Which Jamaican group recorded “Do the Reggay,” one of the earliest songs to use the word reggae?

Toots and the Maytals recorded “Do the Reggay,” one of the earliest songs to use the word reggae.

The song was released in 1968 and was performed by the Jamaican group led by Frederick “Toots” Hibbert. Its title is historically important because it helped attach the term “reggae” to the emerging Jamaican style that developed from ska and rocksteady.

The spelling “Reggay” in the title is part of the original release. The precise origin of the word reggae remains debated, and the song did not single-handedly create the genre. However, it is widely cited as an early popular use of the term in a recording.

The Maytals had already built a reputation through ska and rocksteady recordings. Their later name, Toots and the Maytals, is often shortened in casual references to simply the Maytals.