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).
Got to Be There
Toots & The Maytals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Naughty, naughty.
Who knows how that love had to linger on.
Got to be there.
Got to be there.
Got to be there.
Just to answer to your name,
If you go the bad way,
You must prepare to get bad pay.
The seed you sow, girl,
This you shall surely reap,
My brother and sister.
Got to be there.
Got to be there.
Got to be there.
Just to answer to your name,
When the roll is called for your fate
Lord, have mercy now. (I feel the Spirit)
Brother Moses got to be there.
Also brother Peter got to be there.
The sinners got to be there.
I've got to be there too.
Got to be there.
Got to be there.
Got to be there.
Just to answer to your name,
When the roll is called for your fate.
(.)
If you are from Canada.
If you are from America.
If you are from Africa.
If you are from Jamaica.
You got to be there.
Got to be there.
Got to be there.
Just to answer to your name,
When the roll is called for your fate.
The lyrics of Toots & The Maytals' song "Got to Be There" carry a profound message that draws attention to the power of love, responsibility, and accountability. The song starts by addressing individuals who have been weeping and wailing, emphasizing the need to be there, irrespective of the challenges or struggles one may be facing. It acknowledges the importance of love and highlights its critical role in sustaining individuals during trying times, urging listeners to hold onto it. The song encourages individuals to take responsibility for their actions, stating that the seeds one sows will inevitably determine what one reaps, and that one has to face the consequences of their actions.
The refrain, "Got to be there," repeated several times, emphasizes the importance of being present in different situations, whether good or bad. It stresses the accountability of individuals, stating that each one of us will be called upon to answer for our actions when the roll is called for our fate. It ultimately concludes that irrespective of where one comes from, each one of us has to be present and accountable for our actions.
Line by Line Meaning
If you've been weeping and wailing,
If you've been sad and upset,
Naughty, naughty.
You must have done something wrong.
Who knows how that love had to linger on.
It's unknown why that love lasted.
Got to be there.
You must be present.
Got to be there.
You must be present.
Got to be there.
You must be present.
Just to answer to your name,
To acknowledge who you are,
When the roll is called for your fate.
When it's time to face the consequences of your actions.
If you go the bad way,
If you choose the wrong path,
You must prepare to get bad pay.
You will face negative consequences.
The seed you sow, girl,
The actions you take,
This you shall surely reap,
Will result in consequences.
My brother and sister.
Everyone.
Lord, have mercy now. (I feel the Spirit)
Asking for forgiveness and help.
Brother Moses got to be there.
Brother Moses must be present.
Also brother Peter got to be there.
Brother Peter must be present.
The sinners got to be there.
Even those who have done wrong must be present.
I've got to be there too.
I must also be present.
If you are from Canada.
No matter where you're from,
If you are from America.
No matter where you're from,
If you are from Africa.
No matter where you're from,
If you are from Jamaica.
No matter where you're from,
You got to be there.
You must be present.
Got to be there.
You must be present.
Got to be there.
You must be present.
Just to answer to your name,
To acknowledge who you are,
When the roll is called for your fate.
When it's time to face the consequences of your actions.
Writer(s): Frederick Hibbert
Contributed by Sebastian G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Eddy manijean
Lord, I must know.
If you've been weeping and wailing,
Naughty, naughty.
Who knows how that love had to linger on.
Got to be there.
Got to be there.
Got to be there.
Just to answer to your name,
When the roll is called for your fate.
If you go the bad way,
You must prepare to get bad pay.
The seed you sow, girl,
This you shall surely reap,
My brother and sister.
Got to be there.
Got to be there.
Got to be there.
Just to answer to your name,
When the roll is called for your fate
Lord, have mercy now. (I feel the Spirit)
Brother Moses got to be there.
Also brother Peter got to be there.
The sinners got to be there.
I've got to be there too.
Got to be there.
Got to be there.
Got to be there.
Just to answer to your name,
When the roll is called for your fate.
(..)
If you are from Canada.
If you are from America.
If you are from Africa.
If you are from Jamaica.
You got to be there.
Got to be there.
Got to be there.
Just to answer to your name,
When the roll is called for your fate..
Arlena F.
Sing it Toots!!! Love this song. May of this year was the first time I ever heard this song at a Bunny Wailer concert in NYC. Love it ever since.
raphael rousso
Yeah sing it Toots , gift us til the end of time !!!
mikigamba
I love this song, and for me In the Dark it's the best album from Toots Hibbert and The Maytals
Alexander Becker
@Lawrence Njawe I also love Pass the Pipe. Another album perfect from start to finish.
Lawrence Njawe
Agreed. Although some critics point to Funky Kingston. But this one is my favorite...
kirk cavenaugh
One of the best albums ever........
Crispymenace
the guitar in this gets me every time..
so good.
cheers.
Cal Lat Man 1963
RIP Toots Hibbert. You are a genius, and you blessed us with your music.
kirk cavenaugh
Best vibes ever.. I love u toots
Don't Hate Just Appreciate
RIP LEGEND MUSIC WILL LIVE ON 💯💯💯❤❤