Toto's 1982 hit "Africa" remains the band's defining legacy, having grown from a cult prog-rock outfit's chart afterthought into a song that has endured for over four decades. Keyboardist and singer David Paich has described the chorus arriving to him almost instantaneously, likening the experience to divine inspiration rather than conscious songwriting, even as the rest of the track took roughly six months of further work to complete.

Paich has recalled singing the chorus essentially as it now exists in a sudden burst, later saying "I'm talented, but I'm not that talented. Something just happened here!" When he eventually presented the finished song to his bandmates, the reception was sceptical, with guitarist Steve Lukather reportedly joking he would run naked down Hollywood Boulevard if it became a hit. Despite the band's own doubts, "Africa" went on to become a mainstream phenomenon far beyond what Toto, previously known for modest chart success, had ever anticipated.