Waiting for Your Love by Toto

1982’s Toto IV was the best known record by collective of LA studio musicians known as Toto. The record spawned three top ten singles, ‘Africa’, ‘Rosanna’, and ‘I Won’t Hold You Back’. ‘Africa’ in particular is well-loved, with a recent cover version by Weezer.

Toto’s notable for their great musicianship – drummer Jeff Porcaro was a jazz influenced drummer, notable for the shuffle on ‘Rosanna’. The synthesiser duo of Steve Porcaro and David Paich are also excellent players. Porcaro and Paich used a Polyfusion modular synthesizer to to create most of the timbres on Toto IV, blending them with organic sounds like strings. Pictured is “Damius”, with a photo courtesy of the book Rock Keyboard.

Porcaro adjusting Damius: “I don’t know about other keyboard players, but I have a bitch of a time making synthesizers stand repeated listening.”

‘Waiting For Your Love’ was the record’s largely forgotten fifth single, but it’s a solid, likeable pop song. It’s driven by David Paich’s bass line, played on a Moog. Vocalist Bobby Kimball wrote the song in the 1970s, and it was originally titled ‘You Got Me’.

Toto IV probably didn’t deserve to win album of the year, but it’s a tuneful and well played record that doesn’t deserve critical lashing either.

Hands, don’t let her go, ’cause then the midnight icy winds will blow
Eyes, give every drop, this ain’t the way that should’ve made her stop
Arms, just let her know, no one fills the place she used to grow
Smile, don’t leave me now, ’cause you’re the reason she’s here anyhow

Words, be gentle when you speak into her heart
‘Cause if it breaks, she may not come again

I’ve been waitin’ for your love and it’s been here all the time
Right in front of me
I’ve been sittin’, waitin’ for your love, and all the time it’s been here
Right in front of me

Look, forget your pride, she might kiss as you’re like even tide
Song, be in her heart, especially when we’re apart
Love, be by my side, ’cause if she leaves there ain’t no place to hide
Soul, be with her now, ’cause you’re the first one she knew anyhow

Words, be gentle when you speak into her heart
‘Cause if it breaks, she may not come again

I’ve been waitin’ for your love and it’s been here all the time
Right in front of me
I’ve been sittin’, waitin’ for your love, and all the time it’s been here
Right in front of me

Words be gentle when you speak into her heart
‘Cause if it breaks, she may not come again

I’ve been sittin’, waitin’ for your love, and all the time it’s been here
Right in front of me
Draw the line, I’ll step across, even further I give in, you got me, yeah
I’ve been sittin’, waitin’ for your love, and all the time it’s been here
Right in front of me, yeah

Just separated by ten thousand miles, you’re not alone, girl you got me, yeah
Guess I needn’t tell you that I’m not around, I’m inside, you got me, yeah
I’ve been waitin’ for your love, it’s been here all the time
Right in front of me

Related articles:

Shark Attack by Split Enz Piano Concerto, Op. 42, by Arnold Schoenberg Borderline by Madonna Down in Splendour by Straitjacket Fits