Day 06 - A Song that Reminds You of a Certain Event
This entry a part of the 30 Day Song Challenge
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Africa
Toto
Toto IV
(Released October 1982)
First off, I love this song to bits. My dad used to play a lot of Toto when I was a kid and this was my favorite (along with Rosanna). I remember loving the song more after reading the story behind it in the CD inlay. I quote Dave Paich:
At the beginning of the 80’s I watched a late night documentary on TV about all the terrible death and suffering of the people in Africa. It both moved and appalled me and the pictures just wouldn’t leave my head. I tried to imagine how I’d feel about if I was there and what I’d do.
This song reminds me of three events, if not eras:
- Tinkering with Print Artist on Windows 95! This was the application where I first learned the graphic design basics! Ah, what memories Print Artist brings! One of my first ever “projects” was a design inspired by this Toto song. I wish I had saved a copy but here’s what I remember: a tropical tree, an island, and the text “Africa” set in Monotype Corsiva. Those aren’t exactly the images that come to mind when thinking of Africa, but how was a 10-year-old supposed to know? (Plus, the clipart in Print Artist was rather limited!)
- May 13, 1995, the day my cousins flew to Australia, sort of marking the end of my happy summer and the beginning of the dark ages in this boy’s life. It was a Saturday, and this song was playing on TV as I watched everyone lift boxes from my cousin’s house to the rental vehicles.
- I auditioned for school choir in grade school but was rejected. I tried again in high school, and this was my song of choice. Of course it was a bad audition, but apparently not bad enough because I lucked in to the list of passers.
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