Toto

Released: May 6, 1990

Songwriter: David Paich Jean-Michel Byron Mike Porcaro

Producer: James Guthrie

The world is precious, a gift to you and me
I suggest we treat her right, with love and dignity

Everybody's looking for some peace of mind
If you seek the truth then you will surely find
Everybody wants to have global peace
While the press of a button can shake the world to its knees

Can you hear what I'm saying, can you hear what I'm saying

There are those who say might is right, I beg to disagree
I say we all unite and redirect our destiny

Everybody's looking for a quick solution
Our lungs are choking from breathing air pollution
I say put down your guns and stop the revolution
I say it's time we make a restitution, yes

Can you hear what I'm saying, can you hear what I'm saying

Can you hear what I'm saying, can you hear what I'm saying

Can you hear what I'm saying, can you hear what I'm saying

Can you hear me now, I am calling out to you
(Can you hear me calling out to you, can you hear me calling out to you)

There's so much starvation, so much say untruth
So much prejudice, there's so much deprivation - oh how long, how long

Can you hear what I'm saying

Africa, America, Eurasia, Latin Africa

Toto is an American rock band formed in 1977 in Van Nuys in Los Angeles, California. The band’s current lineup consists of Joseph Williams (lead vocals), David Paich (keyboards, vocals), Steve Porcaro (keyboards), Steve Lukather (guitars, vocals), Shem von Schroeck (bass), and Shannon Forrest (drums). Toto is known for a musical style that combines elements of pop, rock, soul, funk, progressive rock, hard rock, R&B, blues, and jazz.

David Paich and Jeff Porcaro had played together as session musicians on several albums and decided to form a band. David Hungate, Steve Lukather, Steve Porcaro, and Bobby Kimball were recruited before their first album release. The band enjoyed great commercial success in the late 1970s and 1980s, beginning with the band’s eponymous debut released in 1978. With the release of the critically acclaimed and commercially successful Toto IV from 1982, Toto became one of the best-selling music groups of their era. They are best known for the Top 5 hits “Hold the Line”, “Rosanna”, and “Africa”. Several changes to the lineup have been made over the years. Hungate left in 1982 followed by Kimball in 1984 but rejoined the band in 1998 until 2008. Jeff Porcaro died in 1992 of a heart attack. Hungate rejoined Toto as a touring musician and later a band member. In 2008, Lukather announced his departure from the band, and the remaining band members later went their separate ways. In the summer of 2010, Toto reformed and went on a short European tour, with a new lineup, to benefit Mike Porcaro, who had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and was no longer an active member of the band.

The band has released a total of 17 albums, and have sold over 40 million albums to date. The group was honored with several Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2009.

more tracks from the album

Past to Present 1977-1990

From the albums

Past to Present 1977-1990 (1990)
The Essential Toto (Re-release) (2004)

Toto popular songs

Can You Hear What I’m SayingToto

Toto

Past to Present 1977-1990