Unlike the rains down in “Africa,” Toto keyboardist and singer David Paich did not give his blessing to CBS for using his band’s 1982 soft-rock hit during a broadcast of the Nelson Mandela memorial service. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the network’s This Morning show played Toto’s “Africa” over images of grieving ex-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela during the late South African president and anti-apartheid revolutionary’s memorial at Soweto Stadium.
Of course, Toto were a just bunch of white dudes from Southern California who admitted to have never stepped foot inside the African continent by the time of the song’s release. But it’s about Africa so close enough.
Now we know what we’ll hear on CBS when Rosanna Arquette dies.
Paich reacted swiftly to the broadcast, and sent a statement to the Hollywood Reporter. Hurry boy (or girl) it’s waiting there for you”:
“CBS This Morning utilized “Africa” as the audio bed for a segment they aired this morning,” said Toto keyboardist and “Africa” lead vocalist David Paich, in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. “As the co-writer of the song, if I had been asked for sync approval, the answer would have been a decline with a recommendation they honor the musicians of South Africa setting their sights on indigenous repertoire. This is an important day, and both I and Toto, have always held a commitment towards supporting initiatives that benefit the populace of South Africa, the continent of Africa and the entire Southern Hemisphere. We honor Nelson Mandela and will continue to support initiatives he committed his life towards.”
Time to dust off the Specials record…
I love CBS This Morning, but couldn't you end a segment on Mandela's funeral with real African music instead of Toto's Africa?
— Eric Deggans (@Deggans) December 10, 2013
Instead of Toto's Africa, this is what CBS This Morning should have played over its Mandela funeral montage: http://t.co/PYMyBANaee
— Eric Deggans (@Deggans) December 10, 2013
Still a classic, though…
And let’s not forget this bit of brilliance earlier this fall from Thomson Safaris out of Watertown…
