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."
What Money Might Buy
Martha Davis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lit up the night
A girl more or less
But usually more
A street whore
A sweet whore
A girl who would be your fantasy
Come again still no reality
But in her eyes no surprise
What money might buy
There was a young boy
A beuteous thing
Whose revenge cut the night
And he'd lick the blade clean
A sweet boy
A street boy
The boy who would be your sweet fuck
Yeah, the boy who would always bring you luck
The boy who hates you so
You'd better make love slow
'Cause you don't know
What money might buy
And you think it's o.k.
'Cause you leave when you pay
And you pay for what you need
And God knows you needed it
And the streets will go on
And you can go home
And no one will know
Ah, ain't that the beauty of it
Ain't it sweet
What money might buy
On the lips of a kiss
Poisoned with bliss
A child looks good
Dressed up like this
A sweet kid
A street kid
A kid that could be your very own
You'd better check to see
Who's left at home
But they might lie
Don't be surprised
What money might buy
Very nice, kind of lights up your eyes
What money might buy
Almost makes you cry
What money might buy
Surprise, surprise
What money might buy
It's suicide
The lyrics to Martha Davis's song What Money Might Buy are open to interpretation and can be seen as a commentary on the moral decay of society, where people have descended to the point where they are willing to buy anything with the money they have. The lyrics describe different characters who sell their bodies or services for money, including a young boy who is involved in prostitution and who seeks revenge. The song is about the result of a society where people measure their worth and that of others in terms of the material things they possess.
The vision in white that lit up the night refers to a prostitute who is usually more than what she seems to be. She is described as a street whore, a sweet whore, a girl who embodies the ultimate fantasy of the men who come to her. However, even though she gives them what they pay for, there is no reality in the fantasy that they seek in her company. The boy mentioned in the second verse is also seeking revenge on his clients, and he hates them for the way they treat him. The boy's clients are also unaware of the dangerous situation they are in, and they pay for the sex they want and leave when they are done without considering the consequences.
In conclusion, the lyrics of What Money Might Buy criticize a society that is willing to buy anything as long as they have the money to pay for it. The song portrays the various characters who sell themselves, whether physically or through their services, to survive in a world where money dominates everything. The lyrics suggest that in this society, people have lost their humanity and their moral compasses, which can ultimately lead to their destruction.
Line by Line Meaning
A vision in white
Lit up the night
A girl more or less
But usually more
A street whore
A sweet whore
A girl who would be your fantasy
Come again still no reality
But in her eyes no surprise
What money might buy
A prostitute wearing white clothing lit up the night. She's more than a girl and is usually a street whore, but can be sweet. She is the girl of your dreams but cannot become a reality. She has experience and understands what can be bought with money.
There was a young boy
A beuteous thing
Whose revenge cut the night
And he'd lick the blade clean
A sweet boy
A street boy
The boy who would be your sweet fuck
Yeah, the boy who would always bring you luck
The boy who hates you so
You'd better make love slow
'Cause you don't know
What money might buy
A beautiful boy takes revenge at night while licking his blade clean. He is sweet on the street, but also a boy who can perform sexually. He can bring luck, but hates people he sleeps with, so remind them to go slow. Anything could happen because of the potential of money.
And you think it's o.k.
'Cause you leave when you pay
And you pay for what you need
And God knows you needed it
And the streets will go on
And you can go home
And no one will know
Ah, ain't that the beauty of it
Ain't it sweet
What money might buy
People believe it's okay to pay for sex because you can leave after paying for it. You pay for what you need without shame. The streets will move on, and you can go home without anyone knowing. The secrecy is the beauty of it all, thanks to money.
On the lips of a kiss
Poisoned with bliss
A child looks good
Dressed up like this
A sweet kid
A street kid
A kid that could be your very own
You'd better check to see
Who's left at home
But they might lie
Don't be surprised
What money might buy
A child looks sweet while dressed up but the reality is different. A sweet street child can seem like your own but be cautious, as the child might be lying or hiding something. Be prepared for things to happen when money is involved.
Very nice, kind of lights up your eyes
What money might buy
Almost makes you cry
What money might buy
Surprise, surprise
What money might buy
It's suicide
The things money can buy feel great and can even make you emotional. The possibilities of what money can buy might surprise you, but ultimately, it can lead to destruction and death.
Contributed by Addison P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.