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Day 3 – Toto Climbs the Kilimanjaro

September 3rd, 2015 Leave a comment Go to comments

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I am reminded that during one particular vacation and I cannot remember which, that upon arriving back home, noticed that the song Toto – ‘Africa’ was being played on repeat over 500 times on iTunes. This would not be such a bad thing other than the fact that my last.fm account was live. This was all thanks to my generous brother-in-law who knew that I subconsciously admired this song and wanted to share that with the rest of the world. If you look at the account now you will notice that I have deleted these hundreds of plays, the same way a jilted lover burns letters and mementos of current object of betrayal.

The song is completely a child of the ‘80s, blessed by all the MTV gods and deities of that era. The video has the look and feel of something both fairly cheaply made and yet exotic in a mundane sort of way. Remember that 1981 it’s still on the early side of the music video revolution whereby the music video concept is still being developed. As catchy as it might be, it’s even more kitschy. It’s very white-centric, i.e. a video of a white male researching “Africa” while there is a black librarian about the entire continent of Africa, something that even today our nation has subconsciously viewed this area of the world.

How in the hell do you sing this line?

“As sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti”

The above line is written at a 4th grade level and isn’t even accurate. My understanding is that it is impossible to see the Serengeti from Kilimanjaro.

The song has at times inspired me to think about telling others about my secret love for “Soft Rock” and begin to dig the soft rock lifestyle of that era, i.e. shoulder pads, mullets and doin it Miami Vice style.

Maybe then I’ll start a band that writes tunes “inspired” by that soft rock sound because that would be totally fucking original. I am not going to be putting an Air Fucking Supply poster on my wall. Steely Dan? Actually if there was one I would be sleeping on the couch because my wife wouldn’t allow it.

Growing up in the 80’s there’s a slight nostalgia aspect to ‘Africa’ and others but in many ways I just see the blinders that we exhibited during that time.

• Darker My Love – Add One to the Other One
• White Fence – Afraid of What It’s Worth
• Toto – Africa
• Yacht – The Afterlife

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