TOTO “Africa” Handwritten lyrics and autograph Framed

TOTO members Steve Lukather, Steve Porcaro, and David Paich signed this photo taken by National Geographic Magazine Editor-in-Chief Chris Johns and printed in the book National Geographic: The Image Collection. It depicts an African elephant in the Ngorongoro Crater. The lyrics to “Africa” are handwritten on the opposite page, a song written by David Paich and made famous by the band Toto, of which he is a member. The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1983. David Paich’s initial idea for the hit song came from trying to write a song about Africa, but since he had never been there he was largely inspired by photos of Africa in National Geographic Magazine. (He told us this story as he wrote the lyrics after a band rehearsal in North Hollywood, Calif., for Toto’s 2012 European tour.)