| Africa | |
| Cover: | Weezer Africa Album Cover.jpeg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Weezer |
| Album: | Weezer (Teal Album) |
| B-Side: | Rosanna |
| Released: | May 29, 2018 |
| Recorded: | 2018 |
| Length: | 3:58 |
| Label: | Atlantic |
| Producer: | Patrick Wilson[1] |
| Prev Title: | Happy Hour |
| Prev Year: | 2017 |
| Next Title: | California Snow |
| Next Year: | 2018 |
"Africa" is a cover version of Toto's popular 1982 song, as performed by American rock band Weezer. The cover was released as a single on May 29, 2018, and later included on Weezer's self-titled 12th studio album, nicknamed the Teal Album.
In December 2017, Twitter user "@WeezerAfrica," run by a 15-year-old Cleveland, Ohio resident,[2] tweeted, "@RiversCuomo it's about time you bless the rains down in Africa." The band released a cover of "Rosanna", a different Toto song, in order to troll the user and those clamoring for a version of "Africa".[3]
Weezer finally released "Africa" on May 29, 2018. It was the band's first Hot 100 hit since "(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To" in 2009.[4] "Africa" reached number 51 on the Hot 100 and peaked at number one on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart in August 2018, becoming the band's first number-one single in that chart since "Pork and Beans" in 2008.[5] A limited edition 7-inch vinyl pressing was released by Weezer in July 2018 and sold exclusively through Urban Outfitters. The pressing was limited to 1,500 copies, with "Africa" as the A-side and "Rosanna" as the B-side. The cover artwork features a background of palm fronds with the tweet that inspired the song in the center of the cover.[6] [7]
Shortly after the song's release, Weezer appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! along with keyboardist Steve Porcaro of Toto to promote the single.[7] Toto responded on August 9, 2018, by releasing a cover of Weezer's 2001 single "Hash Pipe", after debuting it in concert a week prior.[8] [9]
Weezer included the cover on their surprise release of the all-covers "Teal Album" in January 2019.[10]
Weezer released a music video of their "Africa" cover in September 2018, styled as a parody of the video for their earlier single "Undone – The Sweater Song." Stand-ins for the band members perform the song on a soundstage, with "Weird Al" Yankovic replacing singer/guitarist Rivers Cuomo, with his band members replacing Weezer. Yankovic had previously appeared onstage during the band's tour to perform "Africa" with them.[11]
| Chart (2018) | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| US Adult Contemporary Songs (Billboard)[13] | 47 | |
| US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[14] | 23 | |
| US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)[15] | 10 | |
| US Rock Airplay (Billboard)[16] | 6 |