Toto

Released: October 30, 1979

Songwriter: Bobby Kimball David Hungate David Paich Jeff Porcaro Steve Lukather Steve Porcaro

Producer: Toto Reggie Fischer Tom Knox

[Verse 1]
There was a man, who walked alone
Searching for the girl who had just caught his (eye)
"I was a fool!" he cried
His mind had wandered
He blinked and the sky moved ever so slightly
He searched the city
She was nowhere to be found
Meanwhile she was floating downward, downward

[Chorus]
Do you want your freedom
Do you want my love
Do you want your freedom
From the one you're thinking of

[Verse 2]
There lied a lady
Naked and yet not knowing
A spell had chained her heart forever
Preyed upon by the wolves in Times Square
Fell into an abyss of thin air
Innocent 'n caged in sanctuary
There sat the dragon Lord playing solitary
Confined to rule the holy walls 'neath Hell's Kitchen

[Chorus]
Do you want your freedom
Do you want my love
Do you want your freedom
From the man who lives above

[Verse 3]
Suddenly a voice was heard
In a flash the brave young man appeared
The dragon whirled and caught him with his tail
Chased him to the stairway
Caught him halfway to the top
Sent him whirling down
Fireballs, summer solstice
The Dragon Lord descended down on him
She turned to look but saw only darkness, silence

[Chorus]
You don't want your freedom
You don't want my love
You don't want your throat cut
By the Satan I'm thinking of

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

Hydra

From the album

Hydra (1979)

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HydraToto

Toto

Hydra