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.
When I Laugh
Toots and The Maytals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Or so they say
And Lady Luck don’t often come round my way
And if you saw me coming you’d cross to the other side
And I may be smiling, but I’m burning up inside
I’m just a man
And life is hard
But what’s the use of dreaming of a better day?
Some men are born to lose
And so I have to say
When I meet my maker
Oh, just for fun
Yeah, I’m going to tell him
Where he went wrong
’Cause I’ve got nothing
But the blisters on my shoes
When I meet my maker, woah woah woah
When I meet my maker, huh huh
When I meet my maker
I’m going to have to say
If I were a rich man
I’d have been OK
But I had nothing
But the sun up in the sky
When I meet my maker, woah woah woah
When I meet my maker, huh huh
She said, ‘You’re just a man, but it’s OK
And I’m going to show you how to find the right way
Into the brightest day a little rain must fall
And I can help you when trouble comes to call’
You’re just a man, ha ha!
No more, no less
Got to keep on fighting when life puts you to the test
And you don’t need to cry
Your life is in your hands
So I tell you, brother
So you can understand, yeah, yeah, yeah
When you meet your maker
Yeah, when you’re done
Just don’t ever tell her
Where she went wrong
’Cause you’ll have something
For the blisters on your shoes
When you meet your maker, woah woah woah
When you meet your maker, huh huh
When you meet your maker
Don’t forget to say
That you were a rich man
In every single way
And you were thankful
For the sun up in the sky
When you meet your maker, woah woah woah
When you meet your maker, huh huh
Toots and The Maytals's song "When I Laugh" is a melancholic song about the struggles of life and the search for meaning. The lyrics are from the perspective of the singer, who describes himself as just a man, unlucky in life and often overlooked by society. He wears a smile on his face, but inside he is burning up. The singer dreams of a better day, but feels that some men are born to lose, and he considers himself one of them.
The chorus of the song talks about meeting one's maker, the end of life and facing judgment for one's actions. The singer says that he will tell his maker where he went wrong, probably blaming his misfortunes on fate or destiny. He sings that he has nothing but the blisters on his shoes, suggesting that his struggles have been physical and financial. However, he also longs for a better life, wishing he had been a rich man, which could have made things easier.
Despite the singer's hardships, there is a glimmer of hope in the song. A woman tells him that he is just a man, and that it's okay to face tough times. She promises to show him how to find the right way and to help him when trouble comes. The woman encourages the singer to keep fighting and not to cry because his life is in his hands. In the end, the singer advises the listener to be thankful for what they have in life and to be a rich man in every way, even if they don't have material wealth.
Line by Line Meaning
I’m just a man
I am a mere mortal
Or so they say
That is how people describe me
And Lady Luck don’t often come round my way
I do not usually have good fortune
And if you saw me coming you’d cross to the other side
People avoid me because of my reputation
And I may be smiling, but I’m burning up inside
Although I act positive, deep down, I am struggling
And life is hard
Existence is difficult
And I’m in the gutter looking up at all the stars
I am in a low place while others are thriving
But what’s the use of dreaming of a better day?
There is no point in imagining a happier life
Some men are born to lose
Certain individuals are destined for failure
And so I have to say
Therefore, I must declare
When I meet my maker
When I face my creator's judgment
Oh, just for fun
Solely for amusement
Yeah, I’m going to tell him
I will inform him
Where he went wrong
What mistakes he made
’Cause I’ve got nothing
I possess nothing
But the blisters on my shoes
Except for the physical pain on my feet
If I were a rich man
If I had great wealth
I’d have been OK
Everything would be alright
But I had nothing
Unfortunately, I lacked valuable possessions
But it’s OK
It is fine
And I’m going to show you how to find the right way
I will teach you the correct path
Into the brightest day a little rain must fall
Even during the best times, some challenges are present
And I can help you when trouble comes to call
I am willing and able to assist you during difficult situations
No more, no less
Neither more nor less
Got to keep on fighting when life puts you to the test
When life challenges you, continue to persevere
And you don’t need to cry
There is no reason to shed tears
Your life is in your hands
You are responsible for your own fate
So I tell you, brother
Thus, I advise you, my friend
So you can understand, yeah, yeah, yeah
So that you comprehend my message
Just don’t ever tell her
Never reveal to her
And you were thankful
And you expressed gratitude
For the sun up in the sky
For the daylight above
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ETIENE PHILIPPE LECOMTE, TOOTS EARL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
tafi mutekwe
That is a perfectly done Otis Redding groove.
H B
I GOT LOVE IN MY HEART
miamiwax
so much gospel influence
RubentlyGarcialago
best song ever man
Chank2000
favorite part.. 1:52
miamiwax
@knappe9 this might be the best ska lp ever made!!