Toto’s “Bottom of Your Soul” combines many progressive rock and AOR touches to produce one of the most enchanting songs from 2006’s Falling in Between. Working with shifting 6/8 and 4/4 time signatures created by Simon Phillips, Toto ties elements of world music with socially conscious lyrics.
Never preachy, the only single from this album is broad enough to touch on a number of worldly injustices without coming off as cliche. The lyrics were written by David Paich, and are even more impactful due to the delivery of Steve Lukather’s lead vocals. Lukather again proves that he is perhaps Toto’s most versatile vocalist.
Joseph Williams provides a guest appearance, making his mark on the song’s chorus and blending well with his Toto successor Bobby Kimball. The vocal arrangement, which also includes Chicago’s Jason Scheff on backing vocals with Shankar, is equally impressive.
The entire band, sans Greg Phillinganes, contributed to the writing of the music. The midsection features piano (is that Phillinganes?) and acoustic guitar solos which harken back to 1988’s The Seventh One, and also draws attention to Mike Porcaro’s five-string bass work. (Is that a fretless bass?)
Adding to the mystical feel is Phillips’ use of octobans at the beginning of “Bottom of Your Soul,” along with bongos and congas by Lenny Castro. Phillips’ touches transform what could have been a routine MOR song to something special.
Sadly, these touches did little for the song’s chart success, as Toto’s “Bottom of Your Soul” failed to register in the U.S. or Europe.
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