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.
Precious Precious
Toots and The Maytals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Precious, precious.
Precious baby, you're mine.
Mmm... if you don't love me, I'm used to that.
If you don't need me, baby, I can adjust to that.
If you don't want me, honey, that's alright.
If you ain't willin', baby, there sure won't be no fight.
In loving you
And I'll be waiting 'round when you get through.
Oh, you're precious, honey.
You're so precious.
Precious baby, you're mine.
You've been in and out of my life
And, ooh, baby that hurts,
Baby, that hurts, yeah.
You've been with every girl in this town.
You've been dealin' in dirt.
Just wallowin' in dirt, yes you have.
But I look at love as a two-way street.
You get the good with the bad,
You take the bitter with the sweet.
Oh, you're precious, honey.
You're so precious, baby.
Precious baby, you're mine.
Oooh-oooh, na, na, na, na, yeah, baby.
Oooh-oooh, na, na, na, na, yeah, baby.
Mmm... what people say about ya
Sure ain't no fun
But what they don't know about ya,
You're like two men wrapped up in one.
We've got our life, so let's make it.
It's our chance, so come on, baby, let's take it.
Oh, you're precious, baby.
You're so precious (precious).
Precious baby, you're mine.
Yes, honey (precious).
You're precious, baby.
Precious baby, you're mine.
Ooh, you're precious, baby, yeah (precious).
You're so precious, yes, you are (precious).
Precious baby, you're mine.
Oooh, you're precious, honey (precious).
Oooh, you're precious, baby (precious).
Precious baby, you're mine.
Toots and The Maytals's song Precious Precious is a beautiful love song with a message of persistence and unwavering dedication. The lyrics convey a sentiment of unconditional love, in which the singer expresses that even if their love interest does not reciprocate their feelings or has been with other people before, they will continue to love them. The repeated use of the word "precious" throughout the song illustrates just how much the singer cherishes the object of their affection.
The opening lines of "Precious, precious" are repeated several times throughout the song, emphasizing the significance of the person being addressed. The chorus, "Precious baby, you're mine," captures the main theme of the song, that the singer's love is everlasting and unwavering. There is a sense of understanding that runs through the song, where the singer acknowledges that their love interest may look at love differently, and has made mistakes in their past. They vow to accept the love interest as they come, with all their flaws and imperfections. The final lines of the song, "Ooh, you're precious, honey, Oooh, you're precious, baby; Precious baby, you're mine," leave no doubt that the singer is entirely devoted to the love interest.
Overall, Precious Precious is an exceptional love song that speaks of unconditional love, dedication, and persistence. It is a reminder that love is not always easy, but it is worth the effort and the struggles that come with it.
Line by Line Meaning
Precious, precious.
The singer emphasizes the value of their partner, showing how important they are to them.
Precious baby, you're mine.
The singer declares their possession of their beloved and lets them know how much they mean to them.
Mmm... if you don't love me, I'm used to that.
The singer acknowledges that their partner may not love them as they do, but that won't change how they feel.
If you don't need me, baby, I can adjust to that.
The singer accepts that their partner may not need them, but that won't affect their love for them.
If you don't want me, honey, that's alright.
The singer acknowledges that their partner may not want them, but that won't change how they feel and they will still be content.
If you ain't willin', baby, there sure won't be no fight.
The singer knows their partner may not be willing to love them as they do, but they are not going to force them and will still be satisfied.
'Cause I'm still satisfied
In loving you
And I'll be waiting 'round when you get through.
The singer remains satisfied with loving their partner regardless of their feelings, and will continue to wait for them to come around.
Oh, you're precious, honey.
You're so precious.
The singer reaffirms how valuable their partner is to them and how much they mean to them.
You've been in and out of my life
And, ooh, baby that hurts,
Baby, that hurts, yeah.
The singer expresses how their partner's inconsistent behavior has affected them emotionally, causing pain.
You've been with every girl in this town.
You've been dealin' in dirt.
Just wallowin' in dirt, yes you have.
The singer accuses their partner of cheating on them and engaging in questionable behavior.
But I look at love as a two-way street.
You get the good with the bad,
You take the bitter with the sweet.
The singer understands that a relationship is not always perfect and that there will be good and bad times.
Oooh-oooh, na, na, na, na, yeah, baby.
Mmm... what people say about ya
Sure ain't no fun
But what they don't know about ya,
You're like two men wrapped up in one.
Despite what people may say about their partner, the singer knows them well and understands their complexity.
We've got our life, so let's make it.
It's our chance, so come on, baby, let's take it.
The singer wants to work on their relationship and make the most of their life together, taking the opportunity to do so.
Yes, honey (precious).
You're precious, baby.
Precious baby, you're mine.
Ooh, you're precious, baby, yeah (precious).
You're so precious, yes, you are (precious).
Precious baby, you're mine.
Oooh, you're precious, honey (precious).
Oooh, you're precious, baby (precious).
Precious baby, you're mine.
The singer continues to express their love for their partner and how much they mean to them, repeating throughout the song how 'precious' they are to them.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JACKIE MOORE, JOHN LEE BATDORF
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
clash1954
Toots is in a class by himself. Truly, one of the all-time greats.
Michael Taylor
Yes he is one of a kind!!
Lawrence Njawe
I had this on cassette in 88 but was hugely disappointed by its un-rootsy feel despite some critics' acclaim. But I acknowledge Toots as one of my all time favorite reggae artists.