The title of 2006’s Falling in Between refers to the difficulty in classifying Toto’s music. On this album, the band is not confined to one style and are able to skillfully cover a broad range of musical genres: prog rock, world music, funk grooves, ballads, hard rock, and – with “Spiritual Man” – a radical change of pace: a hymn.
The David Paich-written “Spiritual Man” is one of only two tracks on this album not composed by Toto as a group, along with Steve Lukather’s “Simple Life.” He’s created a lyrical masterpiece and an evocative platform for some truly inspired performances.
Opening with a sparse percussion loop featuring long-time Toto sideman Lenny Castro, “Spiritual Man” builds from a simple four-chord progression on piano. If you listen carefully you can also hear an ethereal synth pad and bell-like tones that shimmer in the background. Paich, the master, is painting a picture sonically.
The first verse begins with David Paich recounting the tale of the first spiritual man of the song
I heard about a man, walkin’ on the water
He had hope in his eyes
He didn’t wear a crown or have any money
He didn’t have any liesHe had holes in his pockets
He had holes in his hands
He looked like an outlaw talkin’ to his loverHe was a spiritual man
To lift it a notch, the cymbals swell, the backbeat kicks in, and a gospel choir joins the mix during the refrain.
In the second verse, Paich deftly provides another example:
I wanna be a prince, not a king or a warrior
I wanna have a special light in my eyes
Wanna climb up a mountain, find a tree of wisdom
I wanna feel good when I cryAnd maybe someday I could be a teacher
I want that karma when you touch my hand
I’ll walk through the streets,
Talking to the homeless in winterI wanna be a spiritual man, yeah
As the song progresses, and the narrative unfolds, Bobby Kimball soulfully recounts the tale of the third spiritual man:
I heard about a man who was born in the desert
He rode for days and nights across the sand
And one day, he came upon an angel
The angel said, “Hey you, you’re gonna be a spiritual man!”
At this point, the song features a glorious sax solo from acclaimed saxophonist Tom Scott. He lifts the performance in a majestic and spiritual way, while also foretelling the next verse. Greg Phillinganes then turns in a compelling performance on lead vocals:
Last night, I saw a man walkin’ toward a club in Harlem
He had a black case in his hands
Went through the back door and pulled out his gold companion
He closed his eyes and played all night long, like a self-taught spiritual man
That is masterful story telling. Nobody is name checked, but each verse provides an insight into what David Paich construes as the meaning of being spiritual.
In the Falling in Between liner notes, Paich said: “I wrote the first draft of the lyrics as if I was a journalist following Christ around. I wanted to write it in the style of the late Hunter S. Thompson, the Rolling Stone writer/poet. Then I decided to expand the range of the story to include Buddha, Muhammad, Coltrane.”
Phillinganes added: “I remember Dave being particularly excited about this one. He went through several drafts of lyrics … really took his time, but I love the end result.”
Guitarist Steve Lukather said “Spiritual Man” is a song “about finding your way in your heart in these difficult times. One of Dave’s best.” Considering Paich penned “Africa,” Toto’s only No. 1 single, this is high praise.
To me, what makes this “one of Dave’s best” is the way three core elements build upon each other.
The story: Each verse paints rich imagery of key spiritual figures. It is a beautiful and inclusive narrative offering us the chance to reflect on what being spiritual means.
The arrangement: Simple in structure, layered gracefully and building emotionally. Sharing vocals across the verses was both generous and a masterstroke, allowing the soloists a chance to shine.
The performances: Effortless and inspired. There was no holding back and, I think, this is in large part thanks to the quality of the story and smarts in the arrangements.
The end result is a song affirms the idea that if you live with compassion, are honest and fair, have an enquiring mind and a drive to pursue a passion, you are a spiritual man.
- 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
