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.
Careless Ethiopians
Toots and The Maytals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Have gone astray
So much carless Ethiopians
Have gone away
Hey Hey
They calling up an anti Christ each night and day
Pray for a god to come from outer space
So much carless Ethiopians
Have gone astray
So much carless Ethiopians
Have lost their way
Are you coming my way? (x2)
I said I wonder what you do
You gotta come my way
Come my way
Is they know not where they're going?
They've gone astray
Toots and The Maytals's song Careless Ethiopians is a song about the people of Ethiopia who have lost sight of their traditions, morals and values. The opening lines of the song, "So much carless Ethiopians, Have gone astray, So much carless Ethiopians, Have gone away" is a statement on the lost and forgotten nature of the Ethiopian people. The lyrics suggest that these Ethiopians have lost their traditions of caring for one another, community, and self. They have chosen to live carelessly and have strayed from the path of righteousness, leading to their downfall.
The lyrics continue with a suggestion that these Ethiopians have turned their backs on their traditional beliefs and instead have turned to anti-Christ ideologies. They have abandoned the teachings of their ancestors and pray for a God to come from outer space to save them from their mistakes. This verse could be taken as a commentary on the impact of colonialism and the forced introduction of western religion on the Ethiopian people, causing them to forget their ancient traditions.
As the song progresses, the chorus repeats, "Are you coming my way? / I said I wonder what you do / You gotta come my way / Come my way," and this can be interpreted as a plea to the Ethiopians to return to their traditional ways. The singer is calling on the people to remember their heritage and recommit themselves to the values that were once important to them. The repeated lines, "Is they know not where they're going? / They've gone astray," adds a sense of urgency to the plea, emphasizing that the people need to return to their roots before it is too late.
Overall, the song can be seen as a comment on the importance of traditions, community, and self-care. The Ethiopians have forgotten these values, and the singer is urging them to embrace them once again before it is too late.
Line by Line Meaning
So much carless Ethiopians
There are many Ethiopians who lack care and caution in their actions
Have gone astray
They have become lost, misguided or gone in the wrong direction
So much carless Ethiopians
There are many Ethiopians who lack care and caution in their actions
Have gone away
They have departed or left without a clear destination or purpose
Hey Hey
An interjection to call attention or express enthusiasm
They calling up an anti Christ each night and day
They are invoking and welcoming evil or harmful forces into their lives
Pray for a god to come from outer space
They are desperately asking for divine or miraculous intervention to solve their problems
So much carless Ethiopians
There are many Ethiopians who lack care and caution in their actions
Have gone astray
They have become lost, misguided or gone in the wrong direction
So much carless Ethiopians
There are many Ethiopians who lack care and caution in their actions
Have lost their way
They have become confused or misguided and do not know what to do or where to go
Are you coming my way? (x2)
Asking if someone is willing to join in a particular direction or way of living
I said I wonder what you do
Expressing curiosity or interest in someone's actions or behavior
You gotta come my way
Urging someone to follow a certain path or choice
Come my way
Inviting someone to share a particular way of life
Is they know not where they're going?
Rhetorical question expressing doubt if they know their destination or purpose
They've gone astray
They have become lost, misguided or gone in the wrong direction
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: FREDERICK HIBBERT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@leonardantonio6111
Still listening this song since 1996 when I was at secondary school. RIP pioneer of reggae music.
@elisaabolafia9542
My favorite song by Toots ❣️🎵
@dreemeagle
powerful from one of the pioneers of reggae;
@jhaenga2330
I is coming your way , astray , but now on my way , Bless n praise's to the Most High from NZ Native 🔥
@welingtonairessantos4412
Puts. Que pedrada é essa 😎🇯🇲🇧🇷 Bar do Nelson 2021 toca muito.
@rastamindmusic
Bar do Nelson ❤️
@Mr100258
Classic reggae music from one our eminent musical masters. This song and the relevance thereof will always be valid. Respect for the posting.
@laviniapahulu
when I was 12years old this album was released
our sounds of the 80s
wanna be street kid even
thanks .. these are memorabilia for me
@onatural7475
BAR DO NELSON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! O MELHOR DO MARANHÃO!!!!
@lawrencenjawe1935
Unforgettable track from an eminent master and unshakeable genius of reggae.