My 100 Favorite Charted Pop Songs: Africa
By Four Walls
@FourWalls (86869)
United States
September 3, 2024 10:53am CST
Two things I forgot to mention yesterday in the introduction. First, these will all be alphabetical. It was hard enough to narrow it down to a hundred. I’d still be working on trying to put them in a “favorite” order.” Secondly, I’ll alternate the starting song daily, so rock goes first today, country tomorrow. With that, let’s get the ball rolling.
Africa - Toto
How much do I love this one? This song is my phone’s ringtone! 
One of the weirdest facts of my life is getting to meet Toto in 1978. Not that I met them (they did an in-store at Karma Records here in town), but WHY they were here. They were opening for Rush. Yes, you read that correctly. I know, I can’t really fathom how that combination went over.
Anyway, I told David Paich (pictured), lead singer and co-writer of this song, how much I loved the work he did with Boz Scaggs on Silk Degrees. He lit up like a Christmas tree.
If you want some obscure trivia, David Paich and his father, jazz musician/arranger/composer Marty Paich are the only father-son team to win an Emmy. Yes, an Emmy. They won it for the theme to Ironside in 1974. You’re welcome.
You’re also welcome because you’ll have this song stuck in your head all day.
Africa
Written by David Paich and Jeff Porcaro
Recorded by Toto
From Toto IV, 1982
Peak Chart Position: #1
Today’s country song: “Amanda”
There’s nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do:
One of the weirdest facts of my life is getting to meet Toto in 1978. Not that I met them (they did an in-store at Karma Records here in town), but WHY they were here. They were opening for Rush. Yes, you read that correctly. I know, I can’t really fathom how that combination went over.
Anyway, I told David Paich (pictured), lead singer and co-writer of this song, how much I loved the work he did with Boz Scaggs on Silk Degrees. He lit up like a Christmas tree.
If you want some obscure trivia, David Paich and his father, jazz musician/arranger/composer Marty Paich are the only father-son team to win an Emmy. Yes, an Emmy. They won it for the theme to Ironside in 1974. You’re welcome.
You’re also welcome because you’ll have this song stuck in your head all day.
Africa
Written by David Paich and Jeff Porcaro
Recorded by Toto
From Toto IV, 1982
Peak Chart Position: #1
Today’s country song: “Amanda”
There’s nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do:Your browser isn’t supported anymore. Update it to get the best YouTube experience and our latest features. Learn moreRemind me later
10 people like this
11 responses
@LindaOHio (222806)
• United States
4 Sep 24
Yes...and yes! I know this one very well. Have a good day.
2 people like this
@FourWalls (86869)
• United States
4 Sep 24
Always good to have this side of the countdown to fall back on, isn’t it. 
2 people like this
@LindaOHio (222806)
• United States
5 Sep 24
@FourWalls Yep. There was some good music in the 80s.
2 people like this
@FourWalls (86869)
• United States
5 Sep 24
I have quite a few ringtones (including Harry Nilsson’s “You’re Breaking My Heart” for the VA), but “Africa” is my primary tone.
1 person likes this
@porwest (112929)
• United States
5 Sep 24
@FourWalls lol. That would apply fittingly to the VA.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86869)
• United States
6 Sep 24
@porwest — exactly why I made it just for them. 
1 person likes this
@Orson_Kart (8324)
• United Kingdom
4 Sep 24
This was also a big hit here in the UK, and still gets played often on the radio. Great song. 
I’ve always thought that Boz Scaggs was a great name! 
I’ve always thought that Boz Scaggs was a great name! 1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86869)
• United States
4 Sep 24
Boz is a cool name, and you don’t need his last name to know who it is.
Toto was the group of studio musicians who backed Boz on Silk Degrees. Of course, they were backing a lot of other artists at the time, too.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (37621)
•
21 Sep 24
Toto was a group of phenomenal session musicians who formed a great band. Love that tune!!! Instrumentally, a beautiful song.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86869)
• United States
21 Sep 24
The list of people they played with as a group and as individuals reads like a Who’s Who of rock and roll. And that was BEFORE they became a band!
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86869)
• United States
4 Sep 24
I think hearing someone say something other than “Hold the Line,” which was their first hit, grabbed his attention.
@RasmaSandra (98106)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
3 Sep 24
Absolutely love this song and another is Roseanna,
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86869)
• United States
4 Sep 24
Yes, that’s another gem in the Toto collection.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86869)
• United States
3 Sep 24
David Paich is halfway to an EGOT!
Yeah, this is a much better song than it was 40 years ago. 
Yeah, this is a much better song than it was 40 years ago. 1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86869)
• United States
4 Sep 24
I like Weird Al’s appearance in Weezer’s video of it.
1 person likes this
@pitsipeahie (5758)
•
3 Sep 24
Great choice with "Africa" by Toto! It’s such a classic, and it's cool that you got to meet the band back in the day. I love how you’re diving into these songs with such detail.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86869)
• United States
4 Sep 24
Thanks, I enjoy telling the backstories when I know them.
1 person likes this
