Toy Soldiers (song)

This article is about the Martika song. For the song by Eminem, see Like Toy Soldiers.

"Toy Soldiers" is a song by American singer-songwriter Martika, appearing on her self-titled debut album (1988) and released in the United States as the second single from the album on April 26, 1989. It was her only song to top the charts in the United States, reaching the number-one on Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks in mid-1989. An edited version of the song is included in the imported version of the album Toy Soldiers: The Best of Martika. Its music video was directed by Jim Shea.

"Toy Soldiers"
Artwork for European releases
Single by Martika
from the album Martika
B-side	"Exchange of Hearts" "It's Not What You're Doing"
Released	April 26, 1989 (1989-04-26)[1]
Genre	Pop rock[2]
Length	4:47 (album version) 4:23 (single version)
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(s)	Martika Michael Jay
Producer(s)	Michael Jay
Martika singles chronology
"More Than You Know" (1988) "Toy Soldiers" (1989) "I Feel the Earth Move" (1989)
Music video
"Toy Soldiers" on YouTube

Background

Martika wrote the song about a friend who was battling a cocaine addiction. "I was a little hesitant because I had only written two songs before and they were light songs. I came up to Michael and said I wanted to write about drugs. It was the first time I got the nerve to write about something that was scary for me to talk about, so I did."^[3] According to an episode of VH-1's Pop-Up Video, in which "Toy Soldiers" was featured, the friend in question eventually conquered the addiction.

Composition

The song is performed in the key of C♯ minor with a tempo of 65 beats per minute in ⁴
₄ time. The song follows a chord progression of A–B–A–B–C♯m–B–C♯m–G♯m–C♯m–B.

In addition, the children's choir singing the song's opening chorus as well as the line "Won't you come out and play with me" are notable because five of her former Kids Incorporated castmates—Fergie, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Rahsaan Patterson, Devyn Puett, and Renee Sands—are among the singers.

Chart performance

The song spent two weeks at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and in New Zealand while peaking within the top ten of the charts in both Australia and the United Kingdom. On Billboard's year-end chart for 1989, "Toy Soldiers" placed number 29. It was Martika's only number-one single in the US, and her highest-ranking single in the United Kingdom. The single was certified gold in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

In March and April 2009, VH1 ran a countdown of the 100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the 80s. "Toy Soldiers" placed at number 67 on the countdown, although Martika had three other top 40 hits: "More Than You Know" (number 18); "I Feel the Earth Move" (number 25); and "Love... Thy Will Be Done" (number 10).

Critical reception

Bryan Buss of AllMusic retrospectively reviewed the Martika album, stating "the big hit single, 'Toy Soldiers', works with its childlike vocals and lyrics, creating a haunting, effective dichotomy with its subject of drug addiction." Buss also highlighted the song as an album standout by labeling it an AMG Pick Track.^[4] Another editor, Rob Theakston, labeled the song as an AMG Pick Track on the 2005 compilation Toy Soldiers: The Best of Martika.^[5] Harriet Dell from Smash Hits wrote, "It's a lovely song nevertheless, with a catchy nursery rhyme chorus sung by lots of cissy voiced kids".^[6]

Music video

The accompanying music video for the song was directed by Jim Shea, who later became a regular in directing country music videos. Martika is seen singing with a waterfall in front of her (this was done by filming her in an empty pool with a water current flowing between her and the camera). As of February 16, 2024, the video has over a hundred million views on YouTube.

Track listings

• 7-inch single

1. "Toy Soldiers" – 4:52
2. "Exchange of Hearts" – 4:15

• 3-inch single

1. "Toy Soldiers" – 4:52
2. "Exchange of Hearts" – 4:15
3. "It's Not What You're Doing" – 4:11

• 12-inch single

1. "Toy Soldiers" – 4:52
2. "It's Not What You're Doing" – 4:11
3. "Exchange of Hearts" – 4:15

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1988–1990) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[7] 5 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[8] 32 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[9] 4 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[10] 9 Canada Retail Singles (RPM)[11] 3 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[12] 6 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[13] 4 Ireland (IRMA)[14] 3 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[15] 17 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[16] 22 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[17] 1 Norway (VG-lista)[18] 2 Spain (AFYVE)[19] 10 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[20] 4 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[21] 3 UK Singles (OCC)[22] 5 US Billboard Hot 100[23] 1 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[24] 37 US Cash Box Top 100[25] 4 West Germany (GfK)[26] 5

Year-end charts Chart (1989) Position Australia (ARIA)[27] 30 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[28] 21 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[29] 44 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[30] 29 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[31] 23 UK Singles (OCC)[32] 62 US Billboard Hot 100[33] 29 West Germany (Official German Charts)[34] 73

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[35]	Platinum	70,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[36]	Gold	50,000^
Sweden (GLF)[37]	Gold	25,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[38]	Silver	200,000^
United States (RIAA)[1]	Gold	500,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	April 26, 1989	7-inch vinyl cassette	Columbia	[1]
United Kingdom	July 3, 1989	7-inch vinyl 12-inch vinyl CD	CBS	[39]

Cover versions and sampling

• Martika recorded and produced a Spanish version of "Toy Soldiers" renaming it "Como Un Juguete", though it was not as successful as the original English version. She also recorded the song in Japanese.
• Eminem's 2005 single "Like Toy Soldiers" features samples from "Toy Soldiers". A sample of Martika's singing the chorus is used as the chorus of the Eminem version. 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. The sample is played faster than the original version with an added drum beat. The final chorus of Martika's song is used as the chorus of Eminem's version.
• My Vitriol covered the song for their 2007 EP A Pyrrhic Victory.^[40]
• Silversun Pickups covered the song for a 2020 7" single titled Toy Soldiers.^[41]
• Amber Van Day's 2020 single Kids in the Corner features melodic hints from "Toy Soldiers".^[42]
• In the 2023 movie M3GAN, the title character, a robot humanoid utilizing advanced artificial intelligence, plays "Toy Soldiers" on the piano before confronting her creator.^[43]
• The 2023 videogame Tin Hearts by Wired Productions features a cover of the song created for the game.
• In 2024, the Finnish band Sonata Arctica released a cover of the song on their album Cold Clear Beyond.
• In 2024, the band All The Damn Vampires and Andy James released a cover of the song as a single.

See also

• List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 1989

References

1. "American single certifications – Martika – Toy Soldiers". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
2. Breihan, Tom (August 2, 2021). "The Number Ones: Martika's "Toy Soldiers"". Stereogum. Retrieved October 11, 2022. ..."Toy Soldiers" is, in a lot of ways, a fairly standard '80s pop-rock dirge...that nudge "Toy Soldiers" just slightly into the goth column.
3. "Martika: An Impatient Star | 1989 Interview". Apnewsarchive.com. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
4. Buss, Bryan. "Martika - Martika : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved May 9, 2013.
5. Theakston, Rob (January 11, 2005). "Toy Soldiers: The Best of Martika - Martika : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved May 9, 2013.
6. Dell, Harriet (June 28, 1989). "Singles". Smash Hits. p. 61. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
7. "Martika – Toy Soldiers". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
8. "Martika – Toy Soldiers" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
9. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6403." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
10. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 6426." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
11. "RPM 30 Retail Singles". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. September 11, 1989. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
12. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 36. September 9, 1989. p. IV. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
13. Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
14. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Toy Soldiers". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
15. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 36, 1989" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
16. "Martika – Toy Soldiers" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
17. "Martika – Toy Soldiers". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
18. "Martika – Toy Soldiers". VG-lista. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
19. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002edition=1st. Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
20. "Martika – Toy Soldiers". Singles Top 100. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
21. "Martika – Toy Soldiers". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
22. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
23. "Martika Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
24. "Martika Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
25. "U.S. Cash Box Charts" (PDF). popmusichistory. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
26. "Offiziellecharts.de – Martika – Toy Soldiers" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
27. "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 1989". ARIA. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
28. "Top 100 Singles of '89". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
29. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 1989" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 51. December 23, 1989. p. 6. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
30. "End of Year Charts 1989". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
31. "Swiss Year-End Charts 1989" (in German). Retrieved May 29, 2021.
32. "Year End Singles". Record Mirror. January 27, 1990. p. 44.
33. "Top 100 Hits of 1989/Top 100 Songs of 1989". Music Outfitters, Inc. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
34. "Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1989" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
35. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1990 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
36. "Canadian single certifications – Martika – Toy Soldiers". Music Canada. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
37. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 17, 2011. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
38. "British single certifications – Martika – Toy Soldiers". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
39. "New Singles". Music Week. July 1, 1989. p. 35.
40. My Vitriol – Toy Soldiers, retrieved July 15, 2019
41. "Toy Soldiers - Single by Silversun Pickups on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
42. "Amber Van Day - Single Review". Listen With Monger. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
43. "allison-williams-talks-m3gan-horrors-latest-pop-culture-phenomenon". Forbes. Retrieved January 29, 2023.

External links

• Toy Soldiers on YouTube