I remember in grade 7 (math), when this song was released, someone had the tape in a ghetto blaster and while the teacher was out someone played this song and everyone was singing a long to this. Amazing song since day 1.
What a song this is! What a celebration of music this has become. An iconic tune that I'll share for all my life. I do love to hear the stories behind these...
What a humble man thanking Weezer for recording this song. But if I were someone from Weezer I would say that actually is a honor recording such a legacy of a song that is eternal for generations by a incredible band such as Toto which made other gems like Lea and I’ll Be Over You. No matter how many good bands show up nowadays, 70’s and 80’s WILL always be reference of what a incredible times the world music had and will never have anymore!
I still listen to this track daily. Toto is unmatched, a lot of artists think so too, since they were on so many of other people's tracks. Absolutely amazing.
But in those days a killer song would generate $millions, whereas today, Spotify and the likes generate cents. It ain't worth it anymore to create a blockbuster production for a song.
I was listening to this song while I was living in St Gallen Switzerland back in 1983, along with Al Jarreau and Genesis, MJ and Mikis Theodorakis ....40 years ago now...
Mesmerizing song.. A thing which took a life of its own, being that much of an iconic 80's song first of all, but this extremely appealing as a Classic through being in fact a strange otherworldly song. Some songs sound like it wrote itself, they only need genius to put it out there. The harmonic sequence from end chorus to rhythmic syncopatic change with those vocals and guitar accompaniment untill that A chord riff from that CS-80 is (besides everything David Paich is describing) for me one of THE pinnacles in music, period! I was born in '79 so becoming aware of being actually being a person myself, I also urged my parents to dial up the volume as this song came up. Vivid memories lying in bed 'hearing' the two note repeating motive 'I bless the rains down in Africa'..with all the harmonic vocals in my head over and over like a mantra asking myself what it was.. And then, there it was again on that weird looking machine being a radio..
And this is why Toto is still going strong. Thank you David🫶🏼 glad that i had the chance to saw you guys again on 15 July in the Netherlands. ❤u guys 👊🏼 Btw. In my pov , the song is about searching for something in a philosophical kinda way. 😉
IMHO, one of the most elegant, and unique, lyrics of all time. I mean come on...Kilimanjaro, Olympus, and Serengeti all in the same stanza? Perfection!
My favorite lines are "The moonlit wings reflect the stars that guide me towards salvation". Great poetry: this is what, for me, definitively links this song to a starry sky at night...
i allways listen to this song before i get to sleep it is just THE perfect song. And also this is the perfect song to do finetuning on stage because everything is perfect from bass to guitar to drums. So if you are finetuning on stage please use africa
Toto has a great video for this song. But, Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard out did them. If you've not seen their version, you really need to look it up on YT.
I’m sorry, but no. Toto did not need this unknown band to cover their song in order to gain new listeners. The song is epic and amazing and it finds its audience with or without cheap knockoffs.
@@11matt11 Please give me a list of their number 1 charting records then. How many top 10 hits have they had? Aqua has sold more albums than Weezer for crying out loud. NO ONE outside the US has ever heard about them.
@@pollutingpenguin2146Aqua, was a brilliant group. I still hear their music everywhere. As I do with Weezer. As with Toto. I sorry you have so much hate. Not good for the soul.
I remember in grade 7 (math), when this song was released, someone had the tape in a ghetto blaster and while the teacher was out someone played this song and everyone was singing a long to this. Amazing song since day 1.
What a Beautiful memory Shane, thanks for sharing :)
I was 12
What a song this is! What a celebration of music this has become. An iconic tune that I'll share for all my life. I do love to hear the stories behind these...
Making the word 'company' rhyme with 'Serengeti' is a feat in itself.
What a humble man thanking Weezer for recording this song. But if I were someone from Weezer I would say that actually is a honor recording such a legacy of a song that is eternal for generations by a incredible band such as Toto which made other gems like Lea and I’ll Be Over You.
No matter how many good bands show up nowadays, 70’s and 80’s WILL always be reference of what a incredible times the world music had and will never have anymore!
It was an introduction to the best music era ever: the 1990s.
❤❤❤
Timeless!!! Never gets boring!!!
I still listen to this track daily. Toto is unmatched, a lot of artists think so too, since they were on so many of other people's tracks. Absolutely amazing.
"daily"?
@@BalboaBaggins Indeed, I got most of the good 80s tracks on rotation :)
Great song! One of the best songs made.
To think that the band has never been in Africa when they were recording this amazing song but they really made the song so special
When that chorus hits man, Africa, you just gotta turn up man and go crazy. It doesn't matter where you are or what you're doing. Just belt it
Greatest song in the world
So inspiring. The level of craft that was required to produce a good recording back then is almost unmatched today.
But in those days a killer song would generate $millions, whereas today, Spotify and the likes generate cents. It ain't worth it anymore to create a blockbuster production for a song.
A brilliant song 🎵👍👍👍
I was listening to this song while I was living in St Gallen Switzerland back in 1983, along with Al Jarreau and Genesis, MJ and Mikis Theodorakis ....40 years ago now...
Mesmerizing song.. A thing which took a life of its own, being that much of an iconic 80's song first of all, but this extremely appealing as a Classic through being in fact a strange otherworldly song. Some songs sound like it wrote itself, they only need genius to put it out there. The harmonic sequence from end chorus to rhythmic syncopatic change with those vocals and guitar accompaniment untill that A chord riff from that CS-80 is (besides everything David Paich is describing) for me one of THE pinnacles in music, period! I was born in '79 so becoming aware of being actually being a person myself, I also urged my parents to dial up the volume as this song came up. Vivid memories lying in bed 'hearing' the two note repeating motive 'I bless the rains down in Africa'..with all the harmonic vocals in my head over and over like a mantra asking myself what it was.. And then, there it was again on that weird looking machine being a radio..
Always my favorite Toto song.
It's one of my favorite songs of all time ❤
It was great seeing Steve and Jeff in the original video.
And this is why Toto is still going strong. Thank you David🫶🏼 glad that i had the chance to saw you guys again on 15 July in the Netherlands. ❤u guys 👊🏼
Btw. In my pov , the song is about searching for something in a philosophical kinda way. 😉
80s defining song
Nice video, thanks for sharing this. Great song. If you've never heard of Toto listen to Hold the Line.
“As sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti”
You’ll never hear that again..
IMHO, one of the most elegant, and unique, lyrics of all time. I mean come on...Kilimanjaro, Olympus, and Serengeti all in the same stanza? Perfection!
My favorite lines are "The moonlit wings reflect the stars that guide me towards salvation". Great poetry: this is what, for me, definitively links this song to a starry sky at night...
RIP Jeff and Mike Porcaro, those guys knew how to make some truly great music.
Que tecladista incrível essa música uma som sonoro dos deuses .👏👍
I was today years old when i watched this documentary 😂❤❤❤ but loved this song forever!
Dave's old but gold.
i allways listen to this song before i get to sleep it is just THE perfect song. And also this is the perfect song to do finetuning on stage because everything is perfect from bass to guitar to drums. So if you are finetuning on stage please use africa
David Paich is a talented class man..
Title translates to: Toto - Africa (David Paich) | The story behind the number | Top 2000 a gogo
Hello to all the 80s kids
Did David not buy the CS-80 when Steve Porcaro bought that synth?
The picture at 4:06 looks like the recording session with Swedish guitar player Janne Schaffer in 1977.
Toto has a great video for this song. But, Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard out did them. If you've not seen their version, you really need to look it up on YT.
“Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me corndogs”
Luke looking like he's 14 years old.
what`s a weezer?
An asthma sufferer
It's a rockband
🎬❤🪘❣🎹❤🎸❣🎤❤🇿🇦
I’m sorry, but no. Toto did not need this unknown band to cover their song in order to gain new listeners. The song is epic and amazing and it finds its audience with or without cheap knockoffs.
I don't think Weezer is very unknown
Weezer's one of the biggest musical acts of the 21st Century, mate.
@@11matt11 Please give me a list of their number 1 charting records then. How many top 10 hits have they had? Aqua has sold more albums than Weezer for crying out loud. NO ONE outside the US has ever heard about them.
@@pollutingpenguin2146Aqua, was a brilliant group. I still hear their music everywhere. As I do with Weezer. As with Toto. I sorry you have so much hate. Not good for the soul.
@@11matt11 I’m not hating - but to claim that this is a big and influential music group is a joke
sexy black secretaries were a thing in 80s music vids
What a horrible cover, Mike Masse has the most wonderful cover of this song ever and deserves more credit
Drink some more vinegar please.
Agree.
To each their own, but nah don't agree.
Now it would be "cultural appropriation!"
😆