I have a confession to make: I don’t share the strong affinity for Toto’s “Africa” that many seem to be really having as of late. In fact, I don’t care for the song that much, period.
Now, before you reach for your torches and pitchforks, let me say this: After an in-depth conversation with my co-workers and some research as to how “Africa” has become less of a song and more of an Internet meme, I understand and respect why so many are drawn to the Toto hit.
In a piece from Vice’s Motherboard, Executive Digital Director Ben Lunt of London ad agency BMB said, “‘Africa’ crosses generations. There’s a genuine nostalgia of people of my age, and a borrowed nostalgia of younger people. It has that tie-back to your childhood and that makes you feel safe.”
After reading those three sentences, everything made sense, in spite of my feelings on “Africa.”
With this in mind, this got me thinking about other songs that could possibly invoke such a response, and here are the four I’ve landed on.
Erica Banas is a rock/classic rock blogger that loves the smell of old vinyl in the morning.