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Madison Mathews

Professor Leonard

English 1201

13 February 2022

“Africa” Rhetorical Analysis

In May of 2018, Weezer released a cover of the song "Africa." The original is by the band

Toto, released in 1982. "Africa" was the third single from Toto's fifth studio album, "Toto IV." It

was, nevertheless, the most successful, reaching number one on the Billboard Top 100 the year it

was released. Weezer's cover of "Africa" gives new life to Toto's version by revamping a classic.

Although the versions sound mostly the same, the new version appeals more to a younger

audience since Weezer is better known to this generation.

Toto's music video's original version of "Africa" came out on May 22, 2013. Some of the

props in the video include a globe, books, spears, lion heads, and many traditional

African-looking instruments and masks. The only characters portrayed in the video are the lead

vocalist and a woman. The setting of the video seems to be an office or library area. The song

has a soft rock musical style with African rhythm mixed in. This music video would be for a

middle-aged or older audience since it was from the '80s, and Toto is not as well known to this

generation. For the claim, According to "The Story of…' Africa' by Toto" by Tome Eames, "In

2015, David Paich said that the song is about a man's love of the continent Africa, rather than a

personal romance."

Weezer's music video's cover version of "Africa" was released in May of 2018. There is

not much going on in the video, and there are no props. The whole cover is very simplistic; the
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band did not put any extravagant twists to the original, claiming the same as the original. The

characters include the band members from Weezer, and it also guest stars Weird Al. The setting

is in a plain blue room where the band is simply playing. Musically, the song sounds nearly the

same as the original. This version would be for a younger audience since Weezer is better known

to this generation than Toto, and since it is a newer remake, younger people are more likely to

see it.

The two music videos are strikingly different in that Toto's is like a short film and tells a

story, while Weezer's version is more concert-like where they are simply playing the song.

Weezer was able to take Toto's original hit and make it more appealing to a younger audience.

Although Weezer's video is not as visually appealing and eventful as Toto's, the simplicity

enhances the song and lyrics. Both videos use pathos to appeal to the audience. The song is about

love and the videos appeal to the audience's emotions since love is a relatable topic. It is not

surprising that "Africa'' has continued to grow in popularity since it is one of the greatest hits and

since Weezer has reintroduced it.

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Works Cited

Toto, ”Africa,” Youtube, May 22, 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTQbiNvZqaY

Weezer, “Africa,” Youtube, September 24, 2018,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mk5Dwg5zm2U

Eames, Tom. “The Story of... 'Africa' by Toto.” Smooth, Smooth, 25 Feb. 2021,

https://www.smoothradio.com/features/the-story-of/toto-africa-lyrics-meaning-facts-video/.