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On this episode of The Story Behind the Song, David Paich of the legendary pop-rock band Toto joins host Peter Csathy to chat about the band’s iconic, instantly recognizable hit “Africa.”
Few songs have reached the type of lasting, intense ubiquity like Toto’s “Africa.” Whether you’re familiar with the band’s deep cuts or not, once the drums kick in on the hook of this 1982 classic, you immediately know what’s coming next. It’s as if a spirit enters your body, beckoning you to bless the rains along with the band.
The earworm has been steamed over one billion times on Spotify, is playing eternally in the Namib Desert, and Weezer’s 2017 cover became one of the band’s biggest hits — all ensuring that the song’s reign isn’t set to end any time soon. But what did Toto do to make “Africa” so darn irresistible? Co-founder, keyboardist, vocalist, and songwriter Paich stops by The Story Behind the Song to share some insight on how the band pulled it off.
Paich chats about the timelessness of the track, how it has connected with different generations, and how the song almost didn’t make it on the album Toto IV. He also sheds light on the writing process and what the band thought of Weezer’s cover.
Listen to Toto’s David Paich talk about “Africa” and more in the episode above and watch a highlight from the interview below. Then make sure to like, review, and subscribe to TSBTS wherever you get podcasts for updates on all our new episodes.
You can also follow the Consequence Podcast Network for updates on all our series, and check out host Peter Csathy on Twitter @pcsathy and at Creative Media.
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