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.
Night and Day
Toots and The Maytals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wonder if the time can come
Night and day and night
I wonder if the time can come, money
So I sit alone in life's memory
Just outside of the world I know
So I stand at peace
Wonder why they want to stop
Want to stop my life
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Night and day
Night and day and night
I wonder if the time can come
Yeah, you some love my friend
Yeah, you'll get good lovin' my friend
You may want some lovin', my friend, yeah
You'll get good lovin' my friend
The lyrics to Toots and The Maytals' song Night And Day express a sense of longing and contemplation over the passing of time. The repeated phrase "night and day" suggests a consistent and ongoing feeling of uncertainty about what the future holds. The lyrics further emphasize this theme with the phrase "I wonder if the time can come," suggesting the possibility or hope for change.
The line "So I sit alone in life's memory" portrays a sense of isolation, as if the singer is disconnected from the world around them. This feeling is further explored in the line "Just outside of the world I know," indicating that the singer is on the outskirts of society or perhaps experiencing a sense of detachment from their own life. The phrase "Watching those wicked creep" provides an ominous tone to the song, suggesting that the singer is wary of those around them.
The lyrics take a turn in the final verses, with the repeated refrain "you'll get good lovin' my friend" suggesting a message of hope and positivity. Despite the uncertainties of life, the singer seems to be offering reassurance to their friends that they will find happiness and love.
Overall, the lyrics to Night And Day explore themes of loneliness, uncertainty, and hope. The repeated phrases and evocative imagery create a sense of contemplation and introspection about the fleeting nature of time.
Line by Line Meaning
Night and day and night
The singer is always contemplating the passing of time.
I wonder if the time can come
The singer is uncertain if their desires will ever come to fruition.
Night and day and night
The singer reiterates their constant worry about time.
I wonder if the time can come, money
The artist is questioning if money will ever enable them to achieve their desires.
So I sit alone in life's memory
The artist reflects upon their past, and how it shapes their present situation.
Just outside of the world I know
The singer feels detached from their surroundings, and unsure of their place in the world.
So I stand at peace
Despite their uncertainty, the singer still finds stability and calmness.
Watching those wicked creep, yeah
The artist observes those who seek to cause harm to others.
Wonder why they want to stop
The artist questions the motives of those who seek to harm others.
Want to stop my life
The artist feels that their life is being threatened by these malicious individuals.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
An expression of frustration and exasperation.
Yeah, you some love my friend
The artist is offering friendship and companionship to someone.
Yeah, you'll get good lovin' my friend
The singer is assuring their friend that they will receive affection and kindness from them.
You may want some lovin', my friend, yeah
The singer acknowledges their friend's desire for intimacy and reassures them.
You'll get good lovin' my friend
The singer repeats their promise of affection and kindness to their friend.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: FREDERICK HIBBERT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind