Toto » Tracks » Africa

Toto – Africa (4:56)

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About This Track

The song was included on their 1982 album Toto IV, and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in February 1983 and number three on the UK Singles Chart the same month. The song was written by the band’s keyboardist David Paich, who also sings both verses of the song, and drummer Jeff Porcaro. Bobby Kimball sings the chorus.

The song almost cut from the Toto IV record prior to its release. Having spent an incredible amount of time producing the tune, the band became so tired of the song that they didn’t want it on the album. The song itself was very different from anything the band had done before, and some members felt that it didn’t sound like Toto.

“I didn’t think it was very good,” said Steve Lukather (Classic Rock Revisited, 2003). “That tells you what can happen when we pick our own singles!”

David Paich, who co-wrote the song with Jeff Porcaro, said that it “could have been the beginning of a solo project because it was so different. I thought I’d save it… World Music wasn’t around then.”

The initial idea for the song came from David Paich, playing on his piano. Jeff explains the idea behind the song: “… a white boy is trying to write a song on Africa, but since he’s never been there, he can only tell what he’s seen on TV or remembers in the past.”

Musically the song took quite some time to assemble, as David and Jeff explain below.
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Albums featuring this track

  • Past to Present 1977-1990
    Toto Play
    Buy
  • 100 Hits Of The '80s
    Various Play
    Buy
  • The Definitive 80's (eighties)
    Miami Sound Machine Play
    Buy
  • Toto
    Toto Play
    Buy
See all 221 albums

Shouts

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  • frozendilemma

    awesome song....listened to it first done by Karl Wolf...

    Saturday evening

  • metalprincess6

    sounds great for a older song.....number 1 in 1983 ....wow....

    Saturday morning

  • kazikleszno

    best thing in the world

    last week

  • Karlo_Luiten

    Family guy made me listen to this song

    last week

  • pinealman

    power!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    19 days ago

  • DeathApeDisco

    Oh Yeah.

    29 days ago

  • odinthorn

    yeah

    last month

  • crdias

    ...faz bem aos ouvidos e a alma.É gostoso de ouvir

    last month

  • zwiecha

    aw man, who doesnt know it

    last month

  • minminima

    really i love this song so much, but my africa is different.

    last month

  • garibaldyc

    el mejor grupo de la historia después de Cañita Brava

    March 2012

  • Dale_0607

    Most Epic song ever

    March 2012

  • PhilGoulden

    One of the greatest harmony vocals in chorus I've ever heard

    March 2012

  • lulz58

    I think this is a fantastic song. I've loved it from the first time I heard it.

    March 2012

  • sirthorty

    thx LFM: now it`s Africa from Toto :-)

    March 2012

  • rockaforlife

    waht a f***in tune !

    March 2012

  • HathInTheRam

    Knapster has fixed the song.

    March 2012

  • badadd888

    The songs KICKS ASS! CLASSIC!

    March 2012

  • Dale_0607

    This isn't Africa! Blasphemy!!!

    February 2012

  • mannequinchaos

    What is this? It's not Toto's "Africa"

    February 2012
See all 1,117 shouts

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