Originally called simply The Maytals, are considered legends of ska and reg… Read Full Bio ↴Originally called simply The Maytals, are considered legends of ska and reggae music. They are from Kingston, Jamaica. Their sound is a unique, original combination of gospel, ska, soul, reggae and rock. Frederick "Toots" Hibbert, the leader of the group, was born in May Pen in the Parish of Clarendon, Jamaica. He was the youngest of seven children. He grew up singing gospel music in a church choir, but moved to Kingston in 1961 at the age of sixteen.

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).

I See You
Toots & The Maytals Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I see you in the dark
I see you in the light
Your love is really on my mind
Words that remain while you awake
A dawn to greet another day
A day of love that we'll both share
Our hearts to dance like swaying leaves
Of roses in the gentle breeze
These words and dance so pure and clear
I see you every hour of the day
I see you all through the night

I want to tell you something
I see you in the dark
I see you in the light
Your love is really on my mind
These words I say to you I hope
Will touch the strings within your heart
Wherever there's a song to play
A song to bring you pleasant dreams
Throughout the night of lonely sleep
I'll keep you warm while I'm away
I see you every hour of the day
I see you all through the night
I see you in the dark

I see you in the light
Your love is really on my mind

Overall Meaning

Toots & The Maytals's song "I See You" is a romantic ballad that reflects the singer's affection for their lover. The song opens with the singer expressing hope that their words would touch their lover's heart. They promise to keep their lover warm during the night in their absence. The chorus of the song repeats the line "I see you" several times, giving the impression that the singer sees their lover everywhere, in the light and in the dark. The second verse builds on the first, with the singer declaring that their lover is always on their mind. They describe their love as a dawn that greets another day and promises that they will share a day of love together.

Overall, the song is a sweet love letter set to a laid-back reggae beat. The lyrics evoke a sense of longing and deep affection, and the melody is gentle and soothing. The repetition in the chorus underscores the singer's constant thoughts about their lover. The song is the perfect soundtrack for a romantic evening with someone special.

Line by Line Meaning

These words I say to you I hope
I hope that the words I’m about to say resonate with you

Will touch the strings within your heart
Will evoke emotions that are buried deep within you

Wherever there's a song to play
No matter where there is music playing

These words to bring you pleasant dreams
These words will give you sweet dreams while you sleep

Throughout the night of lonely sleep
During the night when you're alone and sleeping

I'll keep you warm while I'm away
I'll make sure you feel comforted even when I'm not there

I see you every hour of the day
You are constantly on my mind, every hour of every day

I see you all through the night
You are in my thoughts even when I’m sleeping

I see you in the dark
Even in the darkness of night, I can feel your presence

I see you in the light
In the light of day, you are still with me

Your love is really on my mind
Your love takes up space in my thoughts and consumes me

Contributed by Keira M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

Eddy manijean

8y↑5

These words I say to you I hope
Will touch the strings within your heart
Wherever there's a song to play
These words to bring you pleasant dreams
Throughout the night of lonely sleep
I'll keep you warm while I'm away
I see you every hour of the day
I see you all through the night
I see you in the dark
I see you in the light
Your love is really on my mind
Words that remain while you awake
A dawn to greet another day
A day of love that we'll both share
Our hearts to dance like swaying leaves
Of roses in the gentle breeze
These words and dance so pure and clear
I see you every hour of the day
I see you all through the night
I want to tell you something
I see you in the dark
I see you in the light
Your love is really on my mind
These words I say to you I hope
Will touch the strings within your heart
Wherever there's a song to play
A song to bring you pleasant dreams
Throughout the night of lonely sleep
I'll keep you warm while I'm away
I see you every hour of the day
I see you all through the night
I see you in the dark
I see you in the light
Your love is really on my mind

Eddy Manijean

One love, one heart
Let's get together and feel all right
Hear the children crying (one love)
Hear the children crying (one heart)
Sayin', "Give thanks and praise to the Lord
And I will feel all right"
Sayin', "Let's get together and feel all right"
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa

Let them all pass all their dirty remarks (one love)
There is one question I'd really love to ask (one heart)
Is there a place for the hopeless sinners
Who has hurt all mankind just to save his own?
Believe me

One love (what about the one heart?)
One heart (what about-)
Let's get together and feel all right
As it was in the beginning (one love)
So shall it be in the end (one heart)
Alright, give thanks and praise to the Lord
And I will feel all right
Let's get together and feel all right

One more thing
Let's get together to fight this Holy Armageddon (one love)
So when the Man comes there will be no, no doom (one song)
Have pity on those whose chances grows thinner
There ain't no hiding place from the Father of Creation

Sayin', one love (what about the one heart?)
One heart (what about-)
Let's get together and feel all right
I'm pleading to mankind (one love)
Oh, Lord (one heart) whoa
Give thanks and praise to the Lord
And I will feel all right
Let's get together and feel all right
Give thanks and praise to the Lord
And I will feel all right

Let's get together and feel all right

Auteurs-compositeurs : Curtis Mayfield, Bob Marley
Pour utilisation non commerciale uniquement.
Données de : Musixmatch

All comments from YouTube:

Cashmaster J

10y↑7

I love this track so much... Regardless of who the artist is, this song is a beautiful piece for the world. Classic sounding in many ways, with a smooth, baked, cheerful flow of words!!

Dj Camran

9y↑2

This Artist is JAMAICAN LEGEND TOOTS HIBBERT and his group the MAYTALS

Hobby Grade

4y↑8

RIP Toots, thank you

Eddy manijean

8y↑5

blue velvet

♥️🎵🎶😎☀️♥️

Stevan Plavsa

one of my favourite songs of all time, just beautiful in every way.

Cordel Pullar

12y↑2

A true Legend

AInfrEEzebr

RIP big guy, thank you for the good vibes <3 a true original

Eddy Manijean

Adolph Oliver Bush

6y↑1

Others have commented on how young Toots resembled Ray Lewis, former Ravens linebacker and tackle monster.

Yep. I see it.

Love me some Toots and the Maytals.