The Maytals ’54 46 Was My Number’ (official audio)

The seminal version of the Maytals’ 1970 reggae anthem, ’54 46 Was My Number’. Led by the dynamic Frederick ‘Toots’ Hibbert, the Maytals became one of Jamaica’s leading acts in the early Sixties, their gospel-influenced style perfectly suiting the driving sound of ska and, towards the close of the decade, the upbeat rhythms of reggae. Early in 1970, the trio’s anthemic ‘Monkey Man’ became one of Trojan Records’ earliest UK chart successes, while later that year, they cut an updated version of their rock steady hit, ’54 46 Was My Number’ that quickly became widely regarded as a reggae classic. Since then, the song has been covered by an array of artists, including British reggae band Aswad, Jamaican jazz legend Ernest Ranglin, dancehall stars Buju Banton and Yellowman, Kiko Bun for the televised series of “This Is England“, Vanilla Ice and Canadian Idol singer, Earl Stevenson Vanilla Ice, as well as various ska-punk bands, notably Sublime, Ska-J, Figh