#MusicMonday – February 22, 2021

Some people live their dreams, some people close their eyes. Some people’s destiny passes by…

But on Music Monday, we’re not content to let that happen. The only “destiny passing by” here is that in song lyrics.

We’re closing out the Month of Love with…yet another breakup song. I just realized that out of four love songs, three of them were breakup songs. You’d think with that kind of choice, I’m going through dark times. The reality is quite the opposite, I just happened to randomly choose breakup songs for to represent a Valentine’s Day-themed collection of music.

Today’s song comes from a group known for the time they blessed precipitation on a certain continent, who could apparently balance songs about geography with love and breakup songs. It’s a trip to the magical year of 1986, and wouldn’t you know it, the group brought along a guest singer to the rooftops of Los Angeles to talk breakup.

Hope you’re not afraid of heights!

“I’ll Be Over You” is a 1986 by Toto, from their sixth studio album Fahrenheit, serving as the album’s first single in August 1986. The album was the first to feature new member Joseph Williams, and he makes his debut following drummer Jeff Porcaro out of the window. Steve Lukather, who wrote the lyrics for this song (along with Randy Goodrum) provides lead vocals. The song, as described by Lukather, is about a guy breaking up with his girlfriend, but regretting that decision, as he still loves her. The lyrics, he said, serve as a warning, “you never know how good you got it until you don’t have it anymore.” (Source: Hot Rocks: The Toto Story (LP). United Stations Programming Network. May 6, 1988)

The song also features backing vocals by guest artist Michael McDonald, who appears in the music video, providing those lovely soulful tones he’s so famous for.

As well as providing another mullet to a gloriously-coifed group.

So many mandatory mullets! This whole video is “business in the front, party in the back.”

And speaking of the music video…

The video offers sweeping aerials of Los Angeles, intermingled with clips of the guy and girl, and the band performing on an apartment building rooftop. The building is 548 South Spring Street in Los Angeles, which is currently SB Loft. It looks about the same, with new paint. If you Google the address, it comes up quickly in the search. I’m guessing people really want to know about this music video’s location, but the views really are amazing. As the video comes to its end, it begins to rain, causing the band to retreat with their instruments, as people on the street attempt to duck out of the rain. The views alone make the video great, but the song…it’s beautiful, despite what it is about. Quite frankly, when I see the type of setup the video has, this isn’t the song I’m expecting. Don’t get me wrong, I love the plot twist, but it definitely was surprising.

“I’ll Be Over You” reached #11 on the Billboard Hot 100, and #1 on the Adult Contemporary Chart, with the album reaching #40 on the Billboard Hot 200. Fahrenheit failed to reach Gold status until 1994, but saw two successful singles with this song and “Without Your Love.” This era of Toto would end in 1988, with Steve Porcaro and Joseph Williams leaving (Porcaro after the tour for this album, Williams in 1988 after The Seventh One). The group continued on, with a new lead singer that didn’t quite work out, and several more albums. Tragically, Toto’s drummer, Jeff Porcaro, passed away suddenly in August 1992, but the group went on at the insistence of the Porcaro family, completing a tour and a tribute concert before taking a two-year break.

These days, Toto is largely not the same, with only Steve Lukather and Joseph Williams holding up the reins of the group. There is a planned tour for 2021, but, like everything else that has happened since 2020, we shall see.

As soon as forever is through, I’ll be over you.

Who else thinks of current events when they hear this lyric of heartbreak?

And now, we close out The Month of Love. But don’t despair, jilted lovers, March is almost upon us, and that means…new music!

Have a great Monday, and enjoy the music!

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