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.
Something
Toots and The Maytals Lyrics
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When you are far away from me
Just a little something, meaning love cannot die
No matter where you chance to be
So I'll pray for you, night and day for you
It will see me through like a charm 'til you return
So give me something I can remember you by
So I'll pray for you, every single day for you
It will see me through like a charm until you return
Give me something, something to remember you by
When you are far away from me
The lyrics to Toots and The Maytals' "Do You Remember" express the desire to hold onto the memory of a loved one who is far away. The singer asks for "something to remember you by" that will keep their love alive even while they are separated. This "something" could be a physical object or a meaningful experience shared between them. The repetition of the phrase "night and day for you" and "every single day for you" reinforces the dedication of the singer's love.
The tone of the song is plaintive but ultimately hopeful. The singer acknowledges the difficulty of being apart from someone they care deeply about but finds comfort in the idea that their love will endure. The lyrics are simple and straightforward but convey a deep emotional resonance.
Overall, "Do You Remember" is a song about the power of love to transcend distance and time. It speaks to the universal human experience of missing someone we love and the importance of cherishing the memories we have with them.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, give me something to remember you by
Please leave me with some kind of keepsake or tangible reminder of you.
When you are far away from me
This request is being made in anticipation of the singer's impending separation from the addressee.
Just a little something, meaning love cannot die
This keepsake should represent the singer and addressee's eternal love for each other.
No matter where you chance to be
The love between the artist and addressee is so strong that it will endure any distance or separation.
So I'll pray for you, night and day for you
The artist will constantly offer up prayers for the addressee's health, safety, and happiness while they are apart.
It will see me through like a charm 'til you return
The singer believes that their devotion and prayers will act as a source of strength and comfort during the separation, until they are reunited.
So give me something I can remember you by
The singer reiterates their request for a keepsake, emphasizing the importance of having something to remember the addressee by during the separation.
So I'll pray for you, every single day for you
The artist again promises to offer daily prayers for the addressee's well-being and safe return.
It will see me through like a charm until you return
The artist reaffirms their conviction that their prayers will act as a talisman, helping them cope with the separation until the addressee comes back.
Give me something, something to remember you by
The song concludes with the artist once more expressing their desire for a keepsake to help them feel connected to the addressee while separated.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ARTHUR SCHWARTZ, HOWARD DIETZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind