Toy Soldiers (song)

Single infobox
Name = Toy Soldiers


Artist = Martika
from Album = Martika
Released = 1989
Genre = Pop/Teen
Length = 4:51
Label = Sony
Writer = Martika/Michael Jay
Producer = Michael Jay
Chart position = * #1 (U.S. Pop)
* #5 (Australia, U.K. Singles Chart)
Last single = "More Than You Know"
(1989)
This single = "Toy Soldiers"
(1989)
Next single = "I Feel the Earth Move"
(1990)

"Toy Soldiers" is a song by Martika appearing on her her eponymous debut album in 1989 as a ballad. The single was a number-one hit in the United States.

Song

Martika was the only one singing throughout the song, although the chorus of the song consisted of some of Martika's former castmates from "Kids Incorporated", including Stacy Ferguson, Rahsaan Patterson, Renee Sands, Shanice Wilson, Jennifer Love Hewitt, and Devyn Puett. The inspiration for the song came from a friend who was battling a drug addiction at the time. According to an episode of VH-1's "Pop-Up Video" in which the video was featured, the friend in question ultimately beat the addiction.

It spent 2 weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. while reaching the top ten in the UK. When it spent its first week at number one, it had leapt over Madonna's "Express Yourself" and kept that song from reaching the top spot. On Billboard's year-end chart for 1989, "Toy Soldiers" placed number twenty-nine. It was Martika's only number-one single in the U.S. and Chile, and her highest-ranking single in the UK. The single was certified Gold in the United States by the RIAA.

The music video depicts Martika's relationship with a slightly older man, who is both a drug dealer and an addict himself. As he descends deeper into addiction and dealing, Martika is consumed by pain and helplessness as she remembers the earlier, happier times in their relationship. Ultimately, Martika is powerless to save him and he eventually dies in some unspecified manner (there is a brief shot of a man's body floating underwater that can be seen midway through the video that alludes to this) and she is seen at the end of the video placing a flower on what is presumed to be his grave. Martika however vows that she will not fall victim to the same addiction that claimed him.

Eminem's "Encore" album features samples from "Toy Soldiers" in a song titled "Like Toy Soldiers". The subject of the Eminem song is markedly different from the Martika song, concerning violence and murder linked to rap music rather than drug addiction.

British rock band My Vitriol released a cover of "Toy Soldiers" on the B-side of their 2007 EP "A Pyrrhic Victory".

In "The Simpsons" 18th season episode "G.I. (Annoyed Grunt)" the music playing during the assault course is "Toy Soldiers".

Formats

Japan 7"
#Toy Soldiers - Japanese Version
#Toy Soldiers - Original Version

Japan DJ promo
#Toy Soldiers – 4:48
#More Than You Know – 4:07

Irish 7"
#Toy Soldiers
#Exchange Of Hearts

US Promo CDs
#Like Toy Soldiers - Eminem
#Toy Soldiers - Martika
#Toy Soldiers - RPM
#Toy Soldiers - ALX Remix
#Toy Soldiers - Fusion
#Toy Soldiers - Martika, Spanish 'Como Un Jugete'
#Toy Soldiers - Martika, Japanese
#Toy Soldiers - Mark Duffy, UK Demo
#Toy Soldiers - Ryan Laubscher, UK Demo
#Toy Soldiers - R&B Demo

See also

* Hot 100 number-one hits of 1989 (United States)

External links

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpJy46o_7b0 Youtube - Music video]