Justin Mauriello is the lead singer and guitarist for the alternative rock … Read Full Bio ↴Justin Mauriello is the lead singer and guitarist for the alternative rock band Darling Thieves (previously I Hate Kate). Mauriello first gained attention as a founding member, rhythm guitarist and co-lead singer of the band Zebrahead.

Mauriello was a founding member of the band Zebrahead, along with lead guitarist Greg Bergdorf and drummer Ed Udhus (both formerly of the band 409), and bassist Ben Osmundson (formerly of the band 3-Ply). All of the member's bands had the same practice space, and they began to experiment with different sounds and became friends. Eventually, they all quit their other bands and Zebrahead was formed. They found themselves uninspired by the local trends of ska-punk and decided to add elements of hip-hop in their sound, eventually recruiting rapper Ali Tabatabaee. The band first became noticed after their minor radio hit Get Back off of their debut album Waste of Mind. Their next album, Playmate of the Year, also had some success, and their music video for Playmate of the Year was aired frequently on Playboy TV. Their third album, MFZB, named after the Zebrahead fanclub, was a commercial success.

Mauriello started to have creative differences with the other members of Zebrahead, and shortly after their 2004 Japanese Tour, left the band, and was replaced by Matty Lewis. Mauriello had founded the band Darling Thieves (then I Hate Kate) while still in Zebrahead, and it became his new band. Darling Thieves has released their first album Embrace the Curse. They have released music videos for the singles of the album "It's Always Better" and "Bed of Black Roses."

Mauriello has recently released a cover album, Justin Sings the Hits, which includes a cover of Lady Gaga's Poker Face.

Àfrica
Justin Mauriello Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I hear the drums echoing tonight
But she hears only whispers of some quiet conversation
She's coming in 12:30 flight
The moonlit wings reflect the stars that guide me towards salvation
I stopped an old man along the way,
Hoping to find some old forgotten words or ancient melodies
He turned to me as if to say, Hurry boy, It's waiting there for you

CHORUS:
It's gonna take a lot to take me away from you
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never have

The wild dogs cry out in the night
As they grow restless longing for some solitary company
I know that I must do what's right
As sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti
I seek to cure what's deep inside, frightened of this thing that I've become

CHORUS

(Instrumental break)

Hurry boy, she's waiting there for you

It's gonna take a lot to take me away from you
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa, I bless the rains down in Africa
I bless the rains down in Africa, I bless the rains down in Africa

I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never have

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Justin Mauriello's song Africa are rich in imagery and emotion, conveying a sense of longing, adventure, and self-discovery in a far-off land. The first verse sets the scene with the singer hearing drums echoing in the night, but his female companion only hears whispers of a quiet conversation. He is waiting for her to arrive on a flight, guided by the moonlit wings and stars that will lead him to salvation. Along the way, he encounters an old man and hopes to find some ancient wisdom or forgotten melody, but instead is urged to hurry towards his destination, where he will find what he's looking for.

The chorus repeats the theme of the singer's devotion to his companion and the mysterious allure of Africa. He sings that nothing could separate him from her, and that he blesses the rains down in Africa. The second verse introduces a new element: the wild dogs crying out in the night, restless and longing for company. The singer recognizes the need to do what is right and seeks to cure what is deep inside, facing his fears and uncertainties.

Overall, the lyrics of Africa convey a sense of wonder and awe at the beauty and mystery of Africa, while also exploring themes of love, commitment, and self-discovery. The singer's journey is both physical and emotional, and the song invites the listener to join him on his quest for meaning and connection.

Line by Line Meaning

I hear the drums echoing tonight
The singer is hearing a distant sound of drums beating.

But she hears only whispers of some quiet conversation
The person he’s traveling with can only hear faint sounds of people talking.

She's coming in 12:30 flight
The person he’s traveling with will arrive at 12:30 on a flight.

The moonlit wings reflect the stars that guide me towards salvation
The moonlight shining off of the airplane's wings brings him hope and direction.

I stopped an old man along the way, Hoping to find some old forgotten words or ancient melodies He turned to me as if to say, Hurry boy, It's waiting there for you
The artist encounters an old man with a cryptic message, telling him that he needs to hurry to find what he’s looking for.

It's gonna take a lot to take me away from you There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do I bless the rains down in Africa Gonna take some time to do the things we never have
The singer is devoted and determined to stay with the person he’s traveling with, and he acknowledges that they have a lot to experience and explore in Africa.

The wild dogs cry out in the night As they grow restless longing for some solitary company I know that I must do what's right As sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti I seek to cure what's deep inside, frightened of this thing that I've become
The singer hears the howling of wild dogs and recognizes his inner conflicts that he needs to overcome in order to do the right thing and become a better person.

Hurry boy, she's waiting there for you
The old man's warning to hurry is repeated to emphasize the importance of not wasting any time in finding what he seeks.

I bless the rains down in Africa, I bless the rains down in Africa I bless the rains down in Africa, I bless the rains down in Africa I bless the rains down in Africa Gonna take some time to do the things we never have
The artist finds solace and hope in the rains of Africa, and he plans to use his time there to try new things and experience new adventures.

Contributed by Elliot N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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