Africa

Composition

Africa was written by David Paich and Jeff Porcaro, and the lyrics describe a romantic admiration for the continent rather than firsthand experience. Paich has said he wrote the song based on documentaries and reading he had encountered.

Reception

Released as a single in late 1982, Africa reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1983. It was the fourth single from “Toto IV,” an album that won Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards that year.

Revival

After three quieter decades, Africa returned to wide cultural attention in the late 2010s through internet meme culture and a 2018 cover by Weezer, reentering charts in multiple countries and gaining new audiences.