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.
Time Tough
Toots and The Maytals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But sleep won't come
get up in the night
I couldn't stand my feeling no
Early in the morning
Oh mercy
It's just the same situation
Deep in the landlordComes a knocking up on my door
He's a knocking up on my door
I've got $400/month rent to pay
and I can't find a dollar
let me, Let me tell you...
Time tough (time tough)
Everything is out of sight, so hard
(so hard) so hard (so hard)
Time tough (time tough)
Everything is going higher and higher
(higher and higher)
Sister Lee cannot bear it
Brother Lincoln only stand it now
They crying night and day, louder and louder
Nobody to help them in their way
I've got $400/month rent to pay
and I can't find a dollar
let me, Let me tell you...
Good times won't lead into bad times
but the bad times take over
And when I was a little boy
I just kept on feeling it, feeling it
Can't blame the minister
and you can't blame the preacher
and you can't blame your brother
and you cannot blame your sister
Can't blame your friends
cuz today is judgement day
And that's why everyone have to pray
The lyrics to Toots and The Maytals's song Time Tough express the struggle of the working class to make ends meet. The song starts with the singer unable to sleep due to his worries about money, and the desperation he feels is palpable. He wakes up early in the morning, but the situation remains unchanged. The landlord knocks at his door for the rent, but he is unable to pay. The chorus of the song describes the tough times people are going through, with everything going higher and higher, out of reach for most people.
The second verse shows how the situation is affecting other people in the singer's life. Sister Lee and Brother Lincoln are also struggling, and they cry night and day with nobody to help them. The song expresses the frustration and hopelessness of those who are caught in a cycle of poverty.
The final verse seems to offer some hope. It acknowledges that bad times can take over, but suggests that people should not blame others for their situation. Instead, the song encourages people to pray, as today is judgment day. Overall, Time Tough is a powerful commentary on the struggles of life, particularly for those who are financially disadvantaged.
Line by Line Meaning
I go to bed
I try to go to sleep
But sleep won't come
But I can't fall asleep
get up in the night
I wake up in the middle of the night
I couldn't stand my feeling no
I can't handle how I'm feeling
Early in the morning
As soon as the sun rises
Oh mercy
Oh my God
It's just the same situation
I'm in the same predicament
Deep in the landlord
My landlord comes knocking
Comes a knocking up on my door
Knocking on my door
He's a knocking up on my door
He's knocking on my door
I've got $400/month rent to pay
I have to pay $400 for rent every month
and I can't find a dollar
But I don't have any money
let me, Let me tell you...
Let me explain my situation
Time tough (time tough)
Times are hard
Everything is out of sight, so hard
Everything is difficult
(so hard) so hard (so hard)
(very difficult)
Time tough (time tough)
Times are hard
Everything is going higher and higher
Things are getting more expensive
(higher and higher)
(more and more expensive)
Sister Lee cannot bear it
Sister Lee can't handle it either
Brother Lincoln only stand it now
Brother Lincoln is barely getting by
They crying night and day, louder and louder
They're crying more and more
Nobody to help them in their way
No one can help them
Good times won't lead into bad times
Good times won't turn into bad times
but the bad times take over
But the bad times take control
And when I was a little boy
When I was young
I just kept on feeling it, feeling it
I just kept feeling the same way
Can't blame the minister
Can't blame the preacher
and you can't blame the preacher
Can't blame the priest
and you can't blame your brother
Can't blame your brother
and you cannot blame your sister
Can't blame your sister
Can't blame your friends
Can't blame your friends
cuz today is judgement day
It's time to be accountable
And that's why everyone have to pray
That's why everyone needs to pray
Contributed by Aubrey E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@clashgo78
I go to bed but sleep won't come
Get up in the night
I couldn't fight my feelings
Early in the morning
It's just the same situation
Here comes the landlord just a knocking upon my door
I've got four hundred/month rent to pay
And I can't find a job
Let me tell you time tough
Everything is out of sight, it's so hard
Time tough
Everything is growing higher and higher
Sister lee cannot bear it
And brother Lincoln only stand it now
They're crying night and day, louder and louder
Nobody to help them make their way
I've got four hundred/month rent to pay
And I can't find a dollar
Let me tell you time tough
Everything is out of sight, it's so hard
Time hard
Everything is growing higher and higher
Good times once lead into bad times
But now the bad times take over
When I was a little boy
I just keep on feeling it, feeling it, feeling it, feeling it
Now listen
Time tough
Everything is out of sight, it's so hard
Time tough
Everything is growing higher and higher
Can't blame the minister
And you can't blame the preacher
And you can't blame your brother
And you cannot blame your sister
Can't blame your friends
'Cause today is judgement day
And that's why everyone have to pray
Let me tell you time tough
Everything is out of sight, it's so hard
Time tough
Everything is growing higher and higher
@Desmuu
I'm so glad this was Nyjah Huston's music in Tony Hawk's Project 8. Forever shaped my taste in music.
@Ayeim_A
Omg yess !! That game introduced me to this
@AnupKumar-ru1ee
This is song was relevant then, now and in the future..." everything will cost higher & time will b tough & it b hard!" Legend Toots.
@Mar2623
when my daughter was 1 she did cry allot before going to bed. I would put hear on my shoulder and the volume very low so if she wanted to listen she would have to stop crying. Thanks Toots for some easy nights. :)
@marvshinkleman6821
This has to be the most beautiful comment on YouTube. Thank you for writing it.
@janicenielson9824
Saw them in the Bahamas in 1974. Wonderful.
@70mustang302
Awesome!
@streetgospel133
Timeless and still relevant in these times...
@Schneedle.Ska69
RIP Toots. Thank you for putting the Funky Kingston in my soul.
@ynwa73
Ska + reggae https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFF74C59D7D36FE71