Stranger in Town (Toto song)
Encyclopedia
"Stranger in Town" is a hit song
from American rock band Toto
from their 1984 album Isolation
.
It was the first single released from that album, reaching the Top 30 on the Billboard Hot 100
in December 1984. It was also a Top 40 single in Australia, where it remains the fourth highest charting single by Toto, behind only "Hold the Line
", "Rosanna
", and "Africa
". The song was written by David Paich
and Jeff Porcaro
, and features Paich on lead vocals. Though Bobby Kimball
is officially credited as a guest musician on the album, having been fired from Toto, "Stranger in Town" was recorded while he was still a member of the group.
The music video
(starring actor Brad Dourif
) and lyrics to the song are based on the film Whistle Down The Wind
, about an escaped convict who runs into a group of children that mistake him for Jesus.
The video features new member Fergie Frederiksen as a murder victim and was nominated at the 1985 MTV Music Video Awards for Best Direction.
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
from American rock band Toto
Toto (band)
Toto is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1977. The group currently consists of Joseph Williams , David Paich , Steve Porcaro , Steve Lukather , Mike Porcaro , and Simon Phillips . Toto is known for a musical style that combines elements of pop, rock, soul, funk, progressive rock, hard...
from their 1984 album Isolation
Isolation (Toto album)
Allmusic's review praised the performances of Jeff Porcaro, David Paich, and Steve Lukather in passing but dismissed Isolation as "a Journey clone album, minus the aching ballads that had made Journey such a success."-Track listing:...
.
It was the first single released from that album, reaching the Top 30 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
in December 1984. It was also a Top 40 single in Australia, where it remains the fourth highest charting single by Toto, behind only "Hold the Line
Hold the Line
Hold the Line is a song written by David Paich and recorded by the American rock group Toto. The song was the band's first single, and was featured on their debut eponymous album...
", "Rosanna
Rosanna (song)
"Rosanna" is a song by the American rock band Toto, the opening track from their 1982 album Toto IV. This song won the Record of the Year Grammy Award in the 1983 presentations. Rosanna was also nominated for the Song of the Year award...
", and "Africa
Africa (Toto song)
"Africa" is a song by rock band Toto, and one of the band's most recognizable songs. It was included on their 1982 album Toto IV, and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in February 1983 and number three on the UK Singles Chart the same month...
". The song was written by David Paich
David Paich
David Frank Paich is a session musician, keyboard player, recording producer, arranger, vocalist and main composer of the Los Angeles-based rock/pop band Toto. David is the son of the late jazz composer, musician, and arranger Marty Paich...
and Jeff Porcaro
Jeff Porcaro
Jeffrey Thomas "Jeff" Porcaro was an American session drummer and a founding member of the Grammy Award winning band Toto. Porcaro was one of the most recorded drummers in history, working on hundreds of albums and thousands of sessions...
, and features Paich on lead vocals. Though Bobby Kimball
Bobby Kimball
Robert Troy "Bobby" Kimball is an American singer, best known as the longtime frontman of the rock band Toto.- Early life:...
is officially credited as a guest musician on the album, having been fired from Toto, "Stranger in Town" was recorded while he was still a member of the group.
The music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
(starring actor Brad Dourif
Brad Dourif
Bradford Claude "Brad" Dourif is an American film and television actor who gained early fame for his portrayal of Billy Bibbit in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and has since appeared in a number of memorable roles, including the voice of Chucky in the Child's Play franchise, Younger Brother in...
) and lyrics to the song are based on the film Whistle Down The Wind
Whistle Down the Wind (film)
Whistle Down the Wind is a 1961 British film, directed by Bryan Forbes, screenplay by Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall, from the novel by Mary Hayley Bell.-Plot:...
, about an escaped convict who runs into a group of children that mistake him for Jesus.
The video features new member Fergie Frederiksen as a murder victim and was nominated at the 1985 MTV Music Video Awards for Best Direction.
Toto
- Steve LukatherSteve LukatherSteve "Luke" Lukather is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, arranger, and record producer best known for his work with the rock band Toto. Lukather has played with many artists, released several solo albums, and worked as a composer, arranger, and session guitarist on more than 1,500 albums...
- guitars, backing vocal - David PaichDavid PaichDavid Frank Paich is a session musician, keyboard player, recording producer, arranger, vocalist and main composer of the Los Angeles-based rock/pop band Toto. David is the son of the late jazz composer, musician, and arranger Marty Paich...
- lead and backing vocals, synthesizer - Steve PorcaroSteve PorcaroSteven Maxwell "Steve" Porcaro is an American keyboardist and composer, who was an original member of the rock/pop band Toto....
- synthesizer - Mike PorcaroMike PorcaroMike Porcaro is best noted as the bass player in the Grammy Award winning band, Toto.He is the middle brother of Toto members Jeff Porcaro and Steve Porcaro...
- bass - Jeff PorcaroJeff PorcaroJeffrey Thomas "Jeff" Porcaro was an American session drummer and a founding member of the Grammy Award winning band Toto. Porcaro was one of the most recorded drummers in history, working on hundreds of albums and thousands of sessions...
- drums, percussion
Additional musicians
- Mike Cotten - synthesizer
- Tom ScottTom Scott (musician)Tom Scott is an American saxophonist, composer, arranger, conductor and bandleader of the west coast jazz/jazz fusion ensemble The L.A. Express.-Biography:Scott was born in Los Angeles, California...
- saxophone - Gene Morford - bass vocal
- Bobby KimballBobby KimballRobert Troy "Bobby" Kimball is an American singer, best known as the longtime frontman of the rock band Toto.- Early life:...
- backing vocal