Toto, “I Will Remember” from Tambu (1995): Toto Tuesdays

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Tambu is damn near a perfect Toto album and, quite frankly, that’s a surprise. Spiritual leader Jeff Porcaro’s death nearly 3 years prior left a gap. Instead of trying to fill it, Totot reached back into their deep musical roots and got a little help from their friends.

Stan Lynch, the former Heartbreakers drummer. again stepped up to the writing plate and in collaboration with Steve Lukather wrote “I Will Remember,” one of Toto’s finest ballads. The lyrics are among the band’s sharpest and introspective. This series has often reflected on Lukather’s depth as a balladeer. On “I Will Remember,” he shines brightly. The Lynch/Lukather team succeeds once again with its use of vivid imagery and a sense of wandering and loss.

Tambu sonically shines as well, as engineers Elliot Scheiner, Bill Smith and Al Schmidt work audio wizardry. Lukather provides melodic touches on guitar, but his main tool is the piano where he provides flourishes which neatly tie into the cinematic landscape of the song. Lukather also provides touches of synthesizer, while David Paich furnishes the supportive string arrangement.

Simon Phillips adds a uniquely innovative drum part which rises well above normal FM radio fare. His tom-tom work interspersed with occasional use of the octobans is an addition I can’t imagine the song without.

Still, “I Will Remember” somehow failed to chart in the U.S. That’s a shame, given how strong the song – and, indeed, this album is.


Toto Tuesdays is a song-by-song feature that explores the band’s rich musical history. They returned with three new songs on 2018’s ’40 Trips Around the Sun.’

Preston Frazier