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Toots & The Maytals — Pomp & Pride
Album: Toots In Memphis
Avg rating:
6.4

Your rating:
Total ratings: 910









Released: 1988
Length: 4:19
Plays (last 30 days): 1
(no lyrics available)
Comments (85)add comment
Marley gets the props but Toots was there first. Respeck.
The greatest of the reggae vocalists
Lyrics to this (great) song, 2 notes:

1. Fun to do the online lyrics lookup.

In 2017, one line was listed at most online sources as -
"Is it an opulin, Iceland, calm down (have no idea what he says here)?"

The "no idea" is fixed, but most lyrics sites still includes the nonsense -
Is it an opulin, Iceland, calm down

A better online version (Genius, songsear.ch, jah-lyrics.com) has for the same line has the totally different -

Ease it and happily, nicely calm down.

2. What do the lyrics mean?

From an old Yahoo Answers,

Toots and The Maytals Pomp and Pride?

I love this song sooo much but what is it about??


Great answer:

Yeah, Toots and the Maytals.

I think the point of the song is that we make such a huge deal about religion, but in reality finding happiness and the right way to live isnt so hard, and isnt so pie in the sky philosophy. I think also it means that we can still have religion, and other over the top ceremonies, while keeping a level head.


Couldn't say it any better!

archived here:
https://web.archive.org/web/20...
 Laptopdog wrote:

I once had the toots in Memphis.



Gotta be careful which bbq place you frequent.
Pure Joy!
RIP Toots - a legend. So good to hear him here on RP. 
Love this album but this song isn't on it.  Same with his version of "Take Me Home Country Road", both are from the Funky Kingston album.
everybody come down come down
I once had the toots in Memphis.

This one reminds me of going to The Cabooze to listen/dance to Ipso Facto.  Cool tune!


OK, so maybe it's not the greatest music ever made, but it's 20 below zero here and it makes it feel at least a few degrees warmer...even if only in my head.  that's gotta count for something, right??   
federico wrote:
yes, because you'd still know everything about reggae had there not been any Bob Marley, right?

Not sure what you mean ...

Are you suggesting I've been ignorant of what reggae is? Perhaps rightly so.
Or are you saying Bob Marley really didn't add something to that music? Even I would disagree.

Anyway, I changed my opinion to just not liking most of the Bob Marley tunes I've been overexposed to.

 manbirdexperiment wrote:

 



Oh, Jeez. I never understood what he was singing. The only thing I thought he said was: "They can kiss my behind."{#Whistle}
Hm . . .have to listen more carefully. 
 TanteJensen wrote:
Yo. Bob Marley made think all of Reggae was ... er ... not so good.
 
yes, because you'd still know everything about reggae had there not been any Bob Marley, right?

Until I saw the song title, I could have sworn that yer man was singing about "bums on fire" ;-)
Happy day!
thewiseking wrote:
now thatswhatimtalkinabout.
this is what we need, NOT BOB MARLEY again ferchrissakes.
Yo. Bob Marley made me think all of Reggae was ... er ... not so good.

(some earless guy) wrote:
cvandoren wrote: Zweiblumen wrote: I regret that I have but one vote to cast against this song. The great thing about Democracy is you can magnify your vote by influencing others. I vote against it for you, so now you have two votes against it
as of this moment 24 (obviously earless) people have given this song a 1
Zweiblumen wrote:
I regret that I have but one vote to cast against this song.
The great thing about Democracy is you can magnify your vote by influencing others. I vote against it for you, so now you have two votes against it
jhorton wrote:
People who give Toots a 1 should be required by law to have their ears surgically removed.
Here here....I second that
ulibcn wrote:
Yeah!!!
nice graphic :)
People who give Toots a 1 should be required by law to have their ears surgically removed.
Mari wrote:
Is it an opulin, Iceland, calm down Calm down Have your pomps and pride
Ok, so I don't know if its an opulin or not since I don't know what the heck an opulin is.
Yeah!!!
Toots & The Maytals: Always a good thing.
dionysius wrote:
It's always early in the morning somewhere. And there's never an inopportune time to skank to Toots!
So true, mon!
sdn wrote:
Inn't it a bit early in the morning for reggae?
It's always early in the morning somewhere. And there's never an inopportune time to skank to Toots!
sdn wrote:
Inn't it a bit early in the morning for reggae?
Never.
Inn't it a bit early in the morning for reggae?
Absolutely love it.
damn I already gave this a one... when will it stop? Please soon
If I hadn't seen the title, I'd have sworn that yer man was singing "have your bums on fire" :o)
now thatswhatimtalkinabout. this is what we need, NOT BOB MARLEY again ferchrissakes.
https://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/ccinsb/rastanana.gif
No need to think when my feet just go!
POSITIVE VIBRATION, MON!
this is music of my roots.. *rocks head from side to side*
Hot diggity damn, Toots is the ruler!
YES! Been thirstin for Toots since I pulled into the garage this a.m. and the stiffest-looking librarian-type lady in the car next to me was boppin' to Pressure Drop. Never go by appearances!
Isn't this the theme to 'The Little Mermaid'?
I regret that I have but one vote to cast against this song.
jah_blessed wrote:
Dianyla wrote:
I think I would need to be drunk to enjoy this. Does it ever end?
Nope. You just need to relax and unbunch. Seriously. Think "seriously easy going" without the coconut rum.
ManchesterUK wrote:
nice tune but can't understand a word
TOOTS & THE MAYTALS Pomp And Pride Everybody just Cryin out (cry out) Calm down (calm down) Have your pomps and pride Calm down (calm down) (x2) Have your pomps and pride Everybody just Cryin out (cry out) Calm down (calm down) Have your pomps and pride Is it an opulin, Iceland, calm down have your pomps and pride For today, today, today is a happy day for tonight tonight, can be another night do re mi fah so la te do Everybody's just crying crying sighing sighing dying to see the light and when they see it, they see it's not bright can this be right? Everybody just calm down (calm down)(x2) Have your pomps and pride Is it an opulin, Iceland, calm down Calm down Have your pomps and pride
Dunno how I feel about this one ...
nice tune but can't understand a word
Ja mon, great live, great on RP
Woohoo! Off to see Toots at the Fillmore tonight! Yay!
lunar23 wrote:
WHAT? No Monkey Man? And, once more a plea for ye good uploading people for the Specials!
I love Monkeyman!! Toots is the best! Thanks!
Thanks to RP, I know that they did more than "Pressure Drop"!
I have always been a Toots fan. Gave it a 7.... love this stuff. Good times mon!
What-no nasty comments from the reggae haters? I'm disappointed. Their comments make my day. Is "catmaven" sleeping? I do like this.
GunnerXP wrote:
Man, every time I hear these guys I dig it. I have got to pick up an album.
There's a box set from Trojan Records that came out fairly recently with six early Jamaican albums. Pure bliss for roots reggae fans. I think casual listeners will enjoy it, too. There are lots of duplicate songs (in different versions) across the albums, though. Masterful segues from Marvin Gaye to G. Love and now Toots, Mr. Goldsmith!
Happysong!
Don't Worry Be Happy Irie Holidays everyone!!!
Man, every time I hear these guys I dig it. I have got to pick up an album.
Jah mon! Thats what I am talking about!
Dianyla wrote:
I think I would need to be drunk to enjoy this.
Or stoned? ;-)
I think I would need to be drunk to enjoy this. Does it ever end?
Misohappy!!!
Original unadulterated reggae from the masters!
This is one of my favorite driving songs of all time! Toots rocks!
I agree. I'm not a reggae fan, but I like this tune. ginathelintqueen wrote:
Does this count as reggae? If so, there's now reggae I like!
excellent!
YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!
DID YOU KNOW: "Do the Reggay", a 1968 single by Toots & The Maytals, is credited with coining the phrase reggae.
Wonderful summer-like tune.
Does this count as reggae? If so, there's now reggae I like!
Toots and Burning Spear rank at the top of reggae. Toots Live is an amazing album, he's a master with the crowd.
(pimp) (pimp) Wooooohooo!
More Toots!
Another BMF. Saw him a few years ago at a summer concert. He was a bundle of energy jumping all over the place. For those not in the know, he wrote 'Pressure Drop' that The Clash made famous.
thanks, rp - play any toots, any time
thanks for the toots! somehow the reggae sound goes great with the snowy day today.
WHAT? No Monkey Man? And, once more a plea for ye good uploading people for the Specials!
Toots is the best! Thanks for playing this reggae pioneer!!