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).

Oh Yeah
Toots & The Maytals Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Everybody, give it to me, huh
Hey, hey, hey
I want you to believe every word I say
I want you to believe every thing I do

I said, "Music is what I've got to give
And I've got to find some way to make it
Music is what I've got, baby

I want you to come on and shake it"

Shake it, shake it, baby
Oh yeah, hey
Na na na
Oh yeah, na na na

Funky, funky, funky
Funky Kingston is what I've got for you, oh yeah
Funky Kingston, yeah, is what I've got for you
Funky Kingston, oh yeah

Lemme hear your funky guitar
Yo reggae
Hear the piano, stick it to me

Watch me now, you watch me now
Playing from east to west, yeah
I just play from north to south, yeah
I love black America

People keep on asking me for
Funky Kingston

But I ain't got none
Somebody take it away from me

Overall Meaning

Toots & The Maytals's song Oh Yeah is a fun and upbeat song with a powerful message about the power of music. The song starts with an invitation to join in and give it all you've got, before the singer goes on to express his hope that the listener believes in everything he says and does, emphasizing the sincerity and authenticity of his music.

The lyrics then go on to suggest that music is the gift that the singer has to give, and that he is on a mission to find a way to make his music heard. He urges the listener to come and "shake it", emphasizing the physical and emotional nature of music and its ability to uplift and inspire.

The song then transitions into a more rhythmic and repetitive section with the repetition of the phrase "Funky Kingston", which seems to be a nod to the Jamaican city of Kingston and the "funky" and soulful sound that the singer is bringing to the table. This is followed by a call and response section with the musicians showcasing their skills on guitar, reggae, and piano, which adds an extra layer of excitement and energy to the song.

Overall, Oh Yeah is a celebration of music's power to bring people together, to inspire and to uplift. Whether you're a fan of reggae or not, there's no denying the infectious groove and upbeat vibe of Toots & The Maytals's classic hit.

Line by Line Meaning

Everybody, give it to me, huh
I want everyone to join in and participate with me.

Hey, hey, hey
A call for everyone to listen and pay attention.

I want you to believe every word I say
I want you to trust and have faith in me and my message.

I want you to believe every thing I do
I want you to have confidence in my abilities and actions.

I said, "Music is what I've got to give
My gift to the world is my music.

And I've got to find some way to make it
I am determined to share my music with as many people as possible.

Music is what I've got, baby
My passion and talent is in making music.

I want you to come on and shake it"
I want you to dance and have a good time with my music.

Shake it, shake it, baby
Keep dancing and moving to the music.

Oh yeah, hey
Expression of excitement and enthusiasm.

Na na na
Syllables used to enhance the rhythm and sound of the music.

Funky, funky, funky
Describing the style and genre of the music as funky.

Funky Kingston is what I've got for you, oh yeah
I am bringing my funky music to the people of Kingston, Jamaica.

Funky Kingston, yeah, is what I've got for you
Reiterating that the music I have to give is funky and from Kingston.

Funky Kingston, oh yeah
An expression of excitement and enthusiasm for my music and its origin.

Lemme hear your funky guitar
A request for the guitar player to add their funky sound to the music.

Yo reggae
Acknowledging the reggae influence in the music.

Hear the piano, stick it to me
Appreciating the piano player's skill and talent by emphasizing the importance of their playing in the music.

Watch me now, you watch me now
Drawing attention to my performance and talent.

Playing from east to west, yeah
I am performing and spreading my music across the entire country.

I just play from north to south, yeah
I am performing and spreading my music across the entire country.

I love black America
Expressing fondness and appreciation for the black community in America.

People keep on asking me for
People are requesting from me.

Funky Kingston
My popular song, Funky Kingston.

But I ain't got none
I am currently not in possession of my song Funky Kingston.

Somebody take it away from me
Asking for someone else to handle my popular song.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MAURICE SIMMONDS, SHAMA JOSEPH, THERON THOMAS, TIMOTHY THOMAS, JEVON HILL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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