By the the time 2015’s Toto XIV arrived, it was clear that Toto could play. They could cover a variety of genres. They were inspired by and could draw upon a vast musical pedigree. All of that – plus a personal impetus for the project, and the significance it holds – came together when bringing this exceptional album to a close.
Toto pulled out all the stops with an epic prog-rock masterpiece. As recounted in a recent Something Else! Sitdown with co-producer CJ Vanston, “Great Expectations” was borne out of a love and respect for a shared musical heritage.
“I remember one day while we were working on it, and I made a mini-Al Pacino speech about how good this band was, a bit of a pep talk. We are all close to the same age, and I mentioned that we had grown up in the greatest era of pop, R&B and rock music ever. I started mentioning names of the bands whose albums we had all listened to a hundred times,” Vanston told us. “My point was that we spent so much time inhaling all this incredible music – learning it, playing it – no wonder we got so good at what we do. Look at our teachers!”
Written by David Paich, Joseph Williams and Steve Lukather, “Great Expectations” is a collaborative effort in the truest sense. Lead vocals are shared by all three and the structure combines pieces that are recognizable as distinct Paich, Williams, and Lukather compositions.
The track starts with Paich, singing an exposed vocal line with a simple piano accompaniment, establishing this as an ode to love:
I have great expectations for you and me
And there’s no obligations, my love
We have sailed across the waters of a raging sea
And it’s you that I’m thinking of
It’s great to hear him singing lead vocals. (That taste from “All the Tears That Shine” wasn’t enough!) At the tail end of this introduction, an exquisite solo cello from Martin Tillman enhances the arrangement before an urgent and rapid swell of choir “ahhhs” – touches of the Beatles and Yes.
The track then jumps into a frenetic ostinato pattern – in five – of piano and guitar strumming before Joseph Williams begins singing. At this point, the meter changes seamlessly into a pulsating six / six / six / five-six / six / six / six pattern. Tricky.
Hello to you good people everywhere
It’s a new world children, handle her with care
There’s no end to the challenges we face
It’s high tide on the shores we navigate
Please stand clear of the edge
So we won’t hang by a thread
Steve Lukather then takes the lead with a brief and earnest plea in the pre-chorus:
So raise your hand, take a stand for each other
Lord, let us share the water
Next, Williams returns with a glorious soaring melody in the chorus:
I’ve got one million reasons for us to believe
There’s nothing we can’t change my friend
I’ve got great expectations for now and forever
The music climbs briefly, before we are suddenly taken back to the frenetic ostinato pattern from the beginning.
After the repeat of the verse/pre-chorus/chorus, the music climbs again – but, this time, it falls gently into a beautiful, melodic guitar solo. Toto’s arrangement here is luscious: This is a lavishly produced section of the song.
Following the solo, there is a distant organ interlude and wandering minstrel-type guitar break from Steve Lukather, where he almost breaks the tone. It’s an interesting effect. A swell of piano and choir “ahhhs” climbs once again and the rapid pulse ostinato pattern returns. However, this time we launch into an explosive heavy metal break with guitar and drums.
This morphs into a complex riff, which Keith Carlock (drums) Steve Lukather (on guitar and bass) and Lenny Castro (percussion) drive with an intensity and verve that is inspiring. Atop the riff, the keyboards play a cascading pattern and the arrangement and energy builds with each repeat.
There are also snippets of patented Steve Porcaro synth wizardry throughout. This culminates in a climatic ending with a sustained and triumphant organ chord. There’s a final chorus with the uplifting majesty of Joseph Williams proclaiming his message of hope, before an ethereal fade into nothing.
What better way to close out Toto XIV? “After all the songs were close to being finished, we were putting together the song order and someone asked, ‘Where should we put ‘Great Expectations’?” CJ Vanston told us. “I did a silent take, then said: “Well, we certainly can’t follow it with anything!”
Indeed. Great expectations: exceeded.
- Toto, “Spanish Sea” from ‘Old Is New’ (2018): Toto Tuesdays - June 15, 2021
- Toto, “Devil’s Tower” from ‘Old Is New’ (2018): Toto Tuesdays - May 11, 2021
- Toto, “Alone” from ‘Old Is New’ (2018): Toto Tuesdays - April 27, 2021
