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).
Reggae Got Soul
Toots & The Maytals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Got so much soul
Listen to the beat
Move your dancing feet
Rock your bodyline
Move in time
/: You don't have to salute
Listen to the beat
Move your dancing feet
Rock your bodyline
Right in time
This reggae got soul
Got so much soul :/
Grandmother can do it
Grandfather can do it
Do it and feel alright
/: This reggae got soul
Got so much soul
Reggae got soul
For the young and old :/
Makes me want to sing and dance and do all kinds of crazy things
When I listen to the music makes me want to shout Oh Glory Hallelujah
Makes me feel alright in the day or in the night
Ooh reggae got soul, reggae, reggae
Rock it to my bones, move me around
Reggae got soul, got so much soul
Al my life I feel so good
Come on baby, come have a dance with me
Reggae, reggae, reggae got soul.......
The song "Reggae Got Soul" by Toots & The Maytals is an anthem to the power and soulfulness of reggae music. The lyrics speak to the infectiousness of the genre, encouraging listeners to move their bodies to the rhythm and let the music take over. The opening lines, "Reggae got soul, got so much soul," set the tone for the rest of the song, emphasizing the depth and richness of reggae music.
Throughout the song, Toots & The Maytals highlight the universality of reggae, insisting that everyone from grandmothers to young people can appreciate and enjoy it. The chorus, "This reggae got soul, got so much soul," is repeated throughout the song, a mantra to the power of the music.
The song has a joyful, celebratory feel, with lyrics that express the sheer pleasure and exuberance that comes with listening to reggae music. The lines, "Makes me want to sing and dance and do all kinds of crazy things / When I listen to the music makes me want to shout Oh Glory Hallelujah," capture the spirit of the song perfectly, emphasizing the transformative power of music.
Overall, "Reggae Got Soul" is a tribute to the power of music to transport and transform us, and an ode to the unique soulfulness of reggae music specifically.
Line by Line Meaning
Reggae got soul
The soulful energy of reggae music
Got so much soul
The abundance of soul in reggae music
Listen to the beat
Pay attention to the rhythm of the music
Move your dancing feet
Start dancing to the music
Rock your bodyline
Move every part of your body in rhythm with the music
Move in time
Dance in sync with the rhythm of the music
You don't have to salute
No need to stop what you're doing to show respect when the music is playing
While I'm passing through
While the music is playing
Right in time
Dance in sync with the rhythm of the music
Grandmother can do it
Even old people can dance to reggae music
Grandfather can do it
Even elderly men can dance to reggae music
Do it and feel alright
Dancing to reggae music can make you feel good
For the young and old
Reggae music is suitable for everyone, regardless of age
Makes me want to sing and dance and do all kinds of crazy things
Reggae music has an infectious energy that inspires freedom and spontaneity
When I listen to the music makes me want to shout Oh Glory Hallelujah
The uplifting quality of reggae music inspires joy and gratitude
Makes me feel alright in the day or in the night
Reggae music can make you feel good any time of day or night
Ooh reggae got soul, reggae, reggae
Expressing enthusiasm for the soulful energy of reggae music
Rock it to my bones, move me around
The powerful energy of reggae music can move you to your core
All my life I feel so good
Reggae music has been a source of joy and inspiration throughout one's life
Come on baby, come have a dance with me
Inviting someone to dance to reggae music
Lyrics ยฉ Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: FREDERICK HIBBERT, WARRICK LYN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
rahat sharma
Reggae got soul
Got so much soul
Reggae got soul
Got so much soul
Listen to the beat
Move your dancing feet
Rock your body line
Move in time
You don't have to salute
While I'm passing through
Listen to the beat
Move your dancing feet
Rock your body line
Right in time
This reggae got soul
Got so much soul
Grandmother, can do it?
Grandfather, can do it?
Do it and feel alright
This reggae got soul
Got so much soul
Reggae got soul
For the young and old
Reggae got soul
Got so much soul
Reggae got soul
For the young and old
Reggae got soul
Got so much soul
Reggae got soul
For the young and old
Reggae got soul
Got so much soul
Reggae got soul
For the young and old
Collin Higgs
When that bass line hits in at the start and that wonderful voice rolls over it, it's glorious.
Mashudu Gumula
Glorious indeed ๐๐๐๐
Peter Vasquez
Toots!!!๐๐
zacharia mukwevho
all instrument you can feel in and out
Jeff K
This might be my favorite reggae song. As much as I love Bob Marley, this song just does it for me. This is one of those songs I can play on repeat over and over again.
David Birks
That's just how I feel.
Toots grabbed me right off the bat in 1976.
I got to do a show with him in 1990. It was a thrill!
Yvonne Wheeler
Ditto repeat repeat repeat.
Jabari Jaxton
instaBlaster.
Hoto TeWhitu
Definitely! Gets the body moving this waiata!
โYou donโt hafe salute, when I passing thru. Listen to the beat, move your dancing feet ๐ฆถ โ
Oswald Gilharry
Bob is great and we'll known, but he's not the best reggae artist there's in Jamaica, before him and after him!