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.
Reggae Got Soul Feat. Ken Boothe & Marcia Griffith
Toots and The Maytals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Got so much soul
Listen to the beat
Move your dancing feet
Rock your bodyline
Move in time
/: You don't have to salute
Listen to the beat
Move your dancing feet
Rock your bodyline
Right in time
This reggae got soul
Got so much soul :/
Grandmother can do it
Grandfather can do it
Do it and feel alright
/: This reggae got soul
Got so much soul
Reggae got soul
For the young and old :/
Makes me want to sing and dance and do all kinds of crazy things
When I listen to the music makes me want to shout Oh Glory Hallelujah
Makes me feel alright in the day or in the night
Ooh reggae got soul, reggae, reggae
Rock it to my bones, move me around
Reggae got soul, got so much soul
Al my life I feel so good
Come on baby, come have a dance with me
Reggae, reggae, reggae got soul.......
The lyrics to Toots and The Maytals' song, "Reggae Got Soul" are about the power and influence of reggae music. The song begins by asserting that reggae has an abundance of soul, encouraging listeners to feel its beat and rhythm and move their bodies accordingly. The lyrics suggest that the power of this music transcends social norms and expectations; listeners don't have to "salute" while the music is playing or follow any specific rules of behavior.
The song also emphasizes the accessibility of reggae; the lyrics suggest that anyone can enjoy and participate in this music, regardless of age or background. Grandmothers and grandfathers can do it and feel alright - this music is for the young and old. The chorus repeats the idea that "reggae got soul" in a call-and-response style, with various vocalists affirming the power of this music.
Overall, the lyrics suggest that reggae music is a unifying and uplifting force that can make people feel good and move their bodies in joyful ways. The song encourages listeners to let go of their inhibitions and surrender themselves to the beat, rejoicing in the soulful power of reggae music.
Line by Line Meaning
Reggae got soul
This genre of music has a deep, emotional and spiritual quality that connects with the human soul.
Got so much soul
Reggae music possesses a huge amount of soulful energy that can uplift anyone who listens to it.
Listen to the beat
Pay attention to the rhythm and melody of the music.
Move your dancing feet
Move your feet to the music and express yourself through dance.
Rock your bodyline
Move your body in a way that flows with the music.
Move in time
Dance to the rhythm of the music in a coordinated manner.
You don't have to salute
There's no need to show any kind of formality when listening to reggae music.
While I'm passing through
When I'm around or nearby, don't feel obligated to stand at attention or show any formal gesture.
Right in time
Dance in cadence with the music's rhythm.
Grandmother can do it
Reggae music is easy to dance to, even older generations can move to it.
Grandfather can do it
The ease of dancing to reggae music knows no age limit, not even older generations.
Do it and feel alright
Dance to the music and feel good about yourself and the experience.
For the young and old
Reggae music appeals to listeners of all ages.
Makes me want to sing and dance
The emotion and energy in reggae music inspires me to express myself through singing and dance.
And do all kinds of crazy things
Reggae music can bring about a sense of freedom that can inspire unorthodox or spontaneous actions.
When I listen to the music makes me want to shout Oh Glory Hallelujah
The effect of the music causes me to feel so good, I want to express that feeling with exclamations of joy.
Makes me feel alright in the day or in the night
The effect of the music brings about a sense of peace and wellness whether it's day or night.
Rock it to my bones, move me around
The music's rhythm and energy are so strong, it affects me physically and moves me to dance.
Al my life I feel so good
Reggae music has been a part of my life for so long and has brought me so much joy.
Come on baby, come have a dance with me
Let's share the experience of enjoying reggae music and express ourselves through dance together.
Reggae, reggae, reggae got soul.......
The core of reggae music is its soulful essence that touches the hearts and spirits of its listeners.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: FREDERICK HIBBERT, WARRICK LYN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind