1.TOTOIVPop / Rockreleased April 8th, 1982
via Columbia
1. Rosanna [5:31]
2. Make Believe [3:43]
3. I Won’t Hold You Back [4:53]
4. Good for You [3:17]
5. It’s a Feeling [3:05]
6. Afraid of Love [3:52]
7. Lovers in the Night [4:25]
8. We Made It [3:56]
9. Waiting for Your Love [4:12]
10. Africa [4:55]
IV is
David Paich (Keyboards / Lead Vocals on 7, 10 / Backing vocals on 1, 2, 5-10)
Steve Lukather (Guitars / Lead vocals on 1, 3, 6 / Backing vocals on 1-4, 6-10)
Bobby Kimball (Lead vocals on 1, 2, 4, 8-10 / Backing vocals on 1, 2, 4, 6-10)
Steve Porcaro (Keyboards / Lead vocals on 5)
David Hungate (Bass)
Jeff Porcaro R.I.P. 1992 (Drums / Percussion)
WITHLenny Castro (Congas and percussion on 1, 4, 5, 7, 10)
Ralph Dyck (Synthesizer on 7)
Roger Linn (Synth programming on 4)
Gary Grant (Trumpet on 1)
Jerry Hey (Trumpet on 1)
Tom Scott (Saxophone on 1, 7)
Jon Smith (Saxophone on 2)
Jim Horn (Saxophone on 1, 7 / Recorders on 10)
Marty Paich R.I.P. 1995 (Orchestral arrangements on 3)
James Newton Howard (Orchestral arrangements and conductor on 3, 5-7)
The Martyn Ford Orchestra (Strings on 3, 5-7)
Jimmy Pankow (Trombone on 1)
Joe Porcaro (Percussion on 5, 10 / Xylophone on 6 / Tympani on 7 / Marimba on 10)
Mike Porcaro R.I.P. 2015 (Cello on 3, 8)
Tom Kelly (Backing vocals on 1, 2)
Timothy B. Schmidt (Backing vocals on 3, 4, 10)
If anybody’s read even a fraction of these write-ups, thank you. If anybody’s checked out the linked songs/albums, thank you, even if you didn’t like them. I’m all about sharing the love of music and trying to turn people on to stuff they might not otherwise look at, even if it’s not super obscure or unknown music. So, thanks again for following along and letting me spill my guts out over my favorite music while I take a few ribbings here and there. Now strap in... I have a lot to unpack
I was exposed to a lot of different music growing up which probably explains my musical tastes. My sister and I shared a room; pop stars, boy bands and girl groups, a couple rappers and a smidge of country, and whatever was popular on MTV. My dad, 70s and 80s hard rock like GnR, ACDC, Van Halen, and a little bit of Green Day and Nirvana to boot. Myself, video game soundtracks, a bit of classical music (Chopin was one of my first musical loves), and some pop music. And my mom… some of the old crooners, some pop, some of the lighter classic rock like Def Leppard and REO Speedwagon... and Toto.
God bless my mom for introducing me to this band. One year in the mid to late 90s I remember opening a Christmas gift and it was a Tears For Fears album. I had told my mom I liked that ‘red CD’ she played in the car, but couldn’t remember the name. I was too young to actually be disappointed, so I played the album, but it wasn’t what I remembered enjoying, so my mom took me to the store and helped me exchange it for Toto IV. I also got a portable CD player which I thought was just the coolest thing ever, and I stayed in my room and played this record on repeat for hours, every day.
Toto IV effortlessly blends what makes pop and rock music so good and kicks it up a notch, with creative rhythms, dashes of funk, dramatic orchestrations, and a variety of musical influences working to make each song unique. And despite almost every song being a rumination on love and/or heartbreak, each song stands on their own and has a unique flavor that help make this album so musically delicious. Compared to the previous album Turn Back and the album that would follow, Isolation, it is a wonder how this album sounds as good as it does. In my opinion, Toto wouldn’t produce an album with similar high quality production until 1998’s Mindfields.
I adore the vocals on IV. David Paich, Steve Lukather, and Bobby Kimball all have easily identifiable voices and they complement each other well when they trade off. Bobby’s higher register is best used for choruses, such as the timeless “Rosanna” and “Africa,” where Steve Lukather and David Paich, respectively, lead the verses with a huskier, deeper voice. Even Steve Porcaro gets in on the singing action for one song – “It’s A Feeling” is a highlight of the record, subdued vocals paired with a gentle keyboard riff and a steady drum beat. It’s one of the record’s more relaxing numbers for sure. Steve Porcaro’s synth work is awe-inspiring, and David Paich’s piano is bright and sunny and adds so much to songs like “Make Believe” and “Lovers In The Night.”
Shoutout to “Waiting For Your Love” which is the funkiest song on the album; a real groovy rhythm section with some smooth keyboards and tasty synth action always make me think of the music video which shows them playing the song in a club with people dancing everywhere. This song makes me wish I could actually dance.
You can’t talk about Toto IV, of course, without talking about the late, great Jeff Porcaro. The way the album starts is so perfect. Jeff plays his now legendary “Rosanna shuffle” which might be my favorite drum beat ever. Then the piano and guitar come in. I love how gorgeous this sounds, in the key of G, and then halfway through the verses it modulates to F to accommodate Bobby’s singing and amps up the energy, a simple but effective way to keep the song interesting. The singers weave in and out of songs seamlessly; some bands have jarring transitions between multiple vocalists, but not Toto. Not on this record, anyway. Bringing it back to Jeff, his drums are just really satisfying to listen to on every song, especially “Africa.”
Speaking of “Africa,” that song is a national treasure. No exaggeration: greatest song I’ve ever heard. It is musical perfection in 4 minutes and 55 seconds. The adventurous keyboards and how they jump from sound to sound, that sexy rhythm, silky vocals, an incredible harmony in the chorus – all while the electric guitar is barely doing anything. It’s a drum, vocal, and keyboard-centric song that just works on every level. And there’s nothing wrong with that Kilimanjaro lyric.
In Summary: I have an obligation to spread the Toto gospel. I still listen to this record on average once a week and have been doing that for as long as I can remember. This is the greatest collection of music Man has ever laid to tape. I still have that CD my mom got me over 20 years ago and the case is beat up but the CD still plays perfectly. I’ve bought this album three times on CD and twice on vinyl and I don’t even own a record player. Toto IV is love, Toto IV is life.
Katt’s Favorites: Rosanna (music video),
Make Believe,
It’s A Feeling,
Afraid of Love,
Waiting For Your Love (music video),
Africa (music video)Listen to “IV” by Toto on Spotify
Topic: Katt's Top 50 Albums v. I bless the rains down in Africa [#1] (Read 67955 times)