344. Toots and the Maytals, "Funky Kingston"

 

Even if you don't know it, you are almost certainly familiar with at least one of the songs on this album, and that song is "Pressure Drop," an inspired and instantly catchy ode to karma.  Toots himself recalled, "It’s a song about revenge, but in the form of karma: if you do bad things to innocent people, then bad things will happen to you.  The title was a phrase I used to say.  If someone done me wrong, rather than fight them like a warrior, I’d say: 'The pressure’s going to drop on you.'"  This is not the common understanding of this song!  Rather, it seems like most people interpret it as some kind of kickback anthem.  Like this Coors light ad:

(BTW here's an interesting piece about this ad and how it subverts the normal beer-commercial tropes, which I guess it does! Despite the fact that it uses a song about revenge and justice.)

"Pressure Drop" has been covered many times, including this fantastic version by the Specials:

(No offense to Toots, but I feel like this is a strong entry in the "Covers better than the originals" game.)

ANYWAY a lot of this album - and, hell, a lot of reggae - is like that, couching serious and even painful messages in an easy, swaying, even soothing sound.  "Time Tough," the first song on the album (well, at least the 1975 version, more on that in a minute) is about being broke as hell.  It is also instantly catchy.  "Love Is Gonna Let Me Down" is just what it sounds like - a song about how the singer is inevitably going to be disappointed.  A lot of it is like that!

Confusingly, there are two different Toots and the Maytals albums called Funky Kingston, both with the same album art.  One was released in 1973 in Jamaica and the UK.  The 1975 version that was released in the US is the one on this list, although Rolling Stone uses the 1973 date.  That version kept three songs from the original and added the rest.

Besides the originals, there are some interesting cover songs, like "Louie Louie," almost unrecognizable as the 1955 Richard Berry song, and "Country Roads," yes, that "Country Roads."  I don't have any particular inside knowledge about this but I assume these covers were added to make the record more palatable to dumb Americans who just have to have something familiar to grab onto.  Or something like that.

This album was produced by Chris Blackwell, who founded Island Records and was as responsible as anyone for popularizing reggae worldwide.  (Blackwell's Wiki is worth a read; he's had a fascinating life and must be great at parties and he owns Ian Fleming's old house and Ian Fleming had an affair with his mom!)  Sadly, Toots Hibbert died in 2020, but the Maytals intend to keep performing, they've said.  Although the subject matter can be grim, I can't emphasize enough what a pleasure this album is to listen to.

Does this album deserve to be in the Top 500? Absolutely.