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).
Humble
Toots & The Maytals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I and I a humble a humble
I and I a humble
We a humble we a humble
Nothing we na grumble
We a humble we a humble
I and I a humble
We a humble
But we still a humble
No need to fuss and fight
We should all unite
Today for you and tomorrow will be for me
On the necessity for future prosperity
Let's live a life for youth and unity
We a humble we a humble
I and I a humble
We a humble we a humble
Nothing we na grumble
We a humble we a humble
I and I a humble
We a humble
In a dress we come
But we still a humble
Me say
Somma them a fighter and dem have no reason to fight
Somma them a trickster but I and I call it tricksy
Alotta dem a traitor fighting against the creator
We no worry bout them
Father will deal with them
We a humble we a humble
I and I a humble
We a humble we a humble
Nothing we na grumble
We a humble we a humble
I and I a humble
We a humble
In a dress we come
But we still a humble
Hey you will have to be free
Uuuuuuuuh
Gotta live in perfect harmony
Don't forget to be humble
Perfect harmony
Don't forget to be humble
Perfect harmony
And don't forget to be humble
Perfect harmony
Don't forget to be humble
Perfect harmony
The lyrics to "Humble" by Toots & The Maytals speak to the importance of humility, unity, and harmony in life. The repeated use of "I and I" emphasizes the unity of all individuals and the need for everyone to come together in humility. The song acknowledges that there may be those who fight or deceive, but the focus should remain on living in harmony with one another and focusing on the prosperity of future generations.
The chorus, "We a humble we a humble, nothing we na grumble" further emphasizes the importance of humility and a lack of complaint. The line "In a dress we come but we still a humble" suggests that no matter what we may have or what we may wear, we should remain humble in our attitudes and interactions with others. The song encourages listeners to prioritize unity and youth, recognizing that the future depends on the actions and attitude of the present.
Overall, "Humble" is a powerful call to action, reminding us of the importance of humility, unity, and harmony in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Na na na na na hey
Begining of a song with a positive vibe
I and I a humble a humble
I am humble
I and I a humble
I am humbled
We a humble we a humble
We are humble
Nothing we na grumble
We don't complain about anything
We a humble we a humble
We are humble
I and I a humble
I am humbled
We a humble
We are humble
In a dress we come
We come as we are
But we still a humble
But we are still humble despite our outward appearance
No need to fuss and fight
There is no need to argue or fight
We should all unite
We should come together
Today for you and tomorrow will be for me
Today you may need help, but tomorrow I may need yours
On the necessity for future prosperity
This is important for future success
Let's live a life for youth and unity
We should live our lives to support younger generations and togetherness
Somma them a fighter and dem have no reason to fight
Some people fight for no reason
Somma them a trickster but I and I call it tricksy
Some people are deceivers but we can see through their lies
Alotta dem a traitor fighting against the creator
Many people betray their creator
We no worry bout them
We don't concern ourselves with them
Father will deal with them
God will handle those individuals
Hey you will have to be free
You need to be free
Gotta live in perfect harmony
We need to live together in harmony
Don't forget to be humble
We should always remember to be humble
Perfect harmony
We strive for a peaceful way of life
And don't forget to be humble
We should always remember to be humble
Perfect harmony
We strive for a peaceful way of life
Don't forget to be humble
We should always remember to be humble
Perfect harmony
We strive for a peaceful way of life
Writer(s): Morgan Memmalatel, Morgan Nakhamyah, Morgan Peter Anthony, Morgan Roy, Morgan Una Iyarn, Hibbert Frederick
Contributed by Christopher G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.