would carry them throughout the rest of their life, I find that interesting...
@davis2555
Sister Nancy did her bam bam directly after yellow man did his bam bam and they are very similar.
@aswadsaswad1759
@@davis2555 wow! yes it's very very similar most lyrics are the same as hers, I didn't know.
@JP-lw5xs
100% correct, live and di-rect
@drisko0007
This is one of the best songs ever written. It’s incredibly soulful…
@Galidi1969
I agree with you!
@KherBiel
THE 2024 BAM BAM wishing y'all a healthy life wherever you are🤗
@queen_of_domination
This song reminds me of my father. He loved this song. COVID-19 recently claimed his life.
@leejoliver
That b'staad took Toots too - terrible shame. I am sorry for your loss