Africa is a song by the American rock band Toto, released as a single from their fourth studio album, Toto IV, in 1982. The song was written by David Paich and Jeff Porcaro. David Paich was playing around on his keyboard when he came up with the songs opening riff, inspired in part by watching documentaries on Africa. Jeff Porcaro designed the drum pattern for the song. Despite initially receiving some criticism for its lyrics, Africa has become ... See more [+] Totos most recognized song and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in February 1983.
Key: B
Introduction:
A
G#m
C#m
A
G#m
C#m
A
G#m
C#m
A
G#m
C#m
B
D#m
G#m
I hear the drums echoing tonight
B/F#
A/E
C#m
G#m
A
G#m
C#m
She hears only whispers of some quiet conversa - tion
B
D#m
G#m
She's coming in, twelve thirty flight
B/F#
A/E
Bsus/F#
G#m
A
G#m
C#m
The moonlit wings reflect the stars that guide me toward salva - tion
B
D#m
G#m
I stopped an old man along the way
B/F#
A/E
Bsus/F#
G#m
A
G#m
C#m
Hoping to find some old forgotten words or ancient melo - dies
B
D#m
G#m
A
C#m
He turned to me as if to say “hurry boy, it's waiting there for you”
F#m
D
A
E
Gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
F#m
D
A
E
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
F#m
D
A
E
I bless the rains down in Africa
F#m
D
A
C#m
E
F#m
E/G#
A
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had...
A
G#m
C#m
Ooo Ooo
A
G#m
C#m
B
D#m
G#m
The wild dogs cry out in the night
B/F#
A/E
Bsus/F#
G#m
A
G#m
C#m
As they grow restless longing for some solitary compa-ny
B
D#m
G#m
I know that I must do what's right
B/F#
A/E
Bsus/F#
G#m
A
G#m
C#m
As sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Ser - engeti
B
D#m
G#m
I seek to cure what's deep inside
G#m
A
C#m
Frightened of this thing that I've become
F#m
D
A
E
Gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
F#m
D
A
E
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
F#m
D
A
E
I bless the rains down in Africa
F#m
D
A
C#m
E
F#m
E/G#
A
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had...
A
G#m
C#m
Ooo Ooo
A
G#m
C#m
B
D#m
G#m
B/F#
A/E
Bsus/F#
G#m
A
G#m
C#m
B
D#7
G#m
A
C#m
“hurry boy, she's waiting there for you”
F#m
D
A
E
It’s gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
F#m
D
A
E
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
F#m
D
A
E
I bless the rains down in Africa
F#m
D
A
E
I bless the rains down in Africa
F#m
D
A
E
I bless the rains down in Africa
F#m
D
A
E
I bless the rains down in Africa
F#m
D
A
E
I bless the rains down in Africa
F#m
D
A
C#m
E
F#m
E/G#
A
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had…