As iconic as Africa is, I almost can't even decide which of these two is my favorite. The groove in Rosanna is just INSANE. Also, 2 weeks to the Black Friday launch!! Get the details plus free stuff by going here: resources.betterpiano.com/bf-24-countdown
You're right that he's the son of John Williams, but the lead singers of Africa are David Paich and Bobby Kimball. For Rosanna it's Steve Lukather and Bobby Kimball.
@@jonashormann5700correct Williams wasn’t the original album singer. He filled Kimball’s role in the band from 86-88 and again since 2010, performing the song live in concert.
What's more interesting is that whenever they drop that key down it often coincides with Bobby Kimball coming in and hitting higher notes. So in a way you have the key dropping while the pitch goes up.
I was going to mention that! I think since most people are more aware of the vocal melody than the chords, it still reads as moving up for the purposes of groove intensification coz the vocal is higher! As a female singer, sometimes to sing along with songs sung by men I have to octave stuff up, and I’ve found it can have a huge impact on the feel of the song, which is a similar phenomenon 🥰
The key change might go down, but the vocal line leaps UP to bring that amazing and surprising energy. Brilliant, brilliant song writing; no wonder that Africa is such an iconic piece of music.
Watching you talk about music is like watching Bob Ross talk about painting. The sincerity behind the desire to spread that joy to others is addicting.
Of course, let's not forget that Porcaro's incredible groove on "Rosanna" is one of the best examples of the "Purdie shuffle," created by the great Bernard Purdie, who is still with us at 85. By the way, Charles, I love your enthusiasm for Toto's music here. I still get just as geeked by their sound and I'm nearly 60.
Lemme splain it to you … it’s triplets 32nds 16ths 8ths and shuffle . Man Purdue’s clinic video is an absolute masterclass and so entertaining what guy. People call it the rosanna shuffle but it’s purdies.
Toto's "Africa" is my alarm clock. It's what I want to start every day with. Sometimes I don't even shut it off, just transition out of bed to bathroom to the kitchen while the band transitions through key changes. Iconic!
The lead singer not only did the singing for adult Simba in The Lion King (1994), but he's also the son of John Williams. Insane. Also do the Blade Runner soundtracks pretty please (and Everything Everywhere All At Once too). Edit: he probably did EEAAO already and I just forgot lol
Williams was in Toto 86-88 and since 2010. Bobby Kimball was lead vocals on the album track of Africa though. But you’re right, he’s definitely singing it right now.
Could you talk about Vienna Teng's "Hymn of Axciom" at some point? It's such an beautiful song but still is the most interesting sounding musical piece of art I've really ever heard. It's a musical goldmine of everything talked about in your videos and I think it'd be amazing for you to cover! (Bonus points for the Bluecoats 2014 performance)
This is fascinating! As a person who was actually sentient when this song was released, I have always been interested in why I found it so deeply affecting. Let's face it, dissonance is a great example of the old saying that to win you need to risk losing.
Toto is a band literally just full of some of the most talented, most prolific session musicians in the world. It's no wonder their music is so complex while still being great and understandable.
That chord progression during the "Rosanna" chorus (after the modulation to Bb) instantly reminded me of the verse harmony in "This Is Me" from _The Greatest Showman_ soundtrack. Just looked it up and, yep, it follows the same vi-V-I / IV-vi-V structure. 🤓
A shuffle 2nd only to Bernard Purdie. Hadn't discovered Toto til maybe mid pandemic and they definitely have a way of uplifting their tunes by doing off the wall stuff. Keep it up, bro!
Reminds me a bit of the key changes in "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" as well by The Police, but Sting uses wacky modal changes all over the place. Highly recommend you check out Mushanga by Toto as well, it's a sleeper hit, has some amazing key changes.
As far as downward key changes, another successful one is in Mr. Big's "Be With You" when they change keys from an E up to a G, then they change *again* from G back down to E, but the singer jumps upward significantly for a soaring descant above the chorus.
One of my favorite songs of all times.. Lyrics, melody changes, instruments.. It has everything.. I saw an interview with members thinking it was not a great song.. What were they thinking?.😅.. I just wish I knew the technical stuff you are talking about..chords?..I was a third trumpet in JHS..😂
The move to E/F# is sublime, but for me it's the close vocal harmonies on the chorus that give it a timeless sense of magic: th-cam.com/video/u0lm_CwWj8Q/w-d-xo.html
In regards to the key changes go up thing. Plenty of songs drag a key change DOWN for the bridge or chorus so that it can lift back UP afterwards. Under Pressure being a good one.
One of the hardest parts of growing up in the 70s and 80s was mistakenly thinking that all the music we'd ever hear would be as amazing compositionally as the best of those eras. There are definitely still some amazing musicians lighting the way now but it feels more like a desert than lush fields these days 🤣
Charles.. I don't know if you know the song, but I think you'll find "Jessica" by The Allman Brothers an interesting listen. Its first section was used by the BBC as the theme to the popular Top Gear TV show, but not many people know the full 7:31 song which flits between Rock standard, Jazz standard, Blues standard and back to rock. I think you'll honestly find it fascinating to disect.
Love it Charles, thanks a lot for this and an immense lot of other entertaining analysis you make! As a cover keyboardist I have played this and a bunch of other Toto songs for years. But isn't Child's Anthem another real orgy in key changes? You should really take a deep dive into that one as well!
Africa's chorus is probably, at least to my ears, the most effective chorus ever composed... I'm a big Deathcore/Hardcore, Metal and cie head, but in all honesty the best choruses are from ''old'' bands like Toto and most of Pop... Toto was like a god-tier band, anyway...
4:23 actually I was expecting whatever weird turnaround happens in "For No One" by the Beatles after they go I-iii-vi at the beginning of the verse, but I'm a weirdo. 😂
As iconic as Africa is, I almost can't even decide which of these two is my favorite. The groove in Rosanna is just INSANE. Also, 2 weeks to the Black Friday launch!! Get the details plus free stuff by going here: resources.betterpiano.com/bf-24-countdown
Can you cover that track of Spyro the Dragon?
Rosanna is just the absolute best... it's so smooth.
@@marcusyates3044
Or Sir Meta Knight's Revenge.
Africa is still my favorite Toto jam.
@@ObadiahQRex Is that the Battleship Halberd theme?
Africa was so successful they named an entire continent after it.
This tickled me 😆
Fun fact: The lead singer on some Toto albums, Joseph Williams, is the son of my favorite film composer, John Williams.
You're right that he's the son of John Williams, but the lead singers of Africa are David Paich and Bobby Kimball. For Rosanna it's Steve Lukather and Bobby Kimball.
@@jonashormann5700correct Williams wasn’t the original album singer. He filled Kimball’s role in the band from 86-88 and again since 2010, performing the song live in concert.
Bobby Kimball sang on Africa and Rosanna, not Joseph williams
No, he’s not.
I believe the key change from G to F in Rosanna was to accommodate Bobby Kimballs vocal range
What's more interesting is that whenever they drop that key down it often coincides with Bobby Kimball coming in and hitting higher notes. So in a way you have the key dropping while the pitch goes up.
I was going to mention that! I think since most people are more aware of the vocal melody than the chords, it still reads as moving up for the purposes of groove intensification coz the vocal is higher!
As a female singer, sometimes to sing along with songs sung by men I have to octave stuff up, and I’ve found it can have a huge impact on the feel of the song, which is a similar phenomenon 🥰
Yeah I was surprised he didn't mention that. It's less like the key jumped down a step and more like the key jumped up 7 steps
One band made a whole continent iconic with this harmony trick
The key change might go down, but the vocal line leaps UP to bring that amazing and surprising energy. Brilliant, brilliant song writing; no wonder that Africa is such an iconic piece of music.
3:56 There's even a single 2/4 measure inbetween verses. It's so well-crafted you barely notice it!
I'll never get tired of listening to Rosanna!
We’re getting early Christmas with all these videos
Soon black friday deal announced, feeding the algorithm but i dont mind i enjoy!
Watching you talk about music is like watching Bob Ross talk about painting. The sincerity behind the desire to spread that joy to others is addicting.
The measure of musical greatness is that the appeal of Toto crosses generations - my kids also vibing to Toto is amazing.
Of course, let's not forget that Porcaro's incredible groove on "Rosanna" is one of the best examples of the "Purdie shuffle," created by the great Bernard Purdie, who is still with us at 85. By the way, Charles, I love your enthusiasm for Toto's music here. I still get just as geeked by their sound and I'm nearly 60.
Lemme splain it to you … it’s triplets 32nds 16ths 8ths and shuffle . Man Purdue’s clinic video is an absolute masterclass and so entertaining what guy. People call it the rosanna shuffle but it’s purdies.
I see Charles upload and I instantly get excited about what song he covers today. So educational aswell which help me understand songs deeper
Toto's "Africa" is my alarm clock. It's what I want to start every day with. Sometimes I don't even shut it off, just transition out of bed to bathroom to the kitchen while the band transitions through key changes. Iconic!
I absolutely love these types of breakdowns!
TOTO: when your band can modulate together at will to suit whoever is singing
The lead singer not only did the singing for adult Simba in The Lion King (1994), but he's also the son of John Williams.
Insane.
Also do the Blade Runner soundtracks pretty please (and Everything Everywhere All At Once too).
Edit: he probably did EEAAO already and I just forgot lol
You're confusing Bobby Kimball (on this album) with Joseph Williams (who joined the band later)
Williams was in Toto 86-88 and since 2010. Bobby Kimball was lead vocals on the album track of Africa though. But you’re right, he’s definitely singing it right now.
@@Michael_Wertenberg Ah, okay.
Not super knowledgable about the band.
@@danielmoore9777 Cool! I didn't know that.
I love the feel and the arrangement of the "Rosanna" track. Excellent.
5:11 “lean on me! When you’re not strong”
Toto is great. I love that album. They so much cool stuff in terms of chord progressions.
Could you talk about Vienna Teng's "Hymn of Axciom" at some point? It's such an beautiful song but still is the most interesting sounding musical piece of art I've really ever heard. It's a musical goldmine of everything talked about in your videos and I think it'd be amazing for you to cover! (Bonus points for the Bluecoats 2014 performance)
I love love love how excited this guy gets over music. Make my music teacher heart happy. :)
Love Toto. Great breakdown, sir.
9:33 Bobby Kimball totally looks like Pedro Pascal
Africa, indeed.!.!
"Sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti". You can't see Kilimanjaro from the Serengeti. As you were.
This is fascinating! As a person who was actually sentient when this song was released, I have always been interested in why I found it so deeply affecting. Let's face it, dissonance is a great example of the old saying that to win you need to risk losing.
that supercut of love on top key changes was very nice thanks!
Love the songs. Love the breakdown. Love your enthusiasm!
5:15 Some.... times in our lives....
Yeah, I heard it too.
Yeah samesys
The double plagal cadence I connect to is in "With a little help from my friends".. instant 🎉
Amen to that!
That shuffle groove has a similar dancing feel as Bonham’s beat in Fool in the Rain. Love all these songs more than words can explain.
Toto is a band literally just full of some of the most talented, most prolific session musicians in the world. It's no wonder their music is so complex while still being great and understandable.
That chord progression during the "Rosanna" chorus (after the modulation to Bb) instantly reminded me of the verse harmony in "This Is Me" from _The Greatest Showman_ soundtrack. Just looked it up and, yep, it follows the same vi-V-I / IV-vi-V structure. 🤓
If you want a fun time with Toto, have a look at the score for the 1984 Dune film.
It’s so freaking good
The instrumental part of "Only The Children" (by toto) has a TON of key changes as well.
A shuffle 2nd only to Bernard Purdie. Hadn't discovered Toto til maybe mid pandemic and they definitely have a way of uplifting their tunes by doing off the wall stuff. Keep it up, bro!
Reminds me a bit of the key changes in "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" as well by The Police, but Sting uses wacky modal changes all over the place. Highly recommend you check out Mushanga by Toto as well, it's a sleeper hit, has some amazing key changes.
The energy goes up because the singer goes into the top of his range in the new key, even though the key is lower.
Going to se Toto in Feburary at Oslo Spectrum with Christopher Cross as a special guest! Can't wait
arms looking good!
As far as downward key changes, another successful one is in Mr. Big's "Be With You" when they change keys from an E up to a G, then they change *again* from G back down to E, but the singer jumps upward significantly for a soaring descant above the chorus.
Fun fact: Patrick Swazye was a background dancer in the Rosanna music video 😊
Ah the “Rosanna Shuffle.” My drummers out there know what it is!
One of my favorite songs of all times.. Lyrics, melody changes, instruments.. It has everything.. I saw an interview with members thinking it was not a great song.. What were they thinking?.😅.. I just wish I knew the technical stuff you are talking about..chords?..I was a third trumpet in JHS..😂
The move to E/F# is sublime, but for me it's the close vocal harmonies on the chorus that give it a timeless sense of magic: th-cam.com/video/u0lm_CwWj8Q/w-d-xo.html
Penny Lane also has this sort of descending modulation (from A to G). It's a nice contrast when the melody goes up and the harmony down.
In regards to the key changes go up thing. Plenty of songs drag a key change DOWN for the bridge or chorus so that it can lift back UP afterwards. Under Pressure being a good one.
Mushanga by TOTO also has crazy key changes
4:26 - Baa baa, black sheep...
Head Over Feet by Alanis Morrissette might be one, I think it modulates down for the chorus sections.
"Know by Now" by Robert Palme, "Manchild" by Neneh Cherry, "Whenever You Need Somebody" by Rick Astley
One of the hardest parts of growing up in the 70s and 80s was mistakenly thinking that all the music we'd ever hear would be as amazing compositionally as the best of those eras. There are definitely still some amazing musicians lighting the way now but it feels more like a desert than lush fields these days 🤣
The Roseanna key change almost feels like it changes not down by 1 step, but up to a flat 7th.
Another great advertisement placed where we can skip it! Thank you!
I’m a cover band keyboardist - Rosanna may be my favorite song to play
Tonnes of Metal songs key change down, very effective. Pre computers musicians were a different beast. Toto is an excellent example.🤘😎🤘
Amazing video ❤
This video is top-tier
This kind of harmonic progression is common in classic marching music.
Yessss
Charles.. I don't know if you know the song, but I think you'll find "Jessica" by The Allman Brothers an interesting listen. Its first section was used by the BBC as the theme to the popular Top Gear TV show, but not many people know the full 7:31 song which flits between Rock standard, Jazz standard, Blues standard and back to rock. I think you'll honestly find it fascinating to disect.
The Bad Plus - Lost of Love
Love it Charles, thanks a lot for this and an immense lot of other entertaining analysis you make! As a cover keyboardist I have played this and a bunch of other Toto songs for years.
But isn't Child's Anthem another real orgy in key changes? You should really take a deep dive into that one as well!
$13 Trillion Dollars donated to Africa. This song and huts made from straw or mud.
Can you cover that track of Spyro the Dragon?
Excelente análisis
I always thought it was in C then Bb. The G and F being the V chords of C and Bb major keys.
Africa's chorus is probably, at least to my ears, the most effective chorus ever composed... I'm a big Deathcore/Hardcore, Metal and cie head, but in all honesty the best choruses are from ''old'' bands like Toto and most of Pop...
Toto was like a god-tier band, anyway...
4:23 actually I was expecting whatever weird turnaround happens in "For No One" by the Beatles after they go I-iii-vi at the beginning of the verse, but I'm a weirdo. 😂
The hair is living a life of its own now.
I think Penny Lane modulates down from B to A going into the chorus. Brilliant stuff!
Check out Straight No Chaser's accapella version.
Not surprising they're musical geniuses, given the lead singer's pedigree.
Awesome, it's the same trick used in Penny Lane by the Beatles, the song is in B and the chorus is in A, then in the last part switches to C# and B
Where were you last year when I had to teach this song as a gcse set work.
can i pls just say this sounds so nice when charles plays it? like i've rewound to 8:31 four times 😭
I always want Charles to just keep going and play the whole thing every time he plays a snippet of something - I wish I had his skill
Member the memberberries?
I remember!
Double plagal!
Why are there no vampires in Nairobi?
Because I bless the rains down in Africa
5:14 sounds like Lean on me
Didn’t one of the singers of Toto provide adult Simba’s singing voice in Lion King (the good animated version, not the live action one)?
fire
Another downward key change: Baby Be Mine, off of Michael Jackson's Thriller. Oh and I think Toto was there.
seems like they change keys to accommodate both singers, right? G for the versus, F for the higher chorus, same for africa?
Why haven't you covered the Prince of Egypt yet ???
Could you check out the Rain World soundtrack?
Pls do tigran
You only made 2 videos on him / inclluding him
How do you hear all these chords from all these songs? When I listen to music I hear only one note played at a time. Maybe I'm just broken.
Even when I see you play multiple keys at once it only sounds like a single note to me. And I can see multiple keys turn green!
can u do sonic cd next
Who wants to see Charles Cornell analyzing Djavan's songs like this comment😀😀
They don’t take chances in music like this anymore. At least not popular music
I wish I understood what he was saying. I’ve been playing piano for 5ish years. This all seems way complicated for me.
Ugh. I've been calling Toto the cheesiest band in the world for decades now. Do I... like Toto now??
Would this bundle be useless if I don’t have an instrument and never played one except guitar, as a light hobby?
first!
Amazing video