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.
Toy Soldiers
Martika Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Heart to heart
Left, right, left
We all fall down
Like toy soldiers
It wasn't my intention to mislead you
It never should have been this way
It's true I did extend the invitation
I never knew how long you'd stay
When you hear temptation call
It's your heart that takes
Takes the fall
Won't you come out and play with me?
Step by step
Heart to heart
Left, right, left
We all fall down
Like toy soldiers
Bit by bit torn apart
We never win
But the battle wages on
For toy soldiers
It's getting hard to wake up in the morning
My head is spinning constantly
How can it be?
How could I be so blind to this addiction?
If I don't stop
The next one's gonna be me
Only emptiness remains
It replaces all, all the pain
Won't you come out and play with me?
Step by step
Heart to heart
Left, right, left
We all fall down
Like toy soldiers
Bit by bit torn apart
We never win
But the battle wages on
For toy soldiers
(We never win)
Only emptiness remains
It replaces all, all the pain
Won't you come out and play with me?
Step by step
Heart to heart
Left, right, left
We all fall down
Like toy soldiers
Bit by bit torn apart
We never win
But the battle wages on
For toy soldiers
(Step by step
Heart to heart
Left, right, left
We all fall down)
The song "Toy Soldiers" describes the effects of temptation and addiction, as well as the ways in which they can tear people apart. The song begins with the image of soldiers marching, step by step, heart to heart, left, right, left, and then falling down like toy soldiers. This metaphor suggests that people can be strong and united like soldiers, only to crumble and become fragile like toys when they face temptation and addiction.
The lyrics then explore the singer's personal experience with temptation and addiction. The singer admits to extending an invitation to someone, perhaps implying that the singer led someone into temptation. However, the singer claims not to have known how long that person would stay. The lyrics seem to suggest that the singer was not fully aware of the consequences of their actions, and that they did not intend to hurt anyone. Nonetheless, the singer sees the effects of the addiction on themselves and others, describing it as tearing them apart bit by bit. The song ends with the repeated call for someone to come out and play with the singer, perhaps suggesting that the singer wants to escape their own struggles with addiction and find a way to feel alive again.
Line by Line Meaning
Step by step
Taking things one at a time
Heart to heart
Being sincere about something
Left, right, left
Conforming to a certain pattern, as in marching
We all fall down
We all face hardships and struggles in life
Like toy soldiers
Fighting for others' causes or following orders without question, often to one's own detriment
It wasn't my intention to mislead you
I didn't mean to deceive you
It never should have been this way
Things should have gone differently
What can I say?
What is there to say in this situation?
It's true I did extend the invitation
I did invite you, that's true
I never knew how long you'd stay
I wasn't sure how committed you were to this
When you hear temptation call
When faced with something that's tempting
It's your heart that takes
Your emotions take over
Takes the fall
You suffer the consequences
Bit by bit torn apart
Gradually falling apart
We never win
We don't come out on top
But the battle wages on
The struggle continues
For toy soldiers
Like we're all just following orders without question
It's getting hard to wake up in the morning
This situation is becoming increasingly difficult to cope with
My head is spinning constantly
I can't get my thoughts straight
How can it be?
I can't believe this is happening
How could I be so blind to this addiction?
I didn't realize I was addicted to this
If I don't stop
If I don't quit this addiction
The next one's gonna be me
I'll be the next one to fall apart
Only emptiness remains
There's nothing left but emptiness
It replaces all, all the pain
It numbs the pain
Won't you come out and play with me?
Won't you join me in this addiction?
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Marta Marrero, Michael Jay Margules
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@wilsonsilva667
(Step by step
Heart to heart
Left, right, left
We all fall down
Like toy soldiers)
It wasn't my intention to mislead you
It never should have been this way
What can I say
It's true, I did extend the invitation
I never knew how long you'd stay
When you hear temptation call
It's your heart that takes, takes the fall
(Won't you come out and play with me)
(Chorus)
Step by step
Heart to heart
Left, right, left
We all fall down
Like toy soldiers
Bit by bit
Torn apart
We never win
But the battle wages on
For Toy soldiers
It's getting hard to wake up in the morning
My head is spinning constantly
How can it be?
How could I be so blind to this addiction?
If I don't stop, the next one's gonna be me
Only emptiness remains
It replaces all, all the pain
(Won't you come out and play with me)
(Chorus)
Step by step
Heart to heart
Left, right, left
We all fall down
Like toy soldiers
Bit by bit
Torn apart
We never win
But the battle wages on
For Toy soldiers
Only emptiness remains
It replaces all, all the pain
(Won't you come out and play with me)
(Chorus) (2x)
Step by step
Heart to heart
Left, right, left
We all fall down
Like toy soldiers
Bit by bit
Torn apart
We never win
But the battle wages on
For Toy soldiers
@RickyBobby585
Who's listening In 2024?
@blindg7092
I am waiting for the Sonata Arctica cover.
@natybravo6991
Acá desde Buenos Aires, Argentina!!!
@user-du6ur2ot5n
❤❤
@denonhall8723
🙋🏽♂️
@TheJeremyrjones
@@blindg7092 Just listened to it myself and came here to listen to the original again. I remember when it was new!
@ejones9924
53 years old black male and i freaking loved this song. It took me back in another place in the 80's when i enjoyed Neverending Story, Dark Crystal, and other 80's fantasy moments. I wish i can go back and stay in the 80's forever!
@jaecalderon260
You lived it 👏🏻 I was born 83 and I was raised on these song thanks to my mom pops was a rock kinda guy
@charleslarkin5873
Sir, I appreciate your thoughts but please understand that the only constant in life is CHANGE. We must embrace this. We all must progress with it.
@RickyBobby585
💯💯💯