The Dark Continent Was Number One on the Charts in 1983

For those of you who are able to remember the 80s, you might remember that on this day in 1983, the number one song in the land was from Toto.

I think we can all remember "Africa".  Toto member David Paich says that he saw a late

night documentary about Africa and some of the images wouldn't leave his head. He was both moved and appalled at what was going on. So he wrote a song imagining if he were there, and what he would do.

The most memorable line from the song of course is...

"I know that I must do what's right
As sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti"

The funny thing is about this is that line was the 2nd thought. The writer had to find a line that sort of rhymes with first thought. In this case it was...

"The wild dogs cry out in the night
As they grow restless, longing for some solitary company"

So to connect the phrase that ends in "Solitary Company", they throw in "Serengeti".