Songs I like by Artists I Don’t- “Africa”- Toto. I never had any use for Toto back in the late 70’s-early 80’s when they landed ten singles onto the Top 40- with Hold The Line #5, Rosanna #2, Africa #1 and I Won’t Hold You Back #10- all reaching the Top 10. Over the years though since I have developed a liking of their song “Africa”- a soft rock/ jazz fusion song written by band members David Paich and Jeff Porcaro. Paich has said about writing how he came up with the idea of writing the song-” At the beginning of the ’80s I watched a late night documentary on TV about all the terrible death and suffering of the people in Africa. It both moved and appalled me, and the pictures just wouldn’t leave my head. I tried to imagine how I’d feel about if I was there and what I’d do.” This is the one Toto song that has had legs- it went to #1 back in 1982 but seems as popular today as ever. Last year Weezer covered it- drawing attention to it again. I love the original and Weezer’s exact cover which peaked at #51 on the Hot 100.
slicethelife 
If I had a dollar for everytime I heard this song. My brother and I used to sing it to dinner guests. I never grow tired of it. Great post!
Thanks… I never get tired of hearing it today.. 35 years ago i hated it. Go figure.
Yeh, bizarre how certain songs can hated and later adored.
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For some reason, I’ve never heard the Weezer version before. I prefer it to the original.
Thanks for sharing the story behind this song.
I love that this song has found new popularity, from memes of all things. “I don’t always like a song…but when I do, it’s Africa by Toto.” 🙂 Who would have ever predicted that? When it came out, I thought it was nice, but then it got overplayed on the radio.
Kind of like “Don’t Stop Believin’- in its comeback!
Haha!
I liked a lot of Toto’s songs, but one of my favorites was an early song of theirs called “Georgy Porgy”, which was kind of jazzy. https://youtu.be/EWIgEtkE3GA
Weird Al singing it straight for a change, eh, well as straight as he can anyway. Sounds good!
I absolutely love this song. And, the video has a Raiders of the Lost Ark feel to it.
Toto was hit or miss with me. Hold The Line was good. Rosanna, I grew tired of, quickly. This…never gets old. 💕
This song and corresponding video strongly motivated my wife and me to book safaris to Africa,
I’d say that was one of those highly influential songs then!
For sure.