"Africa" by Toto

bnt · 06-02-2018 10:27AM #1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTQbiNvZqaY

Africa was #1 on the charts 35 years ago today, but that's not why it's been in the news recently. It's blown up as a meme on Reddit in particular, mostly in a positive way: my preferred explanation is simply that since it's so much better than the rubbish on the charts. The lyrics are super-cheesy and the subject of many spoofs and parodies, but it's stood the test of time.

According to David Paich in an interview here, it was the last thing they recorded for Toto IV, only required to fill out the album. The band all thought it was silly and told him "save it for your solo album". Steve Lukather said that he'd run down Hollywood Boulevard naked if it was a hit - but has since happily admitted he was wrong.

Me, I just fell in love with the sound. Toto always made excellent-sounding records, and this had that warm brassy synthesiser that sounds like nothing else (Yamaha CS80, the same synth Vangelis used for Blade Runner). Sure, it's not hip, not edgy, but the world would be a colder place without it, I believe.

Bob Harris · 06-02-2018 10:37AM

I always heard ..' a hundred men on Mars could ever do'.

Turns out it's:

"There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do"

Roger Hassenforder · 06-02-2018 10:41AM

OMG thats so racist.

White man culturally appropriating a black mans drum, while White man relaxing while his black indentured servantwoman forced to work in miserable, dark, draughty, conditions, with suggested imminent nitty gritty, no doubt completely against her will to gratify her master. The video "celebrating" shes unable to afford a door, while more white men lurk in the shadows.

Im absolutely outraged, i cant believe i used to love that song on MTV USA back in the day , with Vincent Hanley blasting other hits, before i was woke to my white male privilige.

emeldc · 06-02-2018 10:44AM

Jeez, #1 35 years ago, wha? I feel old. My son who's 21 thinks it's the best song ever!

Boom_Bap · 06-02-2018 10:44AM

Roger Hassenforder wrote: »

OMG thats so racist.

White man culturally appropriating a black mans drum, while White man relaxing while his black indentured servantwoman forced to work in miserable, dark, draughty, conditions, with suggested imminent nitty gritty, no doubt completely against her will to gratify her master. The video "celebrating" shes unable to afford a door, while more white men lurk in the shadows.

Im absolutely outraged, i cant believe i used to love that song on MTV USA back in the day , with Vincent Hanley blasting other hits, before i was woke to my white male privilige.

You also forgot that there are more white keys on the piano in the video.

GLaDOS · 06-02-2018 10:45AM

Do do do dododo do

optogirl · 06-02-2018 10:46AM

Roger Hassenforder wrote: »

OMG thats so racist.

White man culturally appropriating a black mans drum, while White man relaxing while his black indentured servantwoman forced to work in miserable, dark, draughty, conditions, with suggested imminent nitty gritty, no doubt completely against her will to gratify her master. The video "celebrating" shes unable to afford a door, while more white men lurk in the shadows.

Im absolutely outraged, i cant believe i used to love that song on MTV USA back in the day , with Vincent Hanley blasting other hits, before i was woke to my white male privilige.

are you inventing alter egos to pour scorn on?

Sky King · 06-02-2018 10:47AM

Much prefer this version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwNGR792Ifk

stunmer · 06-02-2018 10:47AM

Another version.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-c9-poC5HGw

Love this

andekwarhola · 06-02-2018 10:51AM

The Kilimanjaro/Serengeti line is an all time classic in terms of barely managing to crowbar a ludicrously portentous lyric into the melody of a pop song.

The_Valeyard · 06-02-2018 10:52AM

The Trump version of it did make me laugh

toto-****hole-terrific-album-folks-found-in-our-official-group-30339882.png

Although ive been to many parts of Africa and some of it is quite stunning and beautiful.
Great song though.

Cee-Jay-Cee · 06-02-2018 10:53AM

It is probably my most favourite song of all time. I could never get tired listening to it, I have about 100 copies of it on my ipod (approx. 5000 songs on it) which is in the car and set on random play to be sure it plays somewhat regularly but thinking about it I haven't heard it play in weeks.

topper75 · 06-02-2018 10:53AM

There is definitely something unintentionally sibilant at the end of 'more' alright. That is the way I always heard it as a kid. :-)

Yes there is a little bit of cornball sure, but it's still a stunner 35 years later. Superb production and musicianship. I guess what stands in stark difference to the chaff on sale back then (not to mention today!) is the lack of template. It was different. It's not a composition by numbers. It remains different.

rednik · 06-02-2018 10:55AM

Toto live in Vicar Street 4th/5th of April.

andekwarhola · 06-02-2018 10:56AM

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

It is probably my most favourite song of all time. I could never get tired listening to it, I have about 100 copies of it on my ipod (approx. 5000 songs on it) which is in the car and set on random play to be sure it plays somewhat regularly but thinking about it I haven't heard it play in weeks.

Along with Hold The Line and Rosanna, it's a great triptych of 80s rock. Sad really that you don't get that consistent level of quality in chart music these days.

emeldc · 06-02-2018 10:57AM

stunmer wrote: »

Another version.

Nice one, never saw that before. Class.

donegaLroad · 06-02-2018 10:57AM

Did anyone hear their latest release? In my opinion it has taken Toto 35 years to re-write Africa.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rerilfJQvfk

Mr. CooL ICE · 06-02-2018 11:01AM

This is also good

ohnonotgmail · 06-02-2018 11:04AM

Roger Hassenforder wrote: »

OMG thats so racist.

White man culturally appropriating a black mans drum, while White man relaxing while his black indentured servantwoman forced to work in miserable, dark, draughty, conditions, with suggested imminent nitty gritty, no doubt completely against her will to gratify her master. The video "celebrating" shes unable to afford a door, while more white men lurk in the shadows.

Im absolutely outraged, i cant believe i used to love that song on MTV USA back in the day , with Vincent Hanley blasting other hits, before i was woke to my white male privilige.

Vinnie Hanley presented MT USA not MTV USA

Roger Hassenforder · 06-02-2018 11:22AM

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

Vinnie Hanley presented MT USA not MTV USA

My bad.
Its been a while!

razorblunt · 06-02-2018 11:30AM

It's one of those perfect songs that builds up to a Chorus and then pays off with its singalongability.

Do do do do do do do doooo

backspin. · 06-02-2018 11:36AM

Mike Masse does a great cover of it too.

bnt · 06-02-2018 11:44AM

Roger Hassenforder wrote: »

... Im absolutely outraged, i cant believe i used to love that song on MTV USA back in the day , with Vincent Hanley blasting other hits, before i was woke to my white male privilige.

The way Paich tells the story now, it was written from the point of view of a guy about to follow a girl to Africa, but he'd never been there and had only read about it. Knowing his luck, he landed somewhere like Johannesburg, a very long way from Kilimanjaro ...

Oldtree · 06-02-2018 11:51AM

Love the tune. Still have the picture disc of the 45

pleas advice · 06-02-2018 11:53AM

GLaDOS wrote: »

Do do do dododo do

I can feel it, coming in the air tonight

crosstownk · 06-02-2018 11:57AM

stunmer wrote: »

Another version.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-c9-poC5HGw

Love this

Great arrangement. (one of the lead trio look like he's....er....sweating from his left nostril.......)

I do like this cover. It's incredibly accurate for a one man studio cover.