Africa (Toto song)

"Africa"
US 7-inch (180 mm) shaped picture disc edition
Single by Toto
from the album Toto IV
B-side
  • "Good for You"
  • "We Made It"
Released
  • June 25, 1982 (UK)[1]
  • October 7, 1982 (US)[2]
RecordedJune 1981
StudioSunset Sound (Hollywood)[3]
Genre
Length
  • 4:55 (album version)
  • 4:21 (single version)
  • 4:35 (video version)
LabelColumbia
Composer(s)
Lyricist(s)David Paich
Producer(s)Toto
Toto singles chronology
"Rosanna"
(1982) 		"Africa"
(1982) 		"Make Believe"
(1982)
Music video
"Africa" on YouTube
Audio sample

"Africa" is a song by American rock band Toto, the tenth and final track on their fourth studio album Toto IV (1982). It was the second single from the album released in Europe in June 1982 and the third in the United States in October 1982 through Columbia Records. The song was written by band members David Paich and Jeff Porcaro, produced by the band, and mixed by engineer Greg Ladanyi.

Critics praised its composition and gentle production; the song continues to receive critical acclaim, and was ranked number 452 on Rolling Stone's 500 greatest songs of all time.[8]

The song was accompanied by a music video, which premiered in 1983, and was directed by Steve Barron, who collaborated previously with the group for "Rosanna". The video features Toto in a library, as they perform and showcase various aspects of African culture. While popular in the 1980s and 1990s, with the song being certified gold by the RIAA in 1991, "Africa" saw a resurgence in popularity via social media during the mid- to late 2010s, inspiring numerous Internet memes as well as a fan-requested cover by American rock band Weezer which peaked at number 51 on the Billboard Hot 100.[10][11][12][13][14] The original recording has since been certified Diamond and is one of the best selling songs of all time.[15]

  1. ^ "Africa discography".
  2. ^ "RIAA". Recording Industry Association of America.
  3. ^ Schmitt, Al; Droney, Maureen (2018). Al Schmitt – On the Record: The Magic Behind the Music. Lanham, Maryland, USA: Rowman & Littlefield. p. 118. ISBN 9781538137666.
  4. ^ "A Composer Breaks Down The Music Theory Behind Toto's "Africa"". Stereogum. October 31, 2022. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  5. ^ Condon, Dan (December 12, 2018). "How did Toto's 'Africa' become a millennial anthem? Don't ask the band". Double J. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  6. ^ Deggans, Eric (August 20, 2014). "Review: Toto, Michael McDonald showcase stellar '70s chops at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on September 9, 2017. Retrieved September 15, 2017.
  7. ^ Monger, James Christopher. "Toto – Hold the Line: The Best of Toto". AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2017.
  8. ^ a b "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. September 15, 2021. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Zaleski, Annie (August 13, 2017). "35 years after its release, Toto's "Africa" is more popular than ever". Salon.
  11. ^ Yenisey, Zeynep (November 22, 2017). "Here's Why 'Africa' by Toto is the Internet's Favorite Song, 35 Years After It Topped the Pop Charts". Maxim.
  12. ^ Song, Kayla; Riley, Jill (October 1, 2019). "Interview: Steve Lukather of Toto talks about the enduring legacy of 'Africa'". The Current.
  13. ^ Zellner, Xander (June 13, 2018). "Weezer Returns to Hot 100 With Fan-Inspired Cover of Toto's 'Africa'". Billboard. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  14. ^ Sullivan, James. "Toto's 'Africa': The mother of all memes is waiting there for you – The Boston Globe". The Boston Globe. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  15. ^ "Gold & Platinum". Recording Industry Association of America.