Original – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTQbiNvZqaY
Cover – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4c7EE8_IX0
The iconic and well known Africa by Toto, originally release in 1982, has made a comeback in recent years thanks to the internet meme community. In 2018, Weezer released their cover of the song, opening with a slight “Island in the Sun” vibe. The cover version contains slightly more aggressive vocals all throughout the song. The Weezer version also uses a guitar with more gain/distortion to complement the adjustment in the vocals. There appears to be more volume going into the recording device in the cover version, as the original sounds more reserved. The difference in the instruments themselves between the two songs is best highlighted in the bridge of the song. Toto seems to have a more traditional, wind based instrument playing the lead in the bridge of the original version. Weezer, on the other hand, uses a more modern, synth sounding instrument to play the leading during the bridge, giving the piece a more modern sound. Although the presentation of the music and lyrics are indubitably distinct, the fundamentals remain constant. The differences in the two versions are easily noticeable and make the song unique to each artist, but also keep some fundamental and stylistic aspects that dont change the song into a completely different song. Also, both versions of the song emphasize the line “I bless the rains down in Africa.” The lyrics are also identical between the two version of Africa, unlike the example of Taylors Swifts cover of “September” where she alters one of the lyrics from the original Earth Wind & Fire version.
