Top 10 Toto Songs

Our top 10 Toto Songs list takes a look at a band that has always proved that virtuosic musicians can indeed write great songs filled with passion and melody. Toto burst on the music scene in 1978 with an incredible album that featured a killer song entitled “Hold The Line.” From that point in time. Toto has continued to release rock records blazing with substance.

The band Toto was formed by a group of players who were well known studio musicians and had performed on so many of the 1970’s biggest hits. These were the platers that made so many  seventies songs come to life. On lead and backing vocals was singer Bobby Kimball. Before Bobby Kimball joined Toto as the lead singer he had worked with such noted artists such as Diana Ross, Grover Washington Jr., Steve Harley and Leo Sayer.

Toto’s guitarist and founding member Steve Lukather is one of the most well respected guitar players in the music business. Steve Lukather has played on thousands of recordings including working with artists such as Alice Cooper, Asia, Bob Seger, Chicago, Elton John, Gary Wright and so many more.

The rest of the original members of Toto included Steve Porcaro and David Paich on keyboards and vocals, David Hungate on bass and the late Jeff Porcaro on drums.

Toto released their first album in 1978. Since their debut album Toto has continued to release records throughout the past forty years. Their most recent studio album of new material was released in 2015 entitled Toto XIV.

Our Top 10 Toto songs is our own subjective opinion on what we believe are some of the best Toto songs ever released. Many of these have been massive hits, but there are a few gems in here that never achieved that much commercial success.

# 10 – Pamela

We start out our Top 10 Toto Songs list with the opening track from the band’s The Seventh One album. The great CD was released in March of 1988. That opening drum fill and lick settled into a groove that has always been one of Toto’s best. The song “Pamela,” was released as the first single from the album and reached the number twenty two spot on the Billboard Hot 100. In the 1980’s record companies loved releasing singles from CDs. There were six singles released from The Seventh One album.

# 9 – Orphan

It always burns our britches when we hear people say that there are no great songs being written anymore. What they should say is that radio ignores so much great new music while focusing on garbage rap and hip hop. This fabulous Toto song “Orphan,” proves our point. This song is outrageously fantastic. The depth of the song’s lyrical content juxtaposed against the always brilliant musicianship of the band resulted in one of the most magnificent pop songs of the 21st century.  The song “Orphan,” was released on the band’s fourteenth album simply entitled Toto XIV. The album was released in 2015. It is the band’s most recent studio album.

# 8 – I Will Remember

“I Will Remember,” is not one of those Toto songs that grabs you right away with a killer hook and groove. It’s a song that builds slowly growing deeper with meaning and emotion with each measure. It’s a beautiful and profound piece of music. The song “I Will Remember,” was released on the Tambu album in 1995.

# 7 – Georgy Porgy

“Georgy Porgy,” has always been one of our favorite songs on Toto’s debut album. The song’s incredible swing feel that was so captivating the first time we heard it, still remains an additive pleasure to listen to almost forty years later.

# 6 – I’ll Supply The Love

We could probably fill this top 10 Toto songs list with most of the tracks from their incredible debut album. The knockout song “I’ll Supply the Love,” was the second single released from the band’s debut album. The song reached the Billboard top 50 peaking at the number forty five spot.

# 5 – Africa

The song “Africa,” was released on the band’s fourth album entitled Toto IV. The album was released in 1982. “Africa,”was the third single released from the album. However it was the most commercially successful single on the LP as it reached the number one spot on the Billboard Top 100 in 1982. Furthermore, it has remained the band’s only number one song of their career.  The song’s ability to reach number one in a year in which bands like Asia, Chicago, Elton John, Steve Miller and so many others had massive hit albums, said a great deal about the brilliance of the song “Africa.”

# 4 – Till The End

So many Toto songs grab the listener right from the opening bell. Toto’s “Till The End,” is a perfect example of that style of writing and production. The horn section on this one is the icing on the donut. Perfection in groove, melody and performance. These guys were and still are unbelievable. “Till The End,” was released on the Fahrenheit album in 1986.

# 3 – Girl Goodbye

Toto’s debut album blew away everyone in 1978. It was record that featured incredible slick production, virtuous performances and above all great written songs. No song on the album defined all of that more than the kicking track “Girl Goodbye.”

# 2 – Hold The Line

“Hold The Line,’ was the song that put Toto on the map. It was the band’s first single from their debut album. The song’s mesmerizing opening lick became of the most eagerly learned piano runs that all pianist had to learn instantly. I remember hearing this song on the radio in 1978 and almost crashing my car because it completely blew me away.

# 1 – Rosanna

Some songs cannot be described in the printed word as to how great they are. “Rosanna,” is one of them. The song was released on the band’s fourth album entitled Toto IV. It was the first single released from the album and reached the number two spot on the Billboard Hot 100. The only Toto song to reach higher on the charts than “Rosanna,” was the album’s third single “Africa.” However, we suspect that “Africa’s,” number one status was fueled by the band’s popularity due to the success of “Rosanna.” Easily one of the 1980’s best singles.