Composed entirely of seasoned studio musicians, Toto seemed to come out of nowhere. They did not get known first on the club circuit as nearly all bands do prior to being signed by a label. Their reputations in the studio were enough. For example, Paich, Hungate and Jeff Porcaro wrote songs for and performed on Boz Scaggs' album Silk Degrees.
Toto released their debut album Toto in October 1978, selling two million copies based on their top ten hit Hold the Line. The next two albums Hydra and Turn Back had little success, but Toto IV (released in 1982) featured the number one hit Africa as well as the top ten single Rosanna. Toto IV went multi-platinum and earned several Grammy Awards including 1983 Album of the Year and Record of the Year (for "Rosanna").
Their only film work to date was for the 1984 David Lynch science fiction film Dune. In addition to their own score, they also recorded the Prophecy Theme, composed by Brian Eno.
After the release of Toto IV, Mike Porcaro (brother to Jeff and Steve), joined the group on bass, replacing Hungate. In 1984, Bobby Kimball left the group after being arrested for selling cocaine and was replaced by Dennis Frederiksen aka Fergie Frederiksen, who was replaced not long after by Joseph Williams.
Steve Porcaro left the band in 1988, however, he still contributes as a sideman.
In 1990, Jean-Michel Byron replaced Williams for the new recordings on Past to Present 1977-1990, then left with Lukather becoming the group's lead singer.
On August 5, 1992, Jeff Porcaro died of a heart attack, days after completing work on Kingdom of Desire. The group considered disbanding, before adding British drummer Simon Phillips for the subsequent tour. In the years since Porcaro's death, Lukather has seemingly succeeded Paich as the band's de facto leader.
In 1999, Bobby Kimball returned to the lineup after a 15-year absence.
Greg Phillinganes joined the lineup in 2004 to fill in for David Paich during a tour, then officially joined Toto in 2005.
After a period of rumours and some allusions, on June 5th, 2008 Steve Lukather made an official announcement on his website stevelukather.net, stating: "The fact is yes I have left Toto. There is no more Toto." Lukather further stated that after 31 years of recording, producing and playing with Toto without even missing one single gig, he couldn't do it anymore: "I just can't do it anymore and at 50 years old I wanted to start over and give it one last try on my own." With Lukather being the only original member left in the band (Bobby Kimball was also an original member, but was out of the band from 1984-1998) there was no other option than to call it quits. As the main motivation for his decision, Lukather said: "When Dave retired that was REAL hard for me 'cause we started the band together. Hell, it's 35 years if you count High School where the core all met. When Mike fell ill and had to leave that was it for me. If there isn't Paich or at least one Porcaro how can we even call it Toto?" Luke also stated: "Honestly, I have just had enough. This is NOT a break. It is over. I really can't go out and play Hold The Line with a straight face anymore." The break-up of Toto after 31 years received mixed reactions from the fans, but in general the decision was understood and many agreed with Lukather's reasons to quit the band.
On April 5th, 2008, Toto played what would be their last show ever, in Seoul, Korea, as a part of their Falling In Between Live tour. This left lots of fans without a real farewell tour.
On February 26th, 2010, Steve Lukather announced on his Twitter-account that Toto are reforming for a brief tour in Europe in the summer of 2010 to honor bass player Mike Porcaro, who's suffering from ALS syndrome. Line-up will include David Paich, Steve Lukather, Steve Porcaro, Simon Phillips, Joseph Williams and Nathan East.
Toto released their fourteenth studio album and their first in nine years titled Toto XIV on March 20 (Europe), March 23 (UK and Oceania), and March 24, 2015 (North America). To promote the newly finished project, the band started a world tour running with an extensive European headline arena tour including appearances at key festivals, along with a North American tour to follow in the summer of 2015 and Asia later that year.[43][44]
On March 15, 2015, former bassist Mike Porcaro died, due to complications from his battle with ALS, in his sleep at his home in Los Angeles.[45]
On 6 April 2015, Toto announced that they would embark on 7 August 2015 in Mashantucket, Connecticut with veteran progressive band Yes on a joint summer tour of North America due to end on 12 September 2015 in Coquitlam, British Columbia.[46][47][48] Shannon Forrest has continued to perform as the band's drummer.
On 29 September 2015, Toto announced the first leg of their 2016 Tour in support of Toto XIV consisting of European and Japanese dates. Leland Sklar, who joined them on their 2007 and 2008 tours, replaced founding member Hungate.[49] Sklar left Toto in early 2017 and was replaced by Shem von Schroeck.
Toto will release their anniversary album "40 Trips Around The Sun" on February 9, 2018. Then, they'll embark on their world tour promoting their album and celebrating 40 years of music.
The original lineup (1978)
* David Paich - vocals and keyboards
* Steve Lukather - guitar and vocals
* Bobby Kimball - vocals
* Steve Porcaro - keyboards
* David Hungate - bass
* Jeff Porcaro - drums
The last lineup (2017)
* David Paich - vocals and keyboards
* Steve Lukather - guitar and vocals
* Joseph Williams - vocals
* Steve Porcaro - vocals and keyboards
Hooked
Toto Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gimme some fear,
Reality and fame
Money from you
Money for them
Billions being made
All you're buyin' is a fifth wheel
They gotcha by the ying yang
More dollar for the big bang
And when you have to have it
Somehow you always find away,
You'll find a way
Then it becomes a habit
You'll rob your late friend's grave
It's sex, it's drugs,
And then we all fall down
Get hooked,
On life
Or join the underground
It's oil, it's guns,
Bad guys we never see
It's war, dead sons,
Be all that you can be
Give it a spin
Maybe you'll win
Nobody's gettin paid
Lightin it up
Shootin it up
Ya really should be afraid
You're lookin' for a new chin
So they tighten up your old grin
All you wanna do is fit in
So they're gonna make you real thin
It's just enough to tease you
They nail you right between the eyes
Nail you right between the eyes
Somehow it will disease you
While you're lobotomized
It's meds, it's feds,
Don't need no PhD's
Load down, those sounds,
We love our MP3's
It's cribs, it's cars
Mercedes BNZ
It's abs, it's carbs
Stop super-sizing me!
It's sex, it's drugs,
And then we all fall down
Get hooked,
On life
Or join the underground
It's crips, it's bloods
It's pimped out S.U.V.'s
It's court, prime time
Those lawyer S.O.B.'s
It's X, It's crack
It's glass and A.D.D.
It's cool, it's wack
I'll pay you back
Your kick, you prick
You get the first one free
You're cuffed, you're hooked,
You're hooked.
Toto's song "Hooked" is a scathing commentary on addiction and the destructive nature of being caught up in the cycle of consumerism. The lyrics explore how easy it is to become hooked and addicted to material things, whether it be money, drugs, or fame. The song portrays addiction as something that can be as seductive as it is destructive, luring people in with promises of pleasure and fulfillment before ultimately leaving them trapped and defeated.
One of the most striking aspects of "Hooked" is its sharp critique of the media and advertising industry. The lyrics call out the way that marketing and advertising can manipulate people into buying into a fantasy of wealth, luxury, and success, only to leave them feeling empty and dissatisfied. The song also explores how addiction can escalate and spiral out of control, until it becomes a habit that people will do anything to maintain, including stealing from their friends or loved ones.
Another key theme in "Hooked" is the idea that addiction is rooted in a desire to fit in and be accepted. The lyrics suggest that people often turn to drugs, consumerism, or other forms of escapism in order to fill a void or compensate for feelings of inadequacy or insecurity. However, the song ultimately acknowledges that addiction is a destructive trap that can lead to ruin if left unchecked.
Overall, "Hooked" is a powerful and thought-provoking song that encourages listeners to reflect on their own relationship with addiction and consumerism. It highlights the insidious nature of addiction and emphasizes the importance of breaking free from its destructive hold.
Line by Line Meaning
Gimme some beer,
I want a drink,
Gimme some fear,
I want some excitement and thrill,
Reality and fame
People want to be famous and experience the real world,
Money from you
You're paying money for someone else to prosper,
Money for them
They're making a profit off of you,
Billions being made
The industry is making a lot of money,
You think you got a real deal
You think you're getting a good bargain,
All you're buyin' is a fifth wheel
In reality, you're getting something that is unnecessary or has no use,
They gotcha by the ying yang
They have you under their control and they know it,
More dollar for the big bang
They make even more money off of you,
And when you have to have it
When you crave something so badly,
Somehow you always find away,
You'll find a way to get it,
Then it becomes a habit
It turns into a routine or addiction,
You'll rob your late friend's grave
You'll go to extreme lengths to fulfill your addiction,
It's sex, it's drugs,
People find addiction in many forms such as sex and drugs,
And then we all fall down
We all succumb to our addictions,
Get hooked,
Getting addicted to something,
On life
Being addicted to life in general,
Or join the underground
Joining groups that are against societal norms and expectations,
It's oil, it's guns,
People can be addicted to things such as power and weapons,
Bad guys we never see
The people who are addicted and causing harm often hide behind closed doors,
It's war, dead sons,
People can even find addiction in war and its deadly aftermath,
Be all that you can be
The slogan used by the US Army to try and attract new recruits,
Give it a spin
Try your luck with something,
Maybe you'll win
You could be the lucky one to strike it rich or get what you want,
Nobody's gettin paid
In reality, only a select few are making money off of this venture,
Lightin it up
Playing with fire and taking risks,
Shootin it up
Taking drugs,
Ya really should be afraid
You should be cautious and wary of the consequences,
You're lookin' for a new chin
People have insecurities that they want to fix,
So they tighten up your old grin
They alter your appearance to fit societal beauty standards,
All you wanna do is fit in
People just want to belong and feel accepted,
So they're gonna make you real thin
People will do whatever it takes to conform to societal standards of beauty,
It's just enough to tease you
They give you just enough taste to get you hooked but not satisfied,
They nail you right between the eyes
The addiction hits you hard and directly in the face,
Somehow it will disease you
The addiction will slowly destroy you physically and mentally,
While you're lobotomized
While under the spell of the addiction, you are completely unaware of the harm being done,
It's meds, it's feds,
Addiction can be found in prescription medication and government systems,
Don't need no PhD's
You don't need a doctorate to get addicted to something,
Load down, those sounds,
People can even get addicted to music and sounds,
We love our MP3's
Modern technology has made addiction to music a lot easier and convenient,
It's cribs, it's cars
People can become addicted to material possessions such as homes and cars,
Mercedes BNZ
A popular luxury car brand that people want and aspire to own,
It's abs, it's carbs
People can also become addicted to their physical appearance and body image,
Stop super-sizing me!
People often go to extreme lengths to attain the perfect body,
It's crips, it's bloods
Gangs and the lifestyle they represent can be a source of addiction for some,
It's pimped out S.U.V.'s
People can be addicted to the idea of luxury and lavishness,
It's court, prime time
Addiction can even extend to watching popular court shows on TV,
Those lawyer S.O.B.'s
People can become addicted to seeing lawyers win their cases on TV,
It's X, It's crack
People can become addicted to many types of drugs,
It's glass, and A.D.D.
Even prescription drugs and mental health conditions are sources of addiction for some,
It's cool, it's wack
Things that others consider cool, some people may find addictive and unhealthy,
I'll pay you back
People often promise to pay off their debts, but the addiction quickly overtakes their financial responsibilities,
Your kick, you prick
The addiction owns you and controls your thoughts and actions,
You get the first one free
The addiction hooks you in by providing a free and enticing opportunity,
You're cuffed, you're hooked,
Once the addiction has its claws in you, you're trapped,
You're hooked.
The final line of the song reiterates the fact that addiction truly has you trapped.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: DAVID F FRANK PAICH, MICHAEL J PORCARO, ROBERT T KIMBALL, SIMON PETER PHILLIPS, STEVEN LEE LUKATHER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Denis S. Pratt
on Take My Hand
Beautiful rendition of a reconciling moment that my mother and I will lay to rest.