Happy Sunday Cats and Kittens!!
I'm sorry y'all had to wait until 10:30 am on this ... it was actually done last night and I tried to jot my opener before I went to bed; but sadly ... had nothing really to say because my brain was fried from working on websites and pics and such all day. Lots of good news on that front later though .. :)
Anywho ... I can't imagine that there's anyone on earth who
doesn't like this song.
I know I have a couple of folks (primarily my Mom) who generally don't watch the videos .... you don't have to watch the video on this one....You can ... it's a great video and has some incredible African-ish and safari-ish imagery ... I love it, it's very reminiscent of the apartment formerly known as Flawn Ocho ... only better because their budget was larger for the video than mine was for Flawn Ocho. I suggest at least listening to the video while you read the blog though ... the combination of instruments used in this song is incredible!
It's an amazing piece if it didn't have a word in it ...
which brings us to the lyrics and meaning ...
Sometime back, a couple of friends and I were out one afternoon on a photoshoot ... they were escorting me safely into obscure locations of "the Unionville Thicket". As I hoisted myself up onto the truck after a few shots at some "mounds" I can't quite recall the name of ... Africa was wafting about the cab of the truck. "Ah, Africa..." we all sighed as we got into the truck ... It seems that we may have had a guessing game on the year ... and as we toodled along we discussed the possible meanings of the song and came up with nothing ....
Today's the big day we find out, kids!! :)
And now, for today's Ocho-rific Song o the Day...
I'm sorry y'all had to wait until 10:30 am on this ... it was actually done last night and I tried to jot my opener before I went to bed; but sadly ... had nothing really to say because my brain was fried from working on websites and pics and such all day. Lots of good news on that front later though .. :)
Anywho ... I can't imagine that there's anyone on earth who
I know I have a couple of folks (primarily my Mom) who generally don't watch the videos .... you don't have to watch the video on this one....You can ... it's a great video and has some incredible African-ish and safari-ish imagery ... I love it, it's very reminiscent of the apartment formerly known as Flawn Ocho ... only better because their budget was larger for the video than mine was for Flawn Ocho. I suggest at least listening to the video while you read the blog though ... the combination of instruments used in this song is incredible!
It's an amazing piece if it didn't have a word in it ...
which brings us to the lyrics and meaning ...
Sometime back, a couple of friends and I were out one afternoon on a photoshoot ... they were escorting me safely into obscure locations of "the Unionville Thicket". As I hoisted myself up onto the truck after a few shots at some "mounds" I can't quite recall the name of ... Africa was wafting about the cab of the truck. "Ah, Africa..." we all sighed as we got into the truck ... It seems that we may have had a guessing game on the year ... and as we toodled along we discussed the possible meanings of the song and came up with nothing ....
Today's the big day we find out, kids!! :)
And now, for today's Ocho-rific Song o the Day...
It has nothing to do with the amount of rainfall in Africa...
Africa - Toto - October 1982
Africa - Toto - October 1982
::from SongMeanings.net::
I hear the drums echoing tonight
But she hears only whispers of some quiet conversation
She's coming in, 12:30 flight
The moonlit wings reflect the stars that guide me towards salvation
I stopped an old man along the way
Hoping to find some old forgotten words or ancient melodies
He turned to me as if to say
"Hurry boy, it's waiting there for you"
It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had
The wild dogs cry out in the night
As they grow restless longing for some solitary company
I know that I must do what's right
Sure as Kilimanjaro rises like a leopardess above the Serengetti
I seek to cure what's deep inside
Frightened of this thing that I've become
It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had
Hurry boy, she's waiting there for you
It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa
I bless the rains down in Africa
I bless the rains down in Africa
I bless the rains down in Africa
I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had
I hear the drums echoing tonight
But she hears only whispers of some quiet conversation
She's coming in, 12:30 flight
The moonlit wings reflect the stars that guide me towards salvation
I stopped an old man along the way
Hoping to find some old forgotten words or ancient melodies
He turned to me as if to say
"Hurry boy, it's waiting there for you"
It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had
The wild dogs cry out in the night
As they grow restless longing for some solitary company
I know that I must do what's right
Sure as Kilimanjaro rises like a leopardess above the Serengetti
I seek to cure what's deep inside
Frightened of this thing that I've become
It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had
Hurry boy, she's waiting there for you
It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa
I bless the rains down in Africa
I bless the rains down in Africa
I bless the rains down in Africa
I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had
::WIKI "FACTS"::
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 and drummer Jeff Porcaro. David Paich sings both verses of the song while Bobby Kimball sings lead briefly during the chorus and at the end. Steve Lukather, Bobby and Paich all sing backup as well.
One of Toto's most recognizable songs, "Africa" was almost omitted from the Toto IV record prior to its release. Having spent a great amount of time producing it, 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 [for me] because it was so different. I thought I’d save it…[because] 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."[1]
David Paich says the following: "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."[2]
"Africa" was played on all of Toto's tours from its release until the band's breakup in 2008.[5] It was sung by David Paich at the 2009 Millennium Development Goals Awards Ceremony.[6][7]
The music video was directed by Steve Barron.[8] The story is of a researcher in a library (portrayed by band member David Paich), looking for clues to a book called Africa. Many scenes include the band performing atop a stack of hardcover books. This video also features Mike Porcaro on bass, replacing the original bassist David Hungate who had already left the band before the video was made.
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 and drummer Jeff Porcaro. David Paich sings both verses of the song while Bobby Kimball sings lead briefly during the chorus and at the end. Steve Lukather, Bobby and Paich all sing backup as well.
One of Toto's most recognizable songs, "Africa" was almost omitted from the Toto IV record prior to its release. Having spent a great amount of time producing it, 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 [for me] because it was so different. I thought I’d save it…[because] 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."[1]
David Paich says the following: "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."[2]
"Africa" was played on all of Toto's tours from its release until the band's breakup in 2008.[5] It was sung by David Paich at the 2009 Millennium Development Goals Awards Ceremony.[6][7]
The music video was directed by Steve Barron.[8] The story is of a researcher in a library (portrayed by band member David Paich), looking for clues to a book called Africa. Many scenes include the band performing atop a stack of hardcover books. This video also features Mike Porcaro on bass, replacing the original bassist David Hungate who had already left the band before the video was made.
::Extra Goodies from Classic Tracks: Toto's "Africa" By Robyn Flans::
At the 1982 Grammys, accepting Toto's sixth award of the night, David Paich raised the award in the air and said, “We'd like to thank Robert Hilburn for believing in us,” a sarcastic salute to the Los Angeles Times music critic who took every opportunity to slam the band.
***
Paich recalls writing “Africa” on his living room piano. “Over many years, I had been taken by the UNICEF ads with the pictures of Africa and the starving children. I had always wanted to do something to connect with that and bring more attention to the continent. I wanted to go there, too, so I sort of invented a song that put me in Africa. I was hearing the melody in my head and I sat down and played the music in about 10 minutes. And then the chorus came out. I sang the chorus out as you hear it. It was like God channeling it. I thought, ‘I'm talented, but I'm not that talented. Something just happened here!’” Paich then proceeded to work on the lyrics for another six months. He brought the skeleton to drummer Jeff Porcaro with the idea of having percussion being an integral part of the composition. “Jeff got out African sticks with bottle caps that his dad [Joe Porcaro] and Emil Richards [both percussionists] used on National Geographic films. He brought in a marimba and a wooden xylophone kind of thing. This was pre-synthesizer. We didn't have samples back then. You're hearing bass marimba, that other instrument, and you're hearing probably one of the first loops that was ever done.”
At the 1982 Grammys, accepting Toto's sixth award of the night, David Paich raised the award in the air and said, “We'd like to thank Robert Hilburn for believing in us,” a sarcastic salute to the Los Angeles Times music critic who took every opportunity to slam the band.
***
Paich recalls writing “Africa” on his living room piano. “Over many years, I had been taken by the UNICEF ads with the pictures of Africa and the starving children. I had always wanted to do something to connect with that and bring more attention to the continent. I wanted to go there, too, so I sort of invented a song that put me in Africa. I was hearing the melody in my head and I sat down and played the music in about 10 minutes. And then the chorus came out. I sang the chorus out as you hear it. It was like God channeling it. I thought, ‘I'm talented, but I'm not that talented. Something just happened here!’” Paich then proceeded to work on the lyrics for another six months. He brought the skeleton to drummer Jeff Porcaro with the idea of having percussion being an integral part of the composition. “Jeff got out African sticks with bottle caps that his dad [Joe Porcaro] and Emil Richards [both percussionists] used on National Geographic films. He brought in a marimba and a wooden xylophone kind of thing. This was pre-synthesizer. We didn't have samples back then. You're hearing bass marimba, that other instrument, and you're hearing probably one of the first loops that was ever done.”
Until next time...
Have a Grand and Groovy Day!!
If you liked it, share it!!
If you liked it, share it!!
"First loops that was ever done," my ASS!!
ReplyDeletePaich has obviously never heard "Tomorrow Never Knows" by The Beatles, which used loops a good decade and a half before his precious "Africa."
Oh, well...what does one expect from Toto?
--T.H.E. Ellisman
Thanks for the info Mr. Ellis! :) I will put that on the list for December right now =^D
ReplyDeleteI'm not as up to speed on the technical end you know...I would've never known :) Thanks for helping keep the facts straight!