1. Martha Davis … Read Full Bio ↴There are two female vocalists named Martha Davis.
1. Martha Davis (December 14, 1917 – April 6, 1960) was an African-American singer and pianist whose musical comedy act, "Martha Davis & Spouse", was popular in the late 1940s and 1950s.
Davis was born in Wichita, Kansas, and raised in Chicago, Illinois. By the mid-1930s, she had met and been influenced by Fats Waller, and performed regularly as a singer and pianist in Chicago clubs. In 1939, she met, and later married, bass player Calvin Ponder (October 17, 1917 - December 26, 1970), who went on to play in Earl Hines' band.
In 1948, Davis and Ponder moved to California, and Davis developed her recording career on Jewel Records in Hollywood with a trio including Ponder, Ralph Williams (guitar) and Lee Young (drums). Their cover of Dick Haymes' pop hit "Little White Lies" reached # 11 on the Billboard R&B chart, followed by a duet with Louis Jordan, "Daddy-O", from the movie A Song Is Born, which reached the R&B top ten later that year.
Davis and Ponder also began performing together on stage, developing a musical and comedy routine as "Martha Davis & Spouse" which played on their physical characteristics (she was large, he was smaller). The act became hugely popular, touring and having a residency at the Blue Angel in New York. They appeared together in movies including Smart Politics (with Gene Krupa), and in the mid-1950s, variety films Rhythm & Blues Revue, Rock 'n' Roll Revue and Basin Street Revue. Several of their performances were filmed by Snader Telescriptions for video jukeboxes, and they also broadcast on network TV, particularly Garry Moore's CBS show.
In 1957, after a break of several years, they resumed recording for the ABC Paramount label, with whom they cut two LPs. Davis died from cancer in New York in 1960, aged only 42, and Ponder died ten years later, aged only 53.
2. Martha Davis is best known as the lead singer of The Motels, a new wave pop band that scored hits in the 80s with songs such as "Only the Lonely" and "Suddenly Last Summer."
Davis released her first solo album entitled Policy in November of 1987, and had a hit with "Don't Tell Me the Time" (#8 in Australia), but in the U.S. the song only went as far as #80. Soon afterwards, Davis asked to be released from her contract with Capitol.
After leaving Capitol Records, Davis focused on different music styles, and recorded songs for several movie soundtracks.
In 2005 Davis released her second solo project entitled So the Story Goes. She is still touring and recording as "Martha Davis and the Motels."
Heaven Outside My Door
Martha Davis Lyrics
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Chances are I'll go to hell
But if all goes right
I'll see you tonight
Heaven just outside my door
Counting each moment I want you
Counting on you to want me
Alone in the night, like never before
Heaven just outside my door
Find me a way to be free
Show me the light that will guide me
I live 'cause I love to adore
Heaven outside my door
See what appears to be magic
I feel like I'm safe in your light
And it happens again
Like it's happened before
Heaven just outside my door
Find me a way to be free
Show me the light that will guide me
I live 'cause I love to adore
Heaven outside my door
Martha Davis's song Heaven Outside My Door is an ethereal love song that explores the concepts of heaven and hell, desire and devotion, and finding a way to be free. The chorus speaks of the possibility of both God and hell residing beyond one's doorstep, but the singer's focus is on the object of her affection and the possibility of finding heaven through love. The song employs delicate instrumentation, featuring guitar arpeggios and atmospheric keyboard pads that create a dreamy soundscape to match the lyrics' sentiments.
The first verse sets the scene of the singer's thoughts on God and hell, acknowledging the possibility of both and the uncertainty of what may lay beyond this life. The second verse expresses the singer's longing for her love, counting each moment until they can be together again. The bridge emphasizes finding a way to be free and guided towards the light, in order to live a fulfilling life. The chorus provides a sense of hope, with the suggestion that heaven may be found just outside the door when in the presence of the one she loves. The final verse speaks of seeing magic and feeling safe in her partner's light, implying that this love is truly something special.
Overall, Heaven Outside My Door is a song that delves into the complexities of love and spirituality, and how they can intertwine with one another. The lyrics suggest that love has the power to create a sense of heaven on earth, something that can be found within one's own life rather than solely through religion. The song has a timeless feel to it, with its lyrics and ambience remaining relevant and resonant to this day.
Line by Line Meaning
Chances are God lives in heaven
There's a possibility that God exists in heaven.
Chances are I'll go to hell
There's a possibility that I'll go to hell.
But if all goes right
I'll see you tonight
Heaven just outside my door
But if everything goes as planned, I'll meet you tonight, and it will feel like heaven.
Counting each moment I want you
I eagerly wait for every moment to be with you.
Counting on you to want me
I hope that you want me as much as I want you.
Alone in the night, like never before
Heaven just outside my door
Being alone in the dark of the night and longing for you feels like heaven is just outside my door.
Find me a way to be free
Show me the light that will guide me
I live 'cause I love to adore
Heaven outside my door
Help me find a path that will release me from my worries and show me the way towards happiness. I want to live my life by adoring you and believing that heaven is just outside my door.
See what appears to be magic
I feel like I'm safe in your light
And it happens again
Like it's happened before
Heaven just outside my door
All the magical moments I have with you make me feel safe and loved. It feels like this has happened before, and heaven is just outside my door.
Contributed by Austin C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.