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
How Many Times
Toto Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And it seems that your life doesn't matter, you never had a chance
How many ways is a love torn apart
And you look to your heart for some answers, don't let it slip away
Can't blame myself anymore, I've been beaten and accused before
Well I took some bad advice, and I paid too high a price
[Chorus:]
How many times must a man fall down, I said whoa-oh-oh oh-oh-oh oh
How many dreams have to fall to the ground
It goes on an' on an' on an' on an' on, yeah
How many times do you look for some sign
That there's hope, and your life has some meaning, almost every day, hey, hey
Maybe I was born to wander, I got no high hopes any longer
So tell me my friend, just where does it end
Is nothing ever gonna free me from this hell I'm living in
Can't blame myself anymore, I've been beaten and accused before
So tell me my friend, just where does it end
I'm sick and tired of living in a rat race that no one ever wins
Toto's song "How Many Times" is a poignant reflection on the struggles of life and the highs and lows that come with it. The lyrics speak to a sense of frustration and despair, as the singer questions how many years will continue to slip away, and how many dreams must fall to the ground. The line "Can't blame myself anymore, I've been beaten and accused before" suggests a weariness and a feeling of helplessness, as the singer acknowledges the ways in which life has beaten them down.
Despite the heaviness of the lyrics, there is also a sense of hope in the song. The repeated question of "how many times" suggests a desire for change, a hope that things can be different. The line "Maybe I was born to wander, I got no high hopes any longer" speaks to a feeling of resignation, but also a sense of acceptance. The singer seems to be searching for answers, for some sign that there's hope, and that their life has some meaning.
Overall, "How Many Times" is a testament to the ups and downs of life, and the ways in which we can feel both hopeless and hopeful at the same time. It's a powerful reminder that we're not alone in our struggles, and that sometimes, the only way to move forward is to keep asking the tough questions, even when the answers aren't easy.
Line by Line Meaning
How many years keep on slipping away
Time passes so quickly and it may feel like one's life is slipping away.
And it seems that your life doesn't matter, you never had a chance
It may feel like one's life has no significance and that they were never given an opportunity to succeed.
How many ways is a love torn apart
Love can be broken in so many different ways.
And you look to your heart for some answers, don't let it slip away
In times of heartbreak, one searches for answers within themselves and hope they don't lose their sense of self in the process.
Can't blame myself anymore, I've been beaten and accused before
One can't continue to take blame for things that were out of their control or caused by external factors.
Well I took some bad advice, and I paid too high a price
Sometimes taking bad advice has severe consequences.
I could sell my soul, you know I wouldn't think twice
When in a desperate situation, one may be willing to make extreme sacrifices.
How many times must a man fall down, I said whoa-oh-oh oh-oh-oh oh
One may feel like they keep hitting rock bottom and can't catch a break.
How many dreams have to fall to the ground
One's aspirations and desires may never come to fruition.
It goes on an' on an' on an' on an' on, yeah
This cycle of disappointment and hardships never seems to end.
How many times do you look for some sign
One may search for a glimmer of hope or purpose in their life.
That there's hope, and your life has some meaning, almost every day, hey, hey
Every day may feel like a struggle to find a sense of hope and purpose in one's existence.
Maybe I was born to wander, I got no high hopes any longer
One may feel like they were destined to roam aimlessly without any real sense of direction or hope.
So tell me my friend, just where does it end
One may feel lost and unsure of where their life is headed and may need guidance.
Is nothing ever gonna free me from this hell I'm living in
It may feel like one is constantly in a state of misery and nothing will ever change that.
I'm sick and tired of living in a rat race that no one ever wins
Living in a society that values competition and success above all else may be exhausting and draining.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JEFF PORCARO, MIKE PORCARO, DAVID PAICH, STEVE 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.