Photo: Ton1~commonswiki · CC BY-SA 3.0 · credits
Timeline
17 events▣ Album 15◆ Formed 1★ Debut release 1
1970s
· Debut release
Debut release: Heart of the Congos
First documented Album in the MusicBrainz discography.
source: musicbrainz
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s
Biography
English biography557 words · 2 sectionssource: wikipedia-en · licence CC BY-SA 4.0 · revision 1319769631
Biography
The Congos are a Jamaican reggae vocal group from Jamaica which formed as the duo "Ashanti" Roy Johnson (tenor) (b. Roydel Johnson, 1947, Hanover, Jamaica) and Cedric Myton (falsetto) (b. 1947, Saint Catherine Parish, Jamaica), later becoming a trio with the addition of Watty Burnett (baritone) (b. early 1950s, Port Antonio, Jamaica), and have been active on and off from the mid-1970s until the present day. They are best known for their Heart of the Congos album, recorded with Lee "Scratch" Perry.
History
Myton had previously been a member of The Tartans in the late 1960s (along with Prince Lincoln Thompson, Devon Russell and Lindburgh Lewis), and Ras Michael's group, and had recorded with Thompson's Royal Rasses in the mid-1970s. He formed the Congos, initially as a duo with Johnson, recording the single "At the Feast" for Lee "Scratch" Perry. Perry expanded the group to a trio with the addition of Burnett, this line-up recording the classic roots reggae album Heart of the Congos
Heart of the CongosSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1Fisherman5:18A2Congo Man4:51A3Open Up the Gate4:30A4Children Crying4:16A5La La Bam‐Bam2:15B1Can’t Come In5:02B2Sodom & Gomorrow4:12B3The Wrong Thing4:16B4Ark of Covenant4:43B5Solid Foundation4:48 in 1977 at Perry's Black Ark studio. The album featured backing singers such as Gregory Isaacs, The Meditations, and Barry Llewellyn and Earl Morgan of The Heptones. The album has been described as "the most consistently brilliant album of Scratch's entire career".
Perry's previous productions by Max Romeo and Junior Murvin had been commercial successes thanks to a deal with Island Records, but Perry was in dispute with Island at the time the Congos' album was finished, so it was released on his own Black Ark label, limiting its success overseas, and causing a rift with the group. The Congos went their own way, organising a limited pressing of the album themselves. United Kingdom label Go Feet eventually reissued the album in 1980, and although the group had recorded new material since leaving Perry, Heart of the Congos proved a hard act to follow and their other releases suffered as a consequence. Albums such as Congo Ashanti
Congo AshantiSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Days Chasing Days4:362Jackpot4:443Hail the World of Jah4:194Education of Brainwashing3:165Youth Man4:226Yoyo4:367Nana4:358Thief Is in the Vineyard3:149Music Maker4:0210Music Dub3:1911Feast of the Passover4:0412Feast Dub3:56 were sparser and sounded ordinary compared to Perry's kitchen-sink-and-all style of production.
Burnett quit the group, soon followed by Johnson, who embarked on a solo career. Myton continued to record as The Congos with various other musicians until the mid-1980s.
In the mid-1990s, The Congos reformed, with Myton and Burnett joined by Lindburgh Lewis, several albums following in subsequent years. In 2005 Myton recorded Give Them the Rights with a host of backup singers and session players such as Sly and Robbie and Earl "Chinna" Smith, in the spiritual 1970s roots vein.
In 2006, the UK reggae revival label Blood and Fire released the album FishermanFishermanSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Fisherman (radio edit)4:152Fisherman6:063Bring Me Mackaback (Fisherman dub)4:03 Style featuring a remixed version of the classic cut "Fisherman" from Heart of the Congos plus such musicians as Horace Andy, Big Youth, Dillinger, Prince Jazzbo, Luciano, Freddie McGregor, Gregory Isaacs, Max Romeo, Mykal Rose, Dean Fraser, Sugar Minott, and U-Roy doing their own new versions over the original rhythm.
In 2002, they appeared on the album The Slackers and Friends by the ska/reggae band The Slackers.
In 2008, The Congos appeared in the independent feature film, Wah Do Dem which captures them performing "Fisherman," and "Congoman Chant," under a full moon at Helshire Beach outside Kingston.
In 2009, Myton, Burnett, and Johnson reunited with Perry to record the album Back in the Black ArkBack in the Black ArkSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Chain Gang3:322Celestial World3:483Garden of Life4:354Charriots3:375Forever Young3:546Spider Woman3:537Old Time Friend3:598Great Powers3:539Raining Night in Georgia3:3510Music School3:2011Crying Times3:3512Tip of My Tongue3:2213Under the Sun3:4414Up on the Roof2:39, which, despite its title, was recorded at Myton's studio in Portmore and at Mixing Lab, Kingston.
Discography & profile
Normalised profile
Percentiles are computed over every artist in the database, so a tier-3 artist can still sit in the 95th percentile on a single axis.
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 13 | 67.6th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 23 | 88.2th |
| Studio albums | 16 | 95.1th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 17 | 92.4th |
| Recording span (years) | 46 | 86.9th |
| Genres | 4 | 84.7th |
Percentiles are computed at render time; missing values mean the artist has no data on that axis.
Discography (23 release groups · 16 studio albums)
Albums · 16
1977 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 10 tracks · 44:11
A1Fisherman5:18A2Congo Man4:51A3Open Up the Gate4:30A4Children Crying4:16A5La La Bam‐Bam2:15B1Can’t Come In5:02B2Sodom & Gomorrow4:12B3The Wrong Thing4:16B4Ark of Covenant4:43B5Solid Foundation4:481979 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 12 tracks · 49:03
1Days Chasing Days4:362Jackpot4:443Hail the World of Jah4:194Education of Brainwashing3:165Youth Man4:226Yoyo4:367Nana4:358Thief Is in the Vineyard3:149Music Maker4:0210Music Dub3:1911Feast of the Passover4:0412Feast Dub3:561979 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 9 tracks · 38:12
A1Only Jah Know5:09A2Mister Biggs4:29A3Food for the Rainy Day4:34A4Sweetest Name3:44B1He Is the King4:23B2Music Maker3:59B3Musical Iration3:44B4Stay Alive3:31B5Stay Alive (dub version)4:391981 · studio album
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Tracklist · 10 tracks
A1Can’t Take It AwayA2Bank of the RiverA3Sinking ShipA4Love and UnderstandingA5Face the MusicB1Woman in the DarkB2Where He Leads MeB3Dance All NightB4Scoffers and ScornersB5Problems1997 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 11 tracks · 45:09
1Rock of Gibraltar4:022Step Aside4:373Music Is the Key4:264Seeking a Favor3:405Judgement Day3:196Natty Dread Rise Again4:417Vibration3:578This Could Not Be Happening4:389Love Is the Answer4:2810Apartheid3:3711Sent to Babylon3:441998 · studio album
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Tracklist · 12 tracks · 48:21
1Enemy & Spy3:592Bad Intention3:573Arron & Moses4:134Take One Step4:195Prophets Are Dying3:386What You Gonna Do4:127Institution4:198Reggae Revival4:059Evil Woman3:5710Lonely Without You3:3211Arron & Moses (dub)4:1212Enemy & Spy (dub)3:582005 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 11 tracks · 45:32
1It Can't Work3:472Give Them the Rights3:313Kingdom Rises4:144Boycott3:545Undiluted Soldier4:476Sleeping Giant4:027Lion in the Jungle5:088Mr. Shark4:049Praise H.I.M.4:0110Capture Your Smile4:0111Born Again4:032006 · studio album
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Tracklist · 14 tracks
1Gods Kingdom2King Rastafari Is His Name3Cockmouth4Some A Thief5Watch & Pray6Rasta Congo Man7Fat Cook8Citizen Of The World9Grandma Say10Take It To The Max11Rasta Weh She Want12Heaven Rejoice13Going To A Party14The River Beng Come Down2006 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 14 tracks · 48:54
1Cock Mouth3:412Gods Kingdom3:583Watch and Pray3:224Grandma Say3:265River Beng Come Down3:396Citizen of the World3:527Some a Thief3:318Rasta She Want3:239Rastafari Is His Name3:1410Heaven Rejoice3:4711Out of the Clouds3:3412Chasing Dreams3:2513Throw Down Your Armour3:1514Take It to the Max2:472006 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 14 tracks · 53:27
1Revolution4:092Spiritual Organisation4:013Lost Sheep5:424Swinging Bridge3:475National Heros3:236Black Market Babies3:257Concrete Zone3:308Teachers Teach4:239Ten Million Chariots3:3010Fraud System3:3711La Le Bella3:2812Questions3:2613Beatles Come3:4314Hills and Valleys3:232010 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 14 tracks · 51:26
1Chain Gang3:322Celestial World3:483Garden of Life4:354Charriots3:375Forever Young3:546Spider Woman3:537Old Time Friend3:598Great Powers3:539Raining Night in Georgia3:3510Music School3:2011Crying Times3:3512Tip of My Tongue3:2213Under the Sun3:4414Up on the Roof2:392012 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 15 tracks · 52:24
1A Fat Dub3:452A Party3:523Gods Kingdom Dub3:174Carry To The Well Dub3:285Beng Come Down Dub3:416Rasta Congo Dub3:537Some A Dub3:258Citizen Dub3:589Watch & Pray Dub3:2010King Rastafari Dub3:1511Take It To Dub2:3112Heaven Dub3:4713Grandma Say Dub3:2414Start A New Dub3:3815Rasta Weh She Dub3:102012 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 8 tracks · 1:40:35
Disc 11New Binghi2:262Happy Song6:503Food Clothing and Shelter6:534Sunshine5:195Jungle7:056Invocation6:037Thanks and Praise8:23Disc 21Icon Eye57:362018 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 10 tracks · 41:37
1Teach Dem4:542Jah Love3:443Nobody Chose Life4:394Life Can Be Hard3:595Morning Star3:486It's All Over Now3:257In The Ghetto4:328Jahrusalem3:479Don't Stress It4:5210Dub Love3:572022 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 13 tracks
1Foot Prints In The Sand2Cravin Choke Puppy3Heal Dem In Di Dancehall4Wo what a who (Special Version)5Nah Give Up6Nah go down Deh (Special Version)7Solve Money Problems8The Farmers Daughter9Think it over10Was a rough ride11Wolf In The Lions Den12Rasta Born In Jamaica (Special Version)13Promise Is A Comfort To A FoolHeart Of The Congos - Lee Perry's Lost Original Mix
— · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 17 tracks · 1:19:49
1Fisherman6:082Congoman6:433Open Up The Gate5:194Children Crying4:195La La Bam-Bam3:136Can't Come In6:087Sodom & Gomorrow5:208The Whole Thing3:069Ark Of The Covenant3:2610Solid Foundation3:0411Nickodeemus7:4912Ark Of The Covernant (45)3:2613Noah Sugar Pan3:3314Solid Foundation (Disco)6:2215At The Feast (45)3:4316Fisherman4:0117Bring The Mackaback4:09
Single · 4
| Cover | Year | Title | Notes | First release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Neckodeemus / Solid FoundationSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 2 tracks · 14:11ANeckodeemus7:49 BSolid Foundation6:22 | 1977 | ||
| 2003 | Congo Man (Carl Craig Edits)Search SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 2 tracksACongo Man (Carl Craig Edit 1) BCongo Man (Carl Craig Edit 2) | Remix | 2003 | |
| 2023 | I Don't BlameSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 1 track · 5:301I Don't Blame5:30 | 9 May 2023 | ||
| — | FishermanSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 3 tracks · 14:241Fisherman (radio edit)4:15 2Fisherman6:06 3Bring Me Mackaback (Fisherman dub)4:03 | — |
Album · 2
| Cover | Year | Title | Notes | First release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Live at Maritime Hall / San FranciscoSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 12 tracks · 1:03:591Let God Be Praised, the Lion of Judah1:10 2Moses and Aaron5:24 3Open the Gate3:54 4Children Crying4:32 5The Wheel4:01 6Judgement Day4:21 7Yo-Yo7:18 8Thief in the Vineyard5:20 9Solid Foundation5:09 10At the Feast4:37 11Ark of the Covenant12:13 12Congo Man6:00 | Live | 7 March 2000 | |
| 2003 | Lion TreasureSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 18 tracks · 1:13:551Greetings Dub0:31 2Feast of the Passover8:04 3Fisherman6:07 4Don't Blame It on I4:09 5Solid Foundation4:32 6Food for the Rainy Day4:37 7Sinking Ship3:21 8Sweetest Name3:47 9Days Chasing Days4:40 10Open the Gates3:55 11Music Maker4:04 12Education of Brainwashing3:20 13Youthman4:32 14Stay Alive3:34 15Hail the Word of Jah4:15 16Children Crying3:57 17Thief Is in the Vineyard3:17 18Music Maker Dub3:13 | Compilation | 2003 |
EP · 1
| Cover | Year | Title | Notes | First release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Icon Give LifeSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 5 tracks · 27:401Ark of the Covenant5:35 2Sunshine5:37 3Open Up the Gate3:53 4Thanks and Praise7:01 5Fisherman5:34 | Live | 12 December 2012 |
Stats & PK
Percentile within all 23,672 published artists.Put The Congos head-to-head →
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 13 | 67.6th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 23 | 88.2th |
| Studio albums | 16 | 95.1th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 17 | 92.4th |
| Recording span (years) | 46 | 86.9th |
| Genres | 4 | 84.7th |
Awards & honours
Line-up
| Name | From | To | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cedric Myton | — | present | original |
| Congo Ashanti Roy | — | present | original |
| Watty Burnett | — | present |
Where this record comes from
portrait—Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Congos_in_Chartres_1.JPGaliases/urls—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/6a810a7e-0163-41c5-b198-2edcbb4a33bbdiscography—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/6a810a7e-0163-41c5-b198-2edcbb4a33bbcore—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1725152genre—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1725152seed-list—wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Congosbiography—wikipedia-en · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Congos
Why this artist is in the database
- List of reggae musicians
Tier rule: curated genre/region list
Image: Ton1~commonswiki · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Wikidata: Q1725152 · MusicBrainz: 6a810a7e-0163-41c5-b198-2edcbb4a33bb
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