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."
Just Like You
Martha Davis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like waking up in a strange place
Looking deep into your eyes
Knowing smile that seems to lie
I know I've been here too long
Don't know who you are
But I used to love someone
Who would hold me in his arms
Just like you
To the ends of the earth
Till the end of time
But he never could say goodbye
Just like you
Don't say a word
Don't say anything
Cause I've been here
Standing in the rain
With my heart keeping time
As the fantasy unwinds
Watching everything change
Nothing stays the same
But I used to love someone
Just like you
Who would hold me in his arms
Just like you
To the ends of the earth
Till the end of time
But he never could say goodbye
Just like you
Looking deep into your eyes
Knowing smile that seems to lie
Know I've been here before
Don't know who you are
But I used to love someone
Just like you
Who would hold me in his arms
Just like you
To the ends of the earth
Till the end of time
But he never could say goodbye
Just like you
The lyrics of Martha Davis's song Just Like You are centered around a woman recalling a past relationship and how the present reminds her of someone she used to love. The song captivates the listener with its melancholic melody and reflective lyrics that depict strong emotions of loss, nostalgia, and uncertainty. The morning is represented as cold, which paints the picture of a new beginning that is somewhat unwelcome, prompting her to reflect on the past events. The line "Knowing smile that seems to lie" is particularly intriguing as it suggests that the woman is aware of her current situation but unable to fully come to terms with it.
The chorus calls to mind the past lover, who, just like her current lover, would hold her in his arms and promise to stay till the end of time. However, the relationship ended without closure as the lover "never could say goodbye, just like you." The verse "Don't say a word, don't say anything" reinforces this idea, as the woman is afraid that her current lover will also leave her with unresolved feelings. Moreover, the line "Watching everything change, nothing stays the same" suggests that the woman has come to terms with the fleeting nature of human relationships and is unable to escape the memories of her past.
In conclusion, Martha Davis's song Just Like You explores the complex emotions of a woman who is trying to move forward but is constantly reminded of her past lover. The song conveys feelings of loss, nostalgia, and uncertainty in a touching and relatable way.
Line by Line Meaning
The morning seems so cold
Waking up feels like entering an unfamiliar place and everything seems cold and distant
Like waking up in a strange place
The new day comes with the same feeling of unease as being in an unknown location for the first time
Looking deep into your eyes
Trying to find sincerity and honesty in your eyes
Knowing smile that seems to lie
Your smile seems fake even though you're trying to appear genuine
I know I've been here too long
Realizing that the relationship has lasted for too long and feeling like it's time to move on
Don't know who you are
Feeling like you don't really know the person you're with
But I used to love someone
Remembering how you used to love someone who was like the person you're with now
Just like you
They share the same qualities and characteristics as the person you used to love
Who would hold me in his arms
Remembering how the person you used to love would hold you tightly and make you feel safe and secure
To the ends of the earth
They would go to great lengths to show their love for you and make you happy
Till the end of time
Their love was infinite and would last forever
But he never could say goodbye
Despite everything, the person you used to love was unable to end things and say goodbye
Don't say a word
Pleading with the current person not to say anything because everything feels so complicated
Don't say anything
Begging for silence because words won't fix the situation
Cause I've been here
Feeling like you've been in this situation before and it's all too familiar
Standing in the rain
Feeling like you're experiencing an emotional storm and being drenched by the intensity of it all
With my heart keeping time
Feeling like your heart beats to the rhythm of the situation and is guiding your response to it
As the fantasy unwinds
The illusion of what this relationship could have been is unraveling before your eyes
Watching everything change
Seeing how everything is shifting and evolving, and not being sure how to react
Nothing stays the same
Knowing that change is inevitable and that nothing can stay the same forever
Know I've been here before
Feeling like you've experienced this exact same situation before
Contributed by Hannah M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.