She attended Edgbaston C of E College where she gained a GCE pass in music and trained as an actress at the Old Rep Drama School in her home town of Birmingham. Toyah's father ran successful joinery businesses.
She first became well-known during the punk rock era, her appearances in Derek Jarman's 1977 film Jubilee and 1979's Who album-inspired Quadrophenia launching her as a provocative and anti-establishment figure, an image she eventually abandoned.
Fronting a band known as Toyah, her singing career was slow to take off and the band released six singles in the UK before finally hitting the charts in 1981, with "It's A Mystery" and "I Want To Be Free". These singles were also successful on an international level. In 1982, she was voted Best Female Singer at the British Rock and Pop Awards — since restyled as The BRIT Awards, or "BRITs" — and in 1986 she married UK guitarist Robert Fripp. She was one of the first acts to score regularly in the UK Singles Chart with EPs. Also in 1986, Willcox sang lead on the Tony Banks track "Lion of Symmetry". In 1987 she made the top fifty with her version of "Echo Beach".
Since then, she has become a well-known (and more conventional) face on television and in the theatre. She has played straight roles, including in Quatermass (1979) and in Shakespeare plays, and appeared as a presenter of programmes such as Songs of Praise, Holiday (BBC), and Good Sex Guide Late. In 1999, she took the lead in the children's television series, Barmy Aunt Boomerang. She also provides the voiceover for the children's television programmes, the Teletubbies and Brum. More recently, she appeared in the reality television series I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! and I'm Famous and Frightened!.
Following her 2000 autobiography Living Out Loud, Toyah had a further autobiographical book published in 2005 documenting her experience of cosmetic surgery, Diary of a Facelift.
She has appeared on radio including the 2002 BBC Radio 4 series The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.
She continues to perform with her band, releasing a live DVD in 2005, and has a busy schedule with theatre commitments, including appearing on stage in London's West End performing the title role of Calamity Jane at the Shaftesbury Theatre in 2003.
She is currently appearing in the musical 'Vampire's Rock' in theatres across the UK.
Don't Fall In Love
Toyah Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The lovers are dancing like a fairy tale
Their public romancing seems so unreal
But they don't need it, can take or leave it
It's too easy, they won't believe it
Don't fall in love with a free spirit
She'll disregard your heart and make you pay for it
So just leave it, and just retrieve it
Don't fall in love, I said, don't fall in love, I said
Every legend has a broken heart, every game has a go back to start
So don't fall in love, I said, don't fall in love, I said
Euphoria is a silver state until you wake
She'll burn and deceive, starve your very needs
Provoke, tease, coax you onto your knees
All the lies and innocent cries
That divide everything that has ever been
Don't fall in love, I said, don't fall in love, I said
Every legend has a broken heart, every game has a go back to start
So don't fall in love, I said, don't fall in love, I said
Euphoria is a silver state until you wake, until you wake, until you wake
She'll take your spirit and cage it
She'll take your soul and kill it
She'll take your love and spill it
Scoop up the debris and swallow it
So don't fall in love, I said, don't fall in love, I said
Every legend has a broken heart, every game has a go back to start
So don't fall in love, I said, don't fall in love, I said
Euphoria is a silver state until you wake
So don't fall in love, I said, don't fall in love, I said
Every legend has a broken heart, every game has a go back to start
Toyah Willcox - vocals
Peter Van Hooke - drums
Simon Darlow - keyboards
Ian Wherry - keyboards
Al Hodge - guitar
Lorna Wright - backing vocals
Linda Taylor - backing vocals
Toyah Willcox - backing vocals
The lyrics to Toyah's song Don't Fall In Love describe a cautionary tale about falling in love with a free spirit. The song highlights the dangers of giving your heart to someone who is not interested in settling down or being committed to a long-term relationship. The lovers in the song are described as dancing like a fairy tale, but their public romancing seems unreal. The lyrics caution against falling in love with someone who will disregard your heart, abuse it, and trash and tease it. The song warns that every legend has a broken heart, and every game has a "go back to start" moment, urging the listener not to fall in love.
The lyrics continue to describe the ways in which a free spirit can burn and deceive and starve your emotional needs. The free spirit in the song is described as being able to provoke, tease, and coax the listener onto their knees. The lies and innocent cries that divide everything that has ever been are referenced, illustrating that falling in love can have painful consequences that can be difficult to overcome. The lyrics warn that the free spirit will take your spirit and cage it, will take your soul and kill it, and will take your love and spill it, leaving the listener with only debris.
Overall, the song is a powerful warning against the dangers of falling in love with a free spirit. The lyrics suggest that euphoria is a fleeting state that is quickly dissipated when the realities of the relationship come to light. The song encourages listeners to be cautious and to avoid falling in love too quickly or too easily.
Line by Line Meaning
The lovers are dancing like a fairy tale
The couple seems to be in a storybook romance, almost too perfect to be real.
Their public romancing seems so unreal
Their public displays of affection are so over-the-top that it almost doesn't seem authentic.
But they don't need it, can take or leave it
They are not dependent on their public displays of affection to validate their relationship.
It's too easy, they won't believe it
They are aware that their relationship appears effortless, and may not fully comprehend how rare that is.
Don't fall in love with a free spirit
It's a warning to not become romantically involved with someone who is independent and refuses to be tied down.
She'll disregard your heart and make you pay for it
A free-spirited partner will prioritize their independence over your heart, and you will suffer the consequences.
So just leave it, and just retrieve it
It's best to disengage from the relationship and reclaim what's left of your heart and self-respect.
She'll abuse it, and trash and tease it
Your heart will be mistreated, disrespected and toyed with by a free-spirited partner.
Every legend has a broken heart, every game has a go back to start
All great relationships, no matter how legendary or strong, have suffered heartbreak and have had to start over again.
Euphoria is a silver state until you wake
This line warns that the excitement of euphoria in a relationship is only temporary and eventually fades.
She'll burn and deceive, starve your very needs
A free-spirited partner will not only emotionally wound you but also leave you feeling neglected.
Provoke, tease, coax you onto your knees
The partner will intentionally provoke, tease, and manipulate to gain control over you and your emotions.
All the lies and innocent cries that divide everything that has ever been
Deceitful behavior and emotional manipulation in a relationship tears apart everything that has ever existed between the two partners.
She'll take your spirit and cage it
A free-spirited partner will attempt to confine of your spirit and independence by controlling your actions and decisions.
She'll take your soul and kill it
The partner will gradually destroy your depth and character, leaving a shell of who you once were.
She'll take your love and spill it
The partner will take your love, belief and trust in them, and waste it carelessly.
Scoop up the debris and swallow it
The partner will dispose of the damage they created and will leave you with the wreckage of the relationship.
So don't fall in love, I said, don't fall in love, I said
The chorus repeats the warning not to get involved with a free-spirited partner.
Every legend has a broken heart, every game has a go back to start
The chorus repeats that all great relationships have the potential to go astray, but starting over is an option.
Euphoria is a silver state until you wake
The chorus repeats the previous warning that the excitement of the relationship is temporary until reality sets in.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: SIMON DARLOW, TOYAH ANN WILLCOX
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Hstout
The lovers are dancing like a fairy tale
Their public romancing seems so unreal
But they don't need it, can take or leave it
It's too easy, they won't believe it
Don't fall in love with a free spirit
She'll disregard your heart and make you pay for it
So just leave it, and just retrieve it
She'll abuse it, trash and tease it
Don't fall in love, I said, don't fall in love, I said
Every legend has a broken heart, every game has a go back to start
So don't fall in love, I said, don't fall in love, I said
Euphoria is a silver state until you wake
She'll burn and deceive, starve your very needs
Provoke, tease, coax you onto your knees
All the lies and innocent cries
That divide everything that has ever been
Don't fall in love, I said, don't fall in love, I said
Every legend has a broken heart, every game has a go back to start
So don't fall in love, I said, don't fall in love, I said
Euphoria is a silver state until you wake
Til you wake
Til you wake
@abril9674
Most beautiful and gifted woman does this World has seen born!
@johnbanks4761
aahh the 80s...the best
@williamduffy1227
How come we never saw this on MTV in the US during the '80's?
We was robbed!
@themaidofmiddleearth
She didn't do well in America because she was too intelligent for America.
@williamduffy1227
@TheMaidofMiddleEarth ...or, her bands songs weren't that 'catchy' lyrics wise or music wise. This song is ok, but not that great.
@Hayhaystw
Adore Toyah, the girl who rolled punk, rock and pop into one,. Gorgeous lady who deserves to be a dame❤
@paulforry3376
Toyah you were a legend in the 80’s and you still are a legend today! I have a 5 year old niece who idolises you like I did 40 years ago, please don’t ever change!
@williamlipsett5772
Never forgot how stunning she was in that dress , Toyah your still as breath taking today with that fantastic voice babe !
@alanmedcalf8491
The women still has it today , great song and great video , back then I'm sure she was every school boys fantasy , back in the day , especially mine , even today 😉😍❤️💯
@wheresthegovernance4350
Her rack is better in 2021 than it was in the 80's!