Toto has recently been enjoying renewed interest, probably part of a general 1980s nostalgia trend. Weezer releasing “Rosanna” after fans kept pestering them to remake “Africa” (a genius counter-troll), before then releasing “Africa” itself, brought Toto to the national fanfore in a way nostalgia alone never could.
And, to be honest, I think “Rosanna” is the better song. If you don’t believe me, listen to this guy. I love “Africa” (and, MF, I can sing it!) but Rosanna is musically superior, even though “Africa” is a tough competitor and has a better backstory.
Why Toto?
For the longest time, Toto was unfairly maligned. In the 1990s, there was a running joke that the way to clear out a party you were tired of hosting was to start playing Toto. Okay, that’s funny, but also unfair.
Few people know it, but Toto may have sabotaged their careers to give us one of the greatest albums of the 1900s. After the enormous success of Toto IV, rather than going on a promotional tour, they agreed to be the backing band for Michael Jackson’s massive hit, Thriller.
In my estimation, they never recovered. Their follow-on albums were, in my opinion, amazing sequels to IV, but their popularity had fallen off due to the lack of promotion for IV. Sure, one could argue that their creativity was somewhat spent after Thriller. Either way, they sacrificed themselves for one of the greatest musical works of the century. That’s commendable.
So, I think Toto deserves a huge tribute album featuring today’s greatest artists. And, I’ve gone through a list of Toto’s most popular songs to figure out which artists would best honor the musicality of the individual pieces.
I’ll be honest, I love cover tunes. I believe songs are like myths, they have a life of their own and remakes only enrich their impact. So, this project was super-fun for me. Let’s get to the details.
“I’ll Supply the Love” – Bruno Mars
Hey, I like Bruno Mars. He has a cool vibe and a cool name. While undressing in my workplace’s gym once, someone complimented my shoes and asked me what they were. I didn’t know so I searched them for a brand name. Turns out, they were Bruno Marc. The co-worker said, “Whoa! I didn’t know he made shoes.” I immediately realized the error, but played along. “Oh yeah, he’s into all kinds of shit now.”
Prank level: Master.
But, back to the actual musician. Bruno Mars is a natural for this song. I mean, jeezarino, if you listen to Bruno Mars’ vocal riffs in “Young Girls” or the bouncing enthusiasm of “Just The Way You Are” or, especially, the smooth groove of “Uptown Funk” and then imagine “I’ll Supply The Love” dropped into a slower, funkier tempo, it’s just fucking magic. Danceable magic. Magic that won’t allow you to not dance.
And, the Toto song captures Bruno’s confident, charming persona perfectly. The quirky, prog rock bridge would be a perfect opportunity for a signature Bruno Mars dance sequence. And, the outro provides another massive dance sequence opportunity. Trust me, I got this. Bruno Mars is the man for this cover.
“Georgie Porgy” – Maroon 5
If you doubt me on this, listen to the bouncing rhythm and late 70s chord structure of Maroon 5’s “Misery” or the sultry romance of their “This Love” and then listen to “Georgie Porgy” and imagine it with Maroon 5’s groove and Adam Levine’s voice. It’s a natural match.
Levine’s hunky presence also plays into the vibe of this tune in a way … I just can’t imagine another dude remaking this song. And, he’s got the vocal chops to break out of the low-key tone of most of the verses into the break-out soul on the third-verse lyric: “It’s just that I’m an addict for your love.”
I think I’d want Ariana Grande to do the female back-up on that one. She’s got the range and the soul.
“Stop Loving You” – Keith Urban
I wouldn’t want to stick with pop stars. I’d want to spread the love around, genre-wise, not just for diversity’s sake but to make sure I wasn’t limiting the project, to the detriment of the remakes.
New Zealander Urban is a country star, but his style is a perfect match for this amazing, post-IV Toto tune, even though it’s essentially pop rock.
Listen to Keith Urban’s “Sweet Thing” or “Somebody Like You,” notice how he does this signature rhythmic echo on punchy guitar, and you can hear the echo-infused groove of “Stop Loving You.” Joseph Williams’ vocals on the Toto original are incredibly similar to Urban’s style, and even Urban’s held notes during the chorus are there in the Toto tune. The original is a pop rock tune, but if you listen to it you can hear 21st Century country bubbling under the surface.
You could actually do a mash-up of “Somebody Like You” or “Sweet Thing” and “Stop Loving You” without a lot of studio technique beyond tempo. I’m tempted.
And the lyrics of this song are totally Urban: clever phrases describing a difficult romance.
“Make Believe” – John Legend
As for John Legend, I’ll be honest. I don’t have any songs that specifically remind me of “Make Believe.” But, I’ve always wanted to hear his voice applied to a 70s groove like Sly and the Family Stone’s “Hot Fun in the Summer” or Chaka Khan’s “Tell Me Something Good,” and “Make Believe” reminds me of that.
It’s not the most well-known Toto tune, but I think it’s one of the best candidates for a song that could chart today. John Legend could make that happen.
“Rosanna” – Michael Buble
The thumping, jazzy groove of Michael Buble’s “Haven’t Met You Yet” reminds me of the pounding jazz/blues undergroove of “Rosanna.”
Buble could dominate all of the soulful vocals of this Toto tune, which had to be split between Steve Lukather and Bobby Kimball in the original. And, the lyrical theme of surrendering to romance is perfect for Buble’s musical persona. Do I need to sell this more? Toto’s most musically impressive song and a supremely talented jazz pop vocalist. A natural fit.
“I Won’t Hold You Back” – Evanescence
Just listen to the piano intro of “I Won’t Hold You Back” … it’s so Evanescence. The sadness, despair, and longing in the lyrics. The swelling vocals, so Amy Lee. The orchestral accompaniment. The only thing missing is the band’s crunchy, goth guitars.
The best part of this pairing is that Amy Lee and Evanescence would add some missing punch to the almost BeeGees-style, atmospheric feel of the chorus. This would actually be an improvement on the original.
And, just imagine Amy’s voice rising to those second-verse highs on the lyrics: “…to realize just how much you cared.” That would be haunting.
“99” – Jason Mraz
Sorry, I’m going off the deep end here, but I feel that Mraz’s reggae bounce, evidenced in the touching yet upbeat “I’m Yours,” could bring “99” out of its 70s, soft rock doldrums and really make it groove. I mean, it already grooves in a nostalgic way, but Mraz could add a modern ritmo to the tune and make it really pop.
“Stranger in Town” – Marilyn Manson
“Stranger in Town” is very atypical for Toto in its tone, its content, and its rhythm. In fact, it reminds me a bit of the sort of driving, made-for-film songs that Kenny Loggins wrote during his prime, particularly “Heaven Helps” from Footloose (which, by the way, is my favorite Loggins tune), but with a goth edge.
This one stumped me for a while, but I finally realize that Marilyn Manson is the only currently active artist who could add the necessary menace to bring this cover into its full potential. Manson’s cover of “Cry Little Sister” from Lost Boys is a great example of his ability to stay true to someone else’s song while ramping up the menace.
“I’ll Be Over You” – Darius Rucker
“I’ll Be Over You” was easy. Darius Rucker’s chops when it comes to singing ballads about tough love doesn’t even need a link. You either know his work with Hootie and the Blowfish or you know him as a solo country artist or both. If you don’t, just type his name into YouTube’s search bar and enjoy. And, his style is so distinct from Keith Urban’s that a pretty good range of country music would be covered.
“Africa” – Tegan and Sara
Since Weezer recently remade this, I wanted a different angle. Tegan and Sara already express a fantastic retro 80s groove: check out “Boyfriend.” They get the keyboard work of that decade like no other current artist, and that is key to this Toto song.
Also, they convey a primal sense of seething need that’s just fucking perfect for “Africa.” Finally, a tight, two-part harmony is what drive the chorus of “Africa,” and Tegan and Sara are brilliant at this.
“Pamela” – Justin Timberlake
Like Bruno Mars, Timberlake is just hard not to like. Adding his natural charm to “Pamela” is a no-brainer. And, his formidable pop sensibilities could ramp up the song into a 21st Century hit. Check out the groove on “Say Something” or the punchy vocals of “Suit and Tie,” which could really add pop to the verse of the Toto original.
And if you doubt Justin’s ability to hold out those high chorus notes, check out “Dead and Gone.” Moreover, imagine Justin’s Jackson-esque choreography in the song’s quirky groove. Timberlake’s the man for it.
“Hold the Line” – P!nk
To put it bluntly, this choice was based on necessity. Such an iconic Toto rock song as “Hold the Line” could only be trusted to an artist as mega-talented as P!nk. And to be honest, she has no songs that remind me of the Toto original, but her ability to slam out a pop-rock song just makes her as natural a choice as Darius Rucker for “I’ll Be Over You.”
Plus, P!nk has a way of exploring a heart-rending relationship dynamic that few artists can even approach. In fact, I would put her right up there with Tegan and Sara as artists who are able to bring tears to my eyes—Dan Folgelberg levels of emotional elicitation. P!nk’s virtuosity at expressing vulnerability (check out “Don’t Leave Me” or “Don’t Let Me Get Me“) is perfect for the song’s confessional mood.
“Waiting For Your Love” – Stevie Wonder
One last thing: I would love to get Stevie Wonder to come out of semi-retirement to do a cover of the deep cut (released but didn’t chart well) of “Waiting For Your Love” from Toto IV. Check it out, and you’ll immediately hear Stevie’s groove.
And, Bobby Kimball’s soulful vocals are so Stevie that they almost seem like plagiarism. It’s a song written for a Stevie Wonder remake. Replace some of the keyboard riffs with horns, and you’ve got a Stevie Wonder song.
This is one of my favorite Toto songs, and I think Stevie could kill it.
CONCLUSION
I love Toto, I love covers, and I love all of the artists I’ve tagged here. If you love all or any of these, share this concept.
I don’t even care if I am cited as the originator of this idea. I just would love to see it become reality.