Toots and The Maytals are from Kingston, Jamaica. It was the producer Byron Lee who 1971 renamed them Toots & the Maytals. Frederick "Toots" Hibbert, the leader of the group and the lead singer, 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 drug possession charges.
Following Hibbert's release from jail towards the end of 1967, the band 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" 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.
Toots and the Maytals' compositions 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.
In 2005, the band won a Grammy award for best reggae album for True Love, consisting of re-recorded versions of their classics alongside legendary musicians such as Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, Eric Clapton, and Keith Richards, as well as popular artists such as No Doubt, Ben Harper, The Roots, and Shaggy.
They also contributed to the Easy Star All-Stars album 'Radiodread' (a dub tribute to Radiohead's OK Computer).
In 2016 Toots and the Maytals announced a return to the stage with their first tour in 3 years,[35] and on June 15 at The Observatory North Park in San Diego the group returned to the stage for the first time since 2013.
In 2017 Toots and the Maytals played Coachella Fest April 16 and 23 at 4:20 pm. They became the second reggae-based group to perform at the Coachella festival, after Chronixx in 2016.
In 2018, Toots and the Maytals launched a 50th anniversary tour with concert appearances in North America from April to August, moving to dates in the UK starting in October.
On July 25, 2018 Toots and the Maytals debuted an original song entitled "Marley" live on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and also played the classic "Funky Kingston".
On August 24, 2018 Toots and the Maytals performed at Lockn’ Festival in Arrington, Virginia, where guest Taj Mahal accompanied them on the song “Monkey Man”.
Frontman "Toots" Hibbert died on 12 September 2020.
64-46 Was My Number
Toots and The Maytals Lyrics
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I said hear me now, listen what I say (listen what I say)
I said stick it up mister
Hear what I say, sir
Get your hands in the air, sir
And you will get no hurt mister
Do what I say sir
Get your hands in the air, sir
And you will get no hurt, no
I said yeah (I said yeah), listen what I say (listen what I say)
I said hear me now, listen what I say (listen what I say)
Second thing they say I must join the office
Third thing they say, "Son, give me your number now"
He'd say "What's your number?" I don't answer
He'd say "What's your number, man?" I don't answer
He'd say "What's your number now?", he'd say "What's your number now?"
I said "fifty four forty six, that's my number"
Fifty four forty six, that's my number, one more time
Fifty four forty six, that's my number
Fifty four forty six, that's my number
I said yeah (I said yeah), listen what I say (listen what I say)
I said hear me now, listen what I say (listen what I say)
I said yeah (I said yeah), listen what I say (listen what I say)
I said yeah (I said yeah), listen what I say (listen what I say)
Stick it up, mister, hear what I say, sir, yeah
Get your hands in the air, sir
And you will get no hurt, you say
Turn out your right pocket
Ah, give me a printed shirt, sir
Make up your shirt up
I ain't have no luck now
Stick it up, mister, hear what I say, sir, yeah
Get your hands in the air, sir
And you will get no hurt, mister, oh oh
Stick it up, mister, hear what I say, sir, yeah
The lyrics of Toots and The Maytals's song "54-46 Was My Number" are a commentary on rebellious attitudes towards authority figures in Jamaica's developing society during the 1960s. Toots is boldly declaring his independence and freedom of thought with lines like "Stick it up, mister, hear what I say, sir," and "Do what I say, sir, just what I mean, sir," asserting his own power and refusing to be subjugated by governmental and societal norms. The repeated chorus of "54-46" reflects Toots's own experience of being imprisoned for marijuana possession in his youth, capturing the injustices of a system that criminalizes non-violent offenses and infringes upon personal liberties.
The verse about giving his number to the authorities reveals the theme of surveillance and control, with Toots asserting his autonomy by refusing to provide them with his information. The lines "Turn out your right pocket / Give me a printed shirt, sir / Make up your shirt up / I ain't have no luck now" suggest that Toots has been stopped and frisked by police officers, a common practice at the time, and falsely accused of crimes he did not commit. Toots's lyrics thus become a powerful statement of resistance and survival, offering a model of how to navigate oppressive political systems with dignity and defiance.
Line by Line Meaning
I said yeah (I said yeah), listen what I say (listen what I say)
The singer is emphasizing his seriousness by repeating himself and wants his listeners to pay attention to him.
I said stick it up mister
The singer commands someone to raise their hands.
Get your hands in the air, sir
The singer wants the person to raise their hands as a sign of surrender.
And you will get no hurt mister
The artist is reassuring the person that if they comply, they will not be harmed.
Do what I say sir
The artist is repeating his command and wants the person to follow his orders.
Just what I mean sir
The singer means what he says and wants the person to understand this.
Second thing they say I must join the office
The singer is discussing the demands made by someone in a position of authority on him.
Third thing they say, "Son, give me your number now"
The artist describes another demand placed upon him.
He'd say "What's your number?" I don't answer
The artist refuses to comply with this demand.
I said "fifty four forty six, that's my number"
The artist reveals his own number.
Turn out your right pocket
The singer seems to be demanding that someone empty their pocket.
Ah, give me a printed shirt, sir
The artist demands an item of clothing, perhaps implying a bribe.
Make up your shirt up
The singer orders someone to cover themselves up.
I ain't have no luck now
The singer is expressing that he is having bad luck with something.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: FREDERICK HIBBERT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind