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 Locknโ Festival in Arrington, Virginia, where guest Taj Mahal accompanied them on the song โMonkey Manโ.
Frontman "Toots" Hibbert died on 12 September 2020.
Premature
Toots and The Maytals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let her go right home
She's underage
She's not fit for the preacher
Let the girl go go home
Let her go right home
She's underage
She's not fit for the Preacher
To see the sweet carnal show
Lord she's the one little girl
Her mother ever had
And I'm the one little son
My father ever had
Mmm,hmm
Mmm,hmm
Let the girl go home
Let her go right home
She's underage
She's not fit for the preacher
She's only 14 going to 15
Lord she's the one little girl
Her mama ever had
I'm the one little son
My father ever had
Mmm,hmm
Mmm,hmm
As telling through the prophecy
Brother Moses tell it to me
As telling through the prophecy
Revelation rock it to me
Let the girl go home
Let her go right home
She's underage
She's not fit for the Preacher
Only adults can go
To see the sweet carnal show
Lord she's the one little girl
Her mama ever had
And I'm the one little son
My father ever had
Mmm,hmm
Mmm,hmm
If everybody premature
They're walking and singing
And begging for more
If everybody premature
They're walking and singing
And laughing for more
As telling through the prophecy
Moses tell it to me
As telling through the prophecy
Revelation rock it to me
You see the children shall be having children
You see the children shall be having children
You see the children shall be having children
Children children children
Children children children
Children children children
Children children children
A whole lot of children
Children
As telling through the prophecy
Mother tell it to me
As telling through the prophecy
Rastaman sock it to me
The lyrics of Toots and The Maytals's song, "Premature," highlight the issue of child marriage and the harmful effects it has on young girls. The song urges people to let the girl go home as she is underage and not fit for the preacher. The song draws attention to how young girls are often forced into marriage, depriving them of education and the freedom to make their own choices in life. The lyrics emphasize that they are still children, and it's not right to subject them to the demands of society. Toots and The Maytals expressed the need for the girl's safe return home and the importance of ending child marriage.
The song also highlights the prophecy of Brother Moses, who talks about the implications of premature relationships. The lyrics suggest that if people engage in premature relationships, they will walk and beg for more. The song emphasizes the idea that it is not just harmful to the children involved but also to society as a whole. In the end, the song urges parents to educate their children on the dangers of premature relationships to avoid further harm.
Line by Line Meaning
Let the girl go home
Allow the underage girl to leave and go home
Let her go right home
Allow her to go home immediately
She's underage
She is not yet of legal age
She's not fit for the preacher
She is not suitable to be around the preacher
Only adults can go
The event is only open to adults
To see the sweet carnal show
The event is a sexually explicit performance
Lord she's the one little girl
She is a special and important young girl
Her mother ever had
She is her mother's only child
And I'm the one little son
He is his father's only child
My father ever had
He is the only son his father has
She's only 14 going to 15
She is a young teenager
As telling through the prophecy
As predicted in the religious text
Brother Moses tell it to me
Moses, a religious leader, shares this message
Revelation rock it to me
The message is profound and powerful
If everybody premature
If everyone is behaving in a childish or immature manner
They're walking and singing
They are carefree and happy
And begging for more
They are insatiable and want more
You see the children shall be having children
The youth will have children of their own
Children children children
Many children will be born
A whole lot of children
There will be a great number of children
Mother tell it to me
The message comes from the Divine Mother
Rastaman sock it to me
The Rastafarian message is powerful and meaningful
Contributed by Callie K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@07311986
Clara's Heart brought me here. And I am so glad it did.
@Katzi_
Me too!
@giusymastrogiacomo4879
Great! I 've got the title
@tanakasikwila5613
Reggae got soul.....my first vinyl collection!!!
@AgTigress
Forever grateful that I saw this reggae legend live on stage. Unique voice, such a wonderful musician. Never forgotten, Toots Hibbert.
@tafimutekwe2855
Few musicians can command the same awesome stage presence as Toots. His audience were like his beloved children. He serenaded them the way a nursery school teacher serenades her pupils.
@mami204many8
Lord you are merciful.'lve been looking for this song for ages.
@LouisNamukamba-oi2bk
Wonderful,will shine ever
@bickliffeoba1620
Great Toots Frederick, leaving this world now at 78 to me it is Premature. Rest in peace!
@kingofhiphop1000
Sorry but is Toots passed away ?