Hooking up w/ producer Michael Jay, Martika landed a deal with Columbia Records. Martika's self-titled debut album was released in the fall of 1988. But it wasn't until 1989 that she broke through in a big way. By January her debut single "More Than You Know" was a US Top 20 smash. Her second single, a haunting ballad about addiction, entitled "Toy Soldiers" spent 2 weeks at #1 in the US during the summer of 1989. Up next was a dance/rock version of the Carole King classic "I Feel The Earth Move" which would eventually score Martika her 3rd Top 40 US hit. This song as well as her previous singles also became huge hits all over the world by charting high in the UK, Australia, Japan and Spain just to name a few. A fourth single was released in Europe and Australia entitled "Water".
After the success of her debut, her label compiled a 4 song EP of Spanish language versions of 3 of her hits ("Water" was included as well but in it's bilingual original state). It was during this time that Martika would perform throughout many Spanish speaking countries, and was heavily promoted to the US Latino market.
During the fall of 1990, Martika returned briefly to acting playing Dahlia Mendez on the CBS drama "Wiseguy". Playing a sultry nightclub singer & girlfriend to the then new lead Steven Bauer, Martika turned heads w/ her sexy outfits & latin jazz standards sprinkled throughout the show. Much like her character's untimely death, the show also was cancelled after failing to catch on with viewers. Luckily for Martika all 4 of her episodes aired.
Martika followed up her debut (which eventually went gold in the US) with 1991's "Martika's Kitchen". Led by the first single, "Love...Thy Will Be Done", a prayer that Martika had written which would later be turned into a song by Prince, Martika would find herself once again on the charts. The song peaked at #10 in the US and was a #1 hit in Australia. Unfortunately a sophmore slump of sorts took its toll on what could have been a huge hit album. The 2nd single, a funky Prince penned and produced tune, failed to set the charts on fire and stalled at #98 in the US. However it did fare better in Europe making it all the way to #1 in Spain. A third single, the C+C Music Factory produced "Coloured Kisses", failed to chart in the US but was a modest hit internationally. Two more singles would see the light of day in Europe, a club only release of yet another Prince produced track "Spirit" made the rounds as did a 4th single "Safe In The Arms Of Love".
It was during 1992 that Martika would walk away from her music career. After a headlining stint at the Expo Sevilla in Sevilla, Spain, Martika walked off the stage and began a long hiatus from music. Rumors of her whereabouts would range from the weird to plain ridiculous.
During this time Martika wrote songs for several artists (Maria Nyler, Tevin Campbell, etc.) as well as lending her voice to several projects (C+C Music Factory's "Música es mi vida" and the Conga Club's "The Happy Song" to name a few). But it was not until 1999 that Martika would come out of musical obscurity by launching a website (the new defunct martika.net) and talk of a new album brought many fans out of the woodwork so to say. At this time several demos leaked on the internet and she even went as far as to release an internet only single "The Journey" available exclusively on mp3.com.
This brief return sort of came and went and it wasn't until the beginning of this decade that Martika would again return. This time as 1/2 of the musical duo Oppera. Along with her musical partner (and husband) Michael Mozart, the duo released their internet only debut "Violince". Since they have released a self-titled follow-up, opened for Pat Benatar.
In 2010 Martika, under the name Vida Edit, starred in the internet series J8DED along w/ her hubby Michael Daemon. The show is currently on hiatus.
Martika is currently working on her first solo album in 20 years. It will see her return to her dance/pop roots. Expect a fall 2011 release.
Also of note rapper Eminem sampled Martika's "Toy Soldiers" in his 2004 hit "Like Toy Soldiers", thus resparking some interest in this often ignored pop star. To boot, in 2007 British shoegaze/alternative rock band My Vitriol covered the song for their A Pyrrhic Victory EP.
Cross My Heart
Martika Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With just one look at you I'm paralyzed
I can't explain
Why just one touch from you drives me insane
You've got me head over heels
Better believe it baby
And I love how it feels
Cross my heart hope to die
May lightning strike me if I'm telling a lie
Cross my heart I swear it's true
I've never loved anyone more than I'm loving you
Cross my heart it's true
Believe me
Oh oh
Heavenly something happens
When you're next to me
I get chills
You can ask me anything and babe I will
You've got me out of control
Better believe it baby
Form my head to my toes
Cross my heart hope to die
May lightning strike me
If I'm telling a lie
Cross my heart I swear it's true
I've never loved anyone more than I'm loving you
Cross my heart it's true
You're my valentine
Every month of the year
Baby rain or shine
I'm so happy when you're here
I want you all the time
Am I making myself clear?
My love's gonna last forever
Cross my heart
Cross my heart
I've never loved anyone more than I'm loving you
Cross my heart hope to die
May lightning strike me
If I'm telling a lie
Cross my heart I swear it's true
I've never loved anyone more than I'm loving you
Cross my heart hope to die
May lightning strike me
If I'm telling a lie
Cross my heart I swear it's true
I've never loved anyone more than I'm loving you
Cross my heart hope to die
May lightning strike me if I'm telling a lie
Cross my heart I swear it's true
I've never loved anyone more than I'm loving you
The song "Cross My Heart" by Martika is a classic 80s love song that captures the intense feelings of falling in love. The lyrics describe the overwhelming effect that the object of the singer's affection has on her. She says that just by looking at him, she is "hypnotized" and "paralyzed," and one touch from him drives her "insane." She is head over heels in love with him and it feels like heaven whenever he's near. She promises to never lie about her feelings and declares that she has never loved anyone more than she loves him.
The chorus, "cross my heart hope to die, may lightning strike me if I'm telling a lie," emphasizes the sincerity of her feelings and the seriousness with which she takes her vow. The phrase "cross my heart" is a gesture of making a promise with complete honesty and devotion. The use of vivid imagery, such as being struck by lightning, further emphasizes the depth of her commitment.
Overall, the song captures the excitement and passion of falling in love and makes the listener feel as if they are experiencing it themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Hypnotized
She is entranced by the person she is singing about.
With just one look at you I'm paralyzed
His appearance has an impact on her and she is attracted to him.
I can't explain
She doesn't know why she is attracted to him.
Why just one touch from you drives me insane
Even his touch makes her lose control and go crazy for him.
You've got me head over heels
She is completely in love with him.
Better believe it baby
She wants him to trust her feelings for him.
And I love how it feels
She is enjoying the rush of emotions she is feeling.
Cross my heart hope to die
She is making a solemn promise.
May lightning strike me if I'm telling a lie
She wants to emphasize the seriousness of her promise.
Cross my heart I swear it's true
She is telling the truth of her feelings for him.
I've never loved anyone more than I'm loving you
She is expressing the intensity of her love for him.
Believe me
She is pleading with him to trust her.
Heavenly something happens
She experiences something magical when he's around.
When you're next to me
He has a strong effect on her when in his presence.
I get chills
She feels a shiver down her spine in his presence.
You can ask me anything and babe I will
She will do anything for him and tells him he can rely on her.
You've got me out of control
He influences her in such a way that she loses control.
From my head to my toes
He influences every part of her being.
You're my valentine
She sees him as someone special in her life.
Every month of the year
She wants him to be her valentine every month of the year.
Baby rain or shine
She wants him to be with her regardless of the weather or circumstances.
I'm so happy when you're here
He brings happiness to her when he's around.
I want you all the time
She desires to be with him constantly.
Am I making myself clear?
She wants to know if he understands her feelings.
My love's gonna last forever
She professes that her love for him is enduring.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MICHAEL JAY MARGULES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind