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.
Never You Change
Toots and The Maytals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sweetheart, darling, bear in mind all the time
That a constant friend is hard to find, find
But when you find one that is good and kind, oh
Never you change, never you change
Old for new, oh darling
Old for new
Because I love you, is that I want you to know
That I really, really, really love you so
So, so, so, darling, you remember when we both were small
I never fall in love before, but it's you my heart is aching for
Ooh, ooh, my people
Just keep on, darling, bear in mind all the time
That a constant friend is hard to find, find
But when you find one that is good and kind
Never you change, never you change
Old for new, oh darling, please never you change
Never you change
Old for new, oh darling, never, never
Never you change
Old for new, oh darling
The lyrics to "Never You Change" by Toots and The Maytals reflect the importance of constant love and friendship in our lives. The song begins with the plea to hear the person again, emphasizing the desire for their presence. The singer then reminds their loved one to bear in mind that finding a constant friend, someone who is good and kind, is hard to come by. Once that person is found, it is important never to change them for anything else, not even for something new.
Throughout the song, the singer emphasizes the importance of their loved one as they recognize the lack of true constant friends in the world. They express their love by reminding them how much they mean to them, even when they were small. The refrain "never you change, old for new" is repeated throughout the song as a reinforcement of the idea that they want their loved one just as they are, without any changes.
In summary, "Never You Change" is a beautiful reminder of the importance of finding constant friends, genuine love and appreciation for those we cherish in our lives. The song encourages the preservation of the precious traits that we hold in high esteem in others and the need to honor them.
Line by Line Meaning
Let me hear you again, now, oh baby, sir
Please, my beloved, speak again to me in your sweet voice.
Sweetheart, darling, bear in mind all the time
My love, always keep in mind the following wisdom:
That a constant friend is hard to find, find
It is rare to find a true and loyal friend.
But when you find one that is good and kind, oh
But when you find such a friend, hold on to them.
Never you change, never you change
Do not change your ways, my dear one.
Old for new, oh darling
Do not trade what we have for something new.
Because I love you, is that I want you to know
I want you to know how much I love you.
That I really, really, really love you so
I love you deeply and sincerely.
So, so, so, darling, you remember when we both were small
My dear, do you recall our childhood together?
I never fall in love before, but it's you my heart is aching for
I had never loved before, but now I love only you.
Ooh, ooh, my people
Oh, my dear ones.
Just keep on, darling, bear in mind all the time
Please keep in mind the following.
That a constant friend is hard to find, find
It is rare to find a true and loyal friend.
But when you find one that is good and kind
But when you find such a friend, hold on to them.
Never you change, never you change
Do not change your ways, my dear one.
Old for new, oh darling, please never you change
Please do not trade what we have for something new.
Never you change
Do not change.
Old for new, oh darling, never, never
Do not trade what we have for anything else.
Never you change
Do not change.
Old for new, oh darling
Do not trade what we have for something new.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: FREDERICK HIBBERT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Fairley_Bule
Let me hear you again, now, oh baby, sir
Sweetheart, darling, bear in mind all the time
That a constant friend is hard to find, find
But when you find one that is good and kind, oh
Never you change, never you change
Old for new, oh darling
Never you change, never you change
Old for new
Because I love you, is that I want you to know
That I really, really, really love you so
So, so, so, darling, you remember when we both were small
I never fall in love before, but it's you my heart is aching for
Ooh, ooh, my people
Just keep on, darling, bear in mind all the time
That a constant friend is hard to find, find
But when you find one that is good and kind
Never you change, never you change
Old for new, oh darling, please never you change
Never you change
Old for new, oh darling, never, never
Never you change
Old for new, oh darling
@bickliffeoba1620
Great Toots Frederick Hibbert, we will never change from loving your music. Corona Virus has done its worst, but we love you. Rest in peace, great Toots!
@paulettefrancis8693
I miss you so much Toots
@paulettefrancis8693
Gone but not forgotten
@janetbarnett9399
Can't change the old for the new, memories kept coming...RIP
@kaulanakanekoa5800
Just heard toots passed😥 Heartbreaking! Was and will always be the Skafather. This is one of his masterpieces.
@MicahSeymour
One of the best Reggae Rock albums of all time. Marley wishes he made this.
@racketman2u
oh, well said! Let's be honest, Marley was brilliant, but after I'd discovered reggae listening to him, this album was a revelation as well.
@Fairley_Bule
This Track still beats 99.9% of those new 'reggae' hits . . . .Classic Toots.
@timpani1950
God Bless Toots! He is still a bundle of loving energy at his live shows!
@sifisosibiya135
Grew up with this music,love from south Africa