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Funky Kingston
Toots and 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 (x3)
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

The lyrics to Toots and The Maytals' "Funky Kingston" suggest that the artist has an innate talent for music and aims to communicate his real, authentic self through his craft. The opening lines, "I want you to believe every word I say, I want you to believe every thing I do," are bold and confident, showing that the artist is not afraid to be vulnerable and put himself out there. He asserts that his music is the best thing he can offer, and he needs to find a way to make it.


The chorus of the song, which repeats the line "Funky Kingston" several times, is catchy, rhythmic, and joyful, reflecting the spirit of the music Toots and The Maytals are known for. The artist emphasizes that "Funky Kingston" is what he has to offer to his audience, which is essentially his energy, charisma, and passion for music. He encourages his listeners to shake it and enjoy the music, suggesting that it will lift them up and connect them to something greater than themselves.


The song also contains a reference to the artist's love for Black America, which suggests that his music is connected to broader social and political issues. By playing from east to west and north to south, Toots and The Maytals express their desire to reach different audiences and create a sense of unity through their music. Overall, "Funky Kingston" is an uplifting and energizing song that celebrates the power of music to bring people together and express the artist's authentic self.


Line by Line Meaning

Everybody, give it to me huh
Addressing everyone in the room, the singer wants them to give him their attention


Hey Hey Hey
A vocal exclamation to get the audience excited and ready


I want you to believe every word I say
The singer wants the audience to trust him and what he says


I want you to believe every thing I do
The artist wants the audience to have faith in his actions


I said music is what I've got to give
The artist's greatest talent is his ability to create music


And I've got to find some way to make it
The singer wants to make a career out of his musical talent


Music is what I've got baby
The singer considers music to be his most valuable possession


I want you to come on and shake it
The artist wants the audience to dance to his music


Shake it shake it baby
An energetic call to action for the audience to dance


Oh yeah hey
An enthusiastic interjection to keep the audience engaged


Na na na...
A musical interlude to keep the rhythm going


Oh yeah..na na na
A continuation of the musical interlude


Funky (x3)
A repetition of the chorus to emphasize the theme of the song


Funky Kingston, is what I've got for you
The singer's musical style is what he's presenting to the audience


Oh yeah
An exclamation of excitement and approval


Funky Kingston, yeah is what I've got for you
Repetition of the chorus to emphasize the artist's musical offering


Lemme hear your funky guitar
The artist is asking for a musical response from the guitarist


Yo reggae
A shout out to the reggae genre, which is the basis for this song


Hear the piano, stick it to me
The singer is asking for the pianist to add to the song


Watch me now
The artist wants the audience to pay attention to what he's about to do


You watch me now
The artist is calling for the audience's undivided attention


Playing from east to west yeah
The artist is saying he performs all over the place


I just play from north to south, yeah
A variation of the previous line, the singer performs in all directions


I love black America
The artist is expressing appreciation for African American culture, which has greatly influenced his music


People keep on asking me for
The singer has requests for specific songs from his audience


Funky Kingston
The singer's signature sound and most popular song


But I ain't got none
A playful contradiction, the singer is saying he doesn't have what his audience is asking for


Somebody take it away from me
The artist is being facetious, he's offering something he doesn't have and pretending to give it away




Contributed by Caleb M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@g.b.174

REGGAE

GOT

SOUL

πŸ™πŸΌβ€οΈπŸ’›πŸ’š

To the Great and Irreplaceable Toots Hibbert. An absolute LEGEND. Thank you for bringing so much joy and happiness to the World. You will be missed beyond words. #MakeChesterProud



@andrewpetik2034

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 Kingston, is what I've got for you
Oh yeah
Funky Kingston, yeah is what I've got for you
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
But I ain't got none
Somebody take it away from me



All comments from YouTube:

@lauriemills4336

I can’t believe he’s gone. I’ve been loving his music since my boyfriend turned me on to the soundtrack album from β€œThe Harder they come”. I was 16 and although it wasn’t new music, I was hooked on his sound. My neighbors are getting educated in what true Reggae sounds like all ...week. It’s like a healing balm on my soul to get lost in this music during these stressful times. Thank you Toots, Rest In Peace brother.

@jimrolfe-herbert8583

I watched the film The Harder they come in Brixton in 1972 and the audience fell about laughing when sub titles came on the screen lol

@Kim_Jong_Un_2023

My all time favorite Funky Kingston

@stephenlayzell4786

That drum roll in the middle of the song is always electric no matter how many times I hear it!!!

@SaphirSouenEstherG

R I P Toots Hibbert - December 8, 1942 - September 11, 2020

@paulbarnes8363

Bad news for sure

@AssistantPimp2

died the same date as Peter Tosh...

@tomasghisolfo5309

@AssistantPimp2 kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkz.&.&..&.z..luz&.&zkz..&.&.&.&.&..&.&.&.&.&...&.&.&.&.&..&.&.&..&.kzkzkz&.&.&.

@apapapapo3171

Bro.... 9/11

@apapapapo3171

@tomas ghisolfo what are you saying?

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