4 Toto Songs That Sound Like the Beatles

One of their biggest influences.

Toto came out with their first self-titled album in 1978. Their first 4 albums were with singer Bobby Kimball and bassist David Hungate. After the fourth album, Toto IV, these two original bandmates left Toto.

During these early years (1978–1984), Toto sounded more like the Beatles in some of their songs. They had a British feel to their music, especially, with their first two albums, Toto and Hydra.

Here are the four songs I think sound the most like the Beatles from these first 4 albums:

“Rockmaker” (Toto) singer/songwriter David Paich

2. “Manuela Run” (Toto) singer/songwriter David Paich

3. “Lorraine” (Hydra) singer/songwriter David Paich

4. “St. George and the Dragon” (Hydra), singer Bobby Kimball, songwriter David Paich

Summary

These are also four of my favorite Toto songs. Interestingly, none of these became big hits. They did make a music video for “St. George and the Dragon”.

You can also hear some of the influences of British singer/songwriter Elton John in these songs, one of Paich’s biggest influences.

David Paich is the songwriter of most of Toto’s songs, including the number one single “Africa” from Toto IV.

He wrote all four of these tunes and was the lead singer in three of the four. Lead vocalist Bobby Kimball, guitarist Steve Lukather, and keyboardist Steve Porcaro helped with backup vocals and probably all the members helped David write and compose the songs.

Not only do these songs sound British, but they also sound like the Beatles with their pop rhythms and melodic harmonies.

Toto is the most versatile band ever, even the best musical band of all time. Their ability to blend different styles, compose complex sounds, execute with studio recording precision, use different lead vocalists, and adapt to the changing times and bandmates is unparalleled in music history.

These four songs not only sound like the Beatles and Elton John, they’re also the most underrated songs of Toto’s early years.

Nearly every song on their first two albums should have been number-one hits, yet only “Hold the Line” made it to the top 10 on the American charts.

I included the live version and studio version for the first two. The second two are the studio versions with “St. George and the Dragon” having a music video.

Hope you enjoy these songs, let me know what you think, are there more songs that sound like the Beatles? Do you agree these sound like their musical heroes, the Beatles and Elton John?

If you’d like to support my writing, click here.

Comments

The Lowdown Truth #51: God's Judgment on the West

Recorded April 8, 2026

Writing Success Comes from Volume and Quality in Balance

Our success is up to us. Success, as a general term to describe the results that constitute a success in a writer’s mind, as it meets or exceeded our expectations. And volume is how many articles/content pieces it takes for each writer to succeed with various levels of quality involved. Each writer will have their personal goals and ways to measure the results achieved through writing an article. Each writer has differing perspectives on what constitutes quality with a finished product. With these important variables in mind, let’s explore how many articles it might take with a theoretical estimation based upon experience and what I’ve seen in my decades-long online writing journey. Most writers can’t expect to attract a lot of views when writing only one article a month, or 12 a year. They may be able to stay in the game at the base line level and maintain some trickle of income, yet it isn’t the volume needed to reach that level of success to maintain. Still, we must first appreciate...

An Ode to Grandpa Lee

An old-time pioneer amid modern vanity and "progress." The man stood tall in the wind with the sun beating down on his flat-brim cowboy hat. He was a working man, focused on his pioneer family in the western country they called home. Building and designing structures high and wide, the man skipped across wooden beams high in the air, under shadows cast only by moving clouds; wide open spaces watched the scene as death-defying feats were carried out in relative obscurity, as just another day of work. The man was an old-timer with relatively few years to boast, a before his time pioneer with an adventurous and loving wife plotting business in sagebrush lands far beyond the hyped city life bustling with seemingly meaningless activities. His skin was as leather, scorched in the sun and beaten with high winds containing drifting sand mixed with alkaline dirt. The dry mountain air in the high desert cleansed his heart with comfortable respite from the high temps and harsh weather e...

3 Reasons to Prioritize Capital Equipment Planning During Healthcare System Mergers

From 1998 to 2015, over 1,400 hospital mergers have transpired in the U.S . They’ve been increasing nearly every year, especially since the ACA was enacted in 2010. Healthcare systems are consolidating for both financial and strategic reasons; these challenging and complex transactions bring growth opportunities as well as risks. An article found on CIO called: “What is merger and acquisition due diligence?” , written on June 9th, 2015 by Dewey E. Ray, explains the 4 areas of due diligence to focus on: “Strategic Position Financial Data Operational Assets Legal Matters” Operational assets are a major aspect of M&A planning and implementation. Effectively dealing with the capital equipment involved in a transaction takes consideration, strategy, and organizational software tools. In this regard, let’s discuss 3 reasons to prioritize capital equipment planning during healthcare system mergers. Definition of Capit...

Business and Society Articles

Search This Blog