I'll Be Over You

"I'll Be Over You" is a hit single by the American rock band Toto. Released as the lead single from their 1986 album, Fahrenheit, the song reached number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1986. Lead vocals were sung by guitarist Steve Lukather, who co-wrote the song with hit songwriter Randy Goodrum (one of several collaborations between the two). Guest musician Michael McDonald provided the vocal counterpoint on the recording.

"I'll Be Over You"
Single by Toto
from the album Fahrenheit
B-side	"In a Word"
Released	August 1986
Recorded	1985
Genre	Soft rock^[1]
Length	3:51
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(s)	Steve Lukather Randy Goodrum
Producer(s)	Toto
Toto singles chronology
"How Does It Feel" (1985) "I'll Be Over You" (1986) "Without Your Love" (1986)

"I'll Be Over You" spent two weeks at number one on the Adult Contemporary chart, Toto's second song to top this chart (following 1983's "I Won't Hold You Back").^[2]

Composition

Lukather explained the song's lyrics: "What the song is basically saying is, the guy has broken up with a girl, and realized that he should never have broken up with this girl, and he's still really deeply in love with her. Sort of like a warning to people, like, you never know how good you got it until you don't have it anymore."^[3]

Reception

Cash Box said that "The wistful and emotional song should make a strong showing."^[4]

Music video

A music video (in which guest vocalist McDonald also appears) was shot with the band playing on an apartment rooftop until it rained. The rooftop is on top of the building located at 548 South Spring Street in Los Angeles, California, USA.^[5] The video also recreates the image from the front of the album with live actors.

Track listing

1. "I'll Be Over You"
2. "In a Word" - Non-album track, later released on Toto XX

Personnel

Toto

• Steve Lukather – lead and backing vocals, guitars
• Joseph Williams – backing vocals
• David Paich – Yamaha DX7 Rhodes, synthesizer
• Steve Porcaro – synthesizer
• Mike Porcaro – bass
• Jeff Porcaro – drums

Additional musicians

• Michael McDonald – backing vocals
• Lenny Castro – percussion
• Paulinho da Costa – percussion

Charts

Weekly

Chart (1986–1987)	Peak position
Canada (The Record)^[6]	34
Canada (RPM)^[7]	13
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[8]	38
US Billboard Hot 100^[9]	11
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)^[9]	1

Year-end

Chart (1986)	Rank
Canada (RPM)^[10]	99
US Billboard Hot 100^[11]	99

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)^[12]	Gold	500,000^‡
^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

1. Deggans, Eric (August 20, 2014). . Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on September 9, 2017. Retrieved September 16, 2017.
2. Whitburn, Joel (1996). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 6th Edition (Billboard Publications)
3. Hot Rocks: The Toto Story (LP). United Stations Programming Network. May 6, 1988. Event occurs at 70:30.
4. "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. August 30, 1986. p. 9. Retrieved 2022-08-04.
5. "Location of 548 S Spring St on Google Maps". Retrieved March 5, 2010.
6. Nanda Lwin (1999). Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide. Music Data Canada. ISBN 1-896594-13-1.
7. Peaked on RPM 100 Singles Chart on November 22, 1986 & again on November 29, 1986
8. "Toto – I'll Be Over You" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved December 25, 2020.
9. "allmusic ((( Fahrenheit > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums )))". allmusic.com. Retrieved August 3, 2012.
10. . RPM. December 27, 1986. Archived from the original on October 21, 2012. Retrieved December 6, 2010.
11. "1986 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 98, no. 52. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. December 27, 1986. p. Y-21.
12. "American single certifications – Toto – I'll Be Over You". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 17, 2023.

External links

• I'll Be Over You official video on YouTube

See also

• List of Hot Adult Contemporary number ones of 1986