This is a very special episode of The Story Behind. Believe it or not, two years ago I pressed Publish on the first three episodes of this podcast, The Story Behind the Theremin, The Story Behind Dry Ice, and The Story Behind Sugar Skulls. This podcast was supposed to be a side-project for me. It was supposed to just take up a little of my time, so I could continue my hobby of podcasting while holding a full-time job and when I was pregnant with my son.

That’s what it was supposed to be. But in the two years since the show began, it took on more. It became my favorite distraction. It allowed me to geek out over things I never had a reason to learn otherwise. And it kept my brain from going to complete mush with pregnancy brain and post-partum brain. Plus, it led me to a career in podcasting and finally, it became the basis for The Story Behind book.

Now, after last year’s one-year and 100th episode special of The Story Behind The Musical, which was sung, I knew it would take a lot to top that for this year’s episode. In fact, it’s gonna take a lot to drag me away from you. There’s nothing that a 100 episodes or more could ever do.

I’m your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind “Africa” by Toto.

• Find out more about The Story Behind Book!
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• This episode was brought to you by The Story Behind Executive Producers who support the show through the Patreon Page at patreon.com/thestorybehind: Jeffrey Seguritan, Podcasts We Listen to, Dan Gallagher, Jonathan Bloom, Ryan P. Jackson, Barry G, Bandrew Scott, Jarrod Dunham, Linguist Sam, Ryle Davis Jr., Dave Jackson, Sunshine & PowerCuts, Everyone Has a Podcast, Adam Higgins, The Beardcaster, Elikqitie, Jim Collison, North Omaha History Podcast, Dan Brenic, Two Peas on a Podcast, Jason Bryant, History Goes Bump, The One Word Go Show, and Stargate Pioneer.

• Click here to support this podcast on Patreon.

Media:

• Music for Makers
• Toto - Africa ( Chicken Cover )

Sources:

• The story behind Toto's 'Africa' - Boing Boing
• Toto's David Paich talks Quincy Jones sessions and writing Africa - Music Radar
• Q&’80s: Toto’s Dave Paich on Writing and Recording ‘Africa’ - Grantland
• Africa by Toto - Song Facts
• Toto's 'Africa': The Oral History of '80s Pop's Most-Spoofed Megahit - Billboard
• The Ongoing Legacy of Toto’s ‘Africa’ - Ultimate Classic Rock
• How ‘Africa’ by Toto Became the Internet’s Favorite Song - Vice/Motherboard
• Weezer Covers Toto's 'Africa,' Taking Us Deep Into The Internet's Heart Of Beigeness - NPR
• Weezer and Toto: the inside story of music’s unlikely love-in - The Guardian
• @weezerafrica on Twitter
• Weezer Recruit ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic for Video of Toto Cover ‘Africa’ - Rolling Stone
• The strange appeal of Toto’s Africa — and why it’s cover-proof - Financial Times
• r/TotoAfricaCovers - Reddit
• The Secret History Of Toto - Louder Sound
• Toto Band History - Toto99.com
• Interview: Toto: how we made Africa - The Guardian
• Steve Barron - IMDb
• How Toto’s ‘Africa’ Became the New ‘Don’t Stop Believin” - Rolling Stone
• Yacht Rock Web Series
• Africa - Toto (video)

Other Episodes Referenced

• The Story Behind the Theremin
• The Story Behind Dry Ice
• The Story Behind Sugar Skulls
• The Story Behind the Band-Aid