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.
More And More
Toots and The Maytals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Each time you're near me the thrill is new
And there is nothing that I wouldn't do for
The rare delight of the sight of you for
The more I see you, the more I want you
Somehow this feeling just grows and grows
With every sigh I become more mad about you
Can you imagine how much I love you?
The more I see you as years go by
I know the only one for me can only be you
My arms won't free you, my heart won't try
I know the only one for me can only be you
My arms won't free you, my heart won't try
The lyrics to Toots and The Maytals's song "More And More" express a deep and ever-growing love for someone. The singer emphasizes the intensity of their emotions, comparing the feeling of seeing their loved one to the first time they laid eyes on them. Each time they are near, there is a sense of excitement and freshness, and they would do anything to experience the joyous sight of their beloved. The more they see this person, the stronger their desire for them becomes. It seems that the singer cannot help but fall deeper in love with every passing moment, as indicated by the growing feeling that "just grows and grows." The mention of sighs suggests a sense of longing and yearning, indicating that the singer becomes increasingly infatuated with this person. They feel lost without them, perhaps implying that their presence has become crucial to their happiness.
The lyrics also convey a sense of devotion and commitment. The singer imagines the magnitude of their love for this person, emphasizing that it only grows with the passing years. They believe that this individual is the only one for them, and no one else can compare. The declaration that their arms won't free the person and their heart won't try implies a sense of possessiveness and dedication. They are unwilling to let go or give up on this love, indicating a strong sense of love and loyalty.
Overall, "More And More" speaks to the timeless theme of love that grows and intensifies over time. It captures the overwhelming emotions, the desire for presence, and the commitment that come with true love.
Line by Line Meaning
Each time I look at you is like the first time
Every time I lay my eyes on you, it feels as exciting and magical as our first encounter.
Each time you're near me the thrill is new
Whenever you're close to me, I feel a fresh surge of excitement and exhilaration.
And there is nothing that I wouldn't do for
The rare delight of the sight of you for
I am willing to go to great lengths and do anything to cherish the precious joy of seeing you.
The more I see you, the more I want you
As I have the privilege of witnessing you more and more, my desire and longing for you intensify.
Somehow this feeling just grows and grows
Inexplicably, this emotion within me continues to expand and amplify.
With every sigh I become more mad about you
Every sigh I release signifies my increasing insanity and infatuation towards you.
More lost without you and so it goes
I become more disoriented and incomplete in your absence, and this pattern persists.
Can you imagine how much I love you?
Can you fathom the immense magnitude of my love for you?
The more I see you as years go by
As the years pass, witnessing you becomes even more significant and meaningful to me.
I know the only one for me can only be you
I am certain that you are the sole person meant for me, the one who truly completes me.
My arms won't free you, my heart won't try
I will never let go of you, nor will I ever attempt to distance myself emotionally from you.
I know the only one for me can only be you
I am convinced that you are the sole person meant for me, the one who perfectly matches my soul.
My arms won't free you, my heart won't try
I will always hold you close, never allowing you to slip away, and my heart will never cease loving you unconditionally.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Mack Gordon, Harry Warren
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind