[Verse 1: David Paich]
I hear the drums echoing tonight
But she hears only whispers of some quiet conversation
She’s coming in, 12:30 flight
Her moonlit wings reflect the stars that guide me towards salvation
I stopped an old man along the way
Hoping to find some old forgotten words or ancient melodies
He turned to me as if to say
"Hurry boy, it’s waiting there for you"

[Chorus: Bobby Kimball]
It’s gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
There’s nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had

[Verse 2: David Paich]
The wild dogs cry out in the night
As they grow restless longing for some solitary company
I know that I must do what’s right
As sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti
I seek to cure what’s deep inside
Frightened of this thing that I’ve become

[Chorus: Bobby Kimball]
It’s gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
There’s nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had

[Bridge]
Hurry boy, she’s waiting there for you

[Chorus: Bobby Kimball]
It’s gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
There’s nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa
I bless the rains down in Africa
I bless the rains down in Africa
I bless the rains down in Africa
I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had

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“AFRICA” TRACK INFO
Produced By
Toto
Written By
Jeff Porcaro & David Paich
Release Date
April 8, 1982
EXPAND TRACK INFO
MUSIC VIDEO

WHO OR WHAT IS THIS SONG ABOUT?
SONG TRANSLATIONS
WHAT IS THE STORY BEHIND THE SONG?
ICONIC MOMENTS WHERE THE TOTO PERFORMED THE SONG.
HAS THE SONG BEEN FEATURED IN TV SHOWS?
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1.
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2.
Make Believe
3.
I Won’t Hold You Back
4.
Good for You
5.
It’s a Feeling
6.
Afraid of Love
7.
Lovers In the Night
8.
We Made It
9.
Waiting For Your Love
10.
Africa
COMMENTS
Smitty
6 years ago
People!!!!!!! Think about it and then look at the entire song and the line following “bless the rain”
He’s meeting a love interest!! He is thrilled (blessed) its raining in Africa!! Why?? Because “it’s going to take some time to do the things we never have” The writer is think about a few days between the sheets!!!! Call me crazy!!!!!

+84 UPVOTES
Maxx305 294
4 years ago
Gta vice city

+60 UPVOTES
Stropey 174
3 years ago
Funny thing. When my mom first heard the song, she legitimately thought the line “Theres-nothing-that-a-hundred-men-or-more-could-ever-do” was “There’s nothing that a hundred men on Mars could ever do.”

+56 UPVOTES

Expooler 142
3 years ago
Stranger Things Anyone?

+24 UPVOTES
John
3 years ago
I love this song. Here is what it means to me:

The singer is has a deep relationship with a woman but feels incomplete and needs to part from her so he can go on a quest (in Africa) to become whole.
The drums are calling him but she can’t hear them.
He is looking for some timeless knowledge. He asks an old man who says “It’s waiting there for you,” meaning your aspiration is out there. Go find it. It’s very difficult to leave her. A hundred men couldn’t do it. He is going off to wild Africa to create greatness in himself – to get beyond this frightening thing he has become. He knows he must leave, but shes waiting there for him–the 12:30 flight has arrived. He should be there for her–but he needs to go off. He will immerse himself in Nature–the hugeness of natural Africa.