(no subject)
Date: 8/21/05
Climate: I don't ever get outside to know
Reading: white lines, writers on cocaine(what is that look for?)
Watching: possibly the cheesiest trailer of all time
Listening to: Depeche Mode 101
Drinking: Mojito
Eating: Whatever our label rep feeds us
School is just around the corner and that means text books, notebooks, paper bag book covers and every students favorite study aid, Cliff Notes. To get you back into the swing of things I now present you Martika's huge 1986 song, "Toy Soldiers" done Cliff Notes style.
List of Characters:
Martika: our drugged out narrator telling us the story of her toy solider
Toy Solider: some guy that was doing drugs to deal with his relationship with Martika
Bobby: probably a misheard lyric but I think it's a friend of their's that died
Critical Commentary:
The following sections contain explanatory notes and textual insights on "Toy Soldiers". There is a summary of each verse, as well as helpful commentary that illuminates literary motifs and stylistic elements within the narrative. Please keep in mind that there is no single correct interpretation of a complex work of literature like "Toy Soldiers", so your own interpretation of the themes and events present in the work may differ from the one presented here.
Verse 1
Summary
The narrator begins by explaining that an invitation was extended to a mysterious person. She explains to the individual that she does not know what their intentions are or how long that they may continue to reside in her presence. She continues by telling them she is unsure of their directions because she knows that as soon as they are called by temptation she will no longer be of service to them.
Commentary
Right away we get a glimpse into the mind of Martika. The pleading of her words suggests that she is feeling very desperate and broken. We are also lead to wonder why she is concerned with a degenerate of society. What is their relationship? Are they family? Are they lovers? Wisely used this intrigue keeps us listening further into the song.
Glossary of Difficult Words and Phrases:
Temptation: The desire to do something. Examples, the desire to drink when you know you shouldn't or the desire to keep listening to this song to find out more about these intriguing characters.
The Chorus
Summary
We're all Toy Soldiers. Step by step. Left, right, left. Put your right foot in now pull your right foot out. Do the hokey pokey.
Commentary
By including us in the chorus ("We're all toy soldiers") we are made to feel the plight of those around us with lesser will power and we can empathize with their suffering. We're also taught that it's best to take it step by step and those steps should be left, right, left and not right, left, right or that maybe it should be right, left, right because it seems as we discover later in the chorus that left, right, left tends to lead to falling down.
Themes
Martika uses Allegory by having Toy Solider represent each and everyone of us that could be a strung out drug addict
Verse 2
Summary
In verse 2 we find that Martika herself has fallen into Toy Soldiers world. She openly admits that she has an addiction and has taken AA's first step towards recovering which is admitting you have a problem. There is a misconception in the lyrics. Some say that it's "If I don't stop the next one is gonna be me". However other's feel she sings, "Bobby's gone, the next one is gonna be me." It is possible that Martika is having a Fight Club moment where she does not know that is she is actually Tyler Durden. Sadly the final lyrics that come at the end of the second verse explain that she is now only filled with emptiness and she no longer feels pain.
Commentary
The second verse is used to soften us to the plight of Toy Soldiers everywhere. In the first verse we are led to believe that Toy Soldiers are the other guy but when we learn that even our fearless narrator has fallen to the ways of Toy Solider we understand that it could happen to anyone. Before launching into the chorus twice to prove that point.
CliffsNotes Review:
Students may find this review section beneficial in testing their own knowledge and understanding of the events and themes presented in "Toy Soldier". We are confident that students who have a deep enough understanding of the source material to answer these questions will be equipped to understand much of the body of critical writing about "Toy Soldier", and may even be able to meaningfully contribute to that body.
Q&A
1.) What wasn't Martika's intention?
a.) to be annoying
b.) to write a legitimate song
c.) mislead you
d.) all of the above
2.) When you hear temptation call....
a.) call Toy Soldier to find the good stuff
b.) call Ghostbusters
c.) your heart takes the fall
d.) ignore it
3.) In Verse 2 Martika's head was...
a.) spinning
b.) laying on a pillow
c.) too big for her body
d.) not there when she wrote this song
4.) What does emptiness replace?
a.) the disgusted feeling you get for listening to this song and kind of enjoying it
b.) liquor
c.) pain
d.) your will to live
5.) Who does the battle wage on for?
a.) Oprah and her weight
b.) Rafael Palmiero and steroid abuse
c.) Eminem's sleeping pill addiction
d.) Toy Soldier
Answers: 1.) d. 2.) c. 3.) d. 4.) a&c 5.) the unlisted all of the above
Essay Questions:
1.) If we never win why do we bother to keep fighting the battle for Toy Soldier?
2.) If it's getting so hard to wake up in the morning why doesn't Martika just get up in the afternoon?
3.) Is Martika Tyler Durden?
*****
That felt good. Nothing like a good dose of sarcasm early on a Sunday morning. Sunday's are the only day we have off while recording at the moment. Instead of sleeping in I have been getting up early as to not waste my one precious day off. Currently we are situated in a nice recording studio on the northwest side of Chicago. We could technically live in this studio and most days it feels like we do. The band as a whole is not the type to wake up early (I'm looking at certain guitarists and bassplayers) so we have set our schedule up to be Monday thru Saturday noon until midnight. Johnny K, who signed on to produce a few songs, will now be producing the entire cd. Recording has been going surprisingly smoothly for the fast pace we have set. The only uncomfortable part is the fact that the AC is down in the building and on somedays it feels like a bathhouse in there. Over the past 3 weeks we have tracked drum and bass lines and they are almost complete. Just because Greg and Garret have been busy doesn't mean that the rest of us haven't either. Dan and I have been hard at work planning our side band, a death metal band we plan on calling ArchBishop. I have the logo drawn up and our first song, "Megalodon Carcharodon", penned as a love song/ballad. There have been disturbing events in the studio, such as Garret inexplicably making a collage of male models on the wall. Honestly we all thought that was manorexic's thing (aka Jonny) but apparently not. Which reminds me, we have started the new list of nicknames. They keep calling me David Lee Devine but I am not sure why. Greg we now refer to as "Slim Pickins" (you can come up with your own reasons as to why.) Jon, besides manorexic, has also earned the nicknames Cookie Sprite based on one very nutritious lunch he bought one day and the current favorite Pricey Diapers but I am sure you can figure out the meaning behind that one. Speaking of Jon as of today we are doing our yearly bet. If you don't know about it by now it's called "I bet Jon can't go a week without drinking." During this week Jon sets out to put away liquor for 7 days while I do everything my power to drive him so insane and stress him out so bad that he needs to grab a bottle of vodka. Every year I come up with things to torture him with and this year I have a few fun things up my sleeve. I'll go easy on him today as it's his first day but come tomorrow, it's on. We were originally going to do it on Monday but he really wants to have one drink at the VMA's and I can't really blame him so we're starting a day earlier. The VMA's should be a good time. We are going to go down there on Saturday and we'll be co-dj'ing a party with Bam. As you might have read in Jonny's journal a show that Fox/Upn is putting out called "Upscale Chicago" is offering to pay our way down there and give us a private jet Bon Jovi style if we allow them to film us. Making asses of oursevles on film isn't anything new to us so we were completely for it. For the final news, yes it's true that Greg's roommate really did burn down the back of the house. Unfortunately he keeps all the KH merch back there as well. Most of it was safe but it does have a nice Char-Broil smell so when you get your tee shirt in the mail really understand that the scent is unique and a special part of KH history. Feel special.
Climate: I don't ever get outside to know
Reading: white lines, writers on cocaine(what is that look for?)
Watching: possibly the cheesiest trailer of all time
Listening to: Depeche Mode 101
Drinking: Mojito
Eating: Whatever our label rep feeds us
School is just around the corner and that means text books, notebooks, paper bag book covers and every students favorite study aid, Cliff Notes. To get you back into the swing of things I now present you Martika's huge 1986 song, "Toy Soldiers" done Cliff Notes style.
List of Characters:
Martika: our drugged out narrator telling us the story of her toy solider
Toy Solider: some guy that was doing drugs to deal with his relationship with Martika
Bobby: probably a misheard lyric but I think it's a friend of their's that died
Critical Commentary:
The following sections contain explanatory notes and textual insights on "Toy Soldiers". There is a summary of each verse, as well as helpful commentary that illuminates literary motifs and stylistic elements within the narrative. Please keep in mind that there is no single correct interpretation of a complex work of literature like "Toy Soldiers", so your own interpretation of the themes and events present in the work may differ from the one presented here.
Verse 1
Summary
The narrator begins by explaining that an invitation was extended to a mysterious person. She explains to the individual that she does not know what their intentions are or how long that they may continue to reside in her presence. She continues by telling them she is unsure of their directions because she knows that as soon as they are called by temptation she will no longer be of service to them.
Commentary
Right away we get a glimpse into the mind of Martika. The pleading of her words suggests that she is feeling very desperate and broken. We are also lead to wonder why she is concerned with a degenerate of society. What is their relationship? Are they family? Are they lovers? Wisely used this intrigue keeps us listening further into the song.
Glossary of Difficult Words and Phrases:
Temptation: The desire to do something. Examples, the desire to drink when you know you shouldn't or the desire to keep listening to this song to find out more about these intriguing characters.
The Chorus
Summary
We're all Toy Soldiers. Step by step. Left, right, left. Put your right foot in now pull your right foot out. Do the hokey pokey.
Commentary
By including us in the chorus ("We're all toy soldiers") we are made to feel the plight of those around us with lesser will power and we can empathize with their suffering. We're also taught that it's best to take it step by step and those steps should be left, right, left and not right, left, right or that maybe it should be right, left, right because it seems as we discover later in the chorus that left, right, left tends to lead to falling down.
Themes
Martika uses Allegory by having Toy Solider represent each and everyone of us that could be a strung out drug addict
Verse 2
Summary
In verse 2 we find that Martika herself has fallen into Toy Soldiers world. She openly admits that she has an addiction and has taken AA's first step towards recovering which is admitting you have a problem. There is a misconception in the lyrics. Some say that it's "If I don't stop the next one is gonna be me". However other's feel she sings, "Bobby's gone, the next one is gonna be me." It is possible that Martika is having a Fight Club moment where she does not know that is she is actually Tyler Durden. Sadly the final lyrics that come at the end of the second verse explain that she is now only filled with emptiness and she no longer feels pain.
Commentary
The second verse is used to soften us to the plight of Toy Soldiers everywhere. In the first verse we are led to believe that Toy Soldiers are the other guy but when we learn that even our fearless narrator has fallen to the ways of Toy Solider we understand that it could happen to anyone. Before launching into the chorus twice to prove that point.
CliffsNotes Review:
Students may find this review section beneficial in testing their own knowledge and understanding of the events and themes presented in "Toy Soldier". We are confident that students who have a deep enough understanding of the source material to answer these questions will be equipped to understand much of the body of critical writing about "Toy Soldier", and may even be able to meaningfully contribute to that body.
Q&A
1.) What wasn't Martika's intention?
a.) to be annoying
b.) to write a legitimate song
c.) mislead you
d.) all of the above
2.) When you hear temptation call....
a.) call Toy Soldier to find the good stuff
b.) call Ghostbusters
c.) your heart takes the fall
d.) ignore it
3.) In Verse 2 Martika's head was...
a.) spinning
b.) laying on a pillow
c.) too big for her body
d.) not there when she wrote this song
4.) What does emptiness replace?
a.) the disgusted feeling you get for listening to this song and kind of enjoying it
b.) liquor
c.) pain
d.) your will to live
5.) Who does the battle wage on for?
a.) Oprah and her weight
b.) Rafael Palmiero and steroid abuse
c.) Eminem's sleeping pill addiction
d.) Toy Soldier
Answers: 1.) d. 2.) c. 3.) d. 4.) a&c 5.) the unlisted all of the above
Essay Questions:
1.) If we never win why do we bother to keep fighting the battle for Toy Soldier?
2.) If it's getting so hard to wake up in the morning why doesn't Martika just get up in the afternoon?
3.) Is Martika Tyler Durden?
*****
That felt good. Nothing like a good dose of sarcasm early on a Sunday morning. Sunday's are the only day we have off while recording at the moment. Instead of sleeping in I have been getting up early as to not waste my one precious day off. Currently we are situated in a nice recording studio on the northwest side of Chicago. We could technically live in this studio and most days it feels like we do. The band as a whole is not the type to wake up early (I'm looking at certain guitarists and bassplayers) so we have set our schedule up to be Monday thru Saturday noon until midnight. Johnny K, who signed on to produce a few songs, will now be producing the entire cd. Recording has been going surprisingly smoothly for the fast pace we have set. The only uncomfortable part is the fact that the AC is down in the building and on somedays it feels like a bathhouse in there. Over the past 3 weeks we have tracked drum and bass lines and they are almost complete. Just because Greg and Garret have been busy doesn't mean that the rest of us haven't either. Dan and I have been hard at work planning our side band, a death metal band we plan on calling ArchBishop. I have the logo drawn up and our first song, "Megalodon Carcharodon", penned as a love song/ballad. There have been disturbing events in the studio, such as Garret inexplicably making a collage of male models on the wall. Honestly we all thought that was manorexic's thing (aka Jonny) but apparently not. Which reminds me, we have started the new list of nicknames. They keep calling me David Lee Devine but I am not sure why. Greg we now refer to as "Slim Pickins" (you can come up with your own reasons as to why.) Jon, besides manorexic, has also earned the nicknames Cookie Sprite based on one very nutritious lunch he bought one day and the current favorite Pricey Diapers but I am sure you can figure out the meaning behind that one. Speaking of Jon as of today we are doing our yearly bet. If you don't know about it by now it's called "I bet Jon can't go a week without drinking." During this week Jon sets out to put away liquor for 7 days while I do everything my power to drive him so insane and stress him out so bad that he needs to grab a bottle of vodka. Every year I come up with things to torture him with and this year I have a few fun things up my sleeve. I'll go easy on him today as it's his first day but come tomorrow, it's on. We were originally going to do it on Monday but he really wants to have one drink at the VMA's and I can't really blame him so we're starting a day earlier. The VMA's should be a good time. We are going to go down there on Saturday and we'll be co-dj'ing a party with Bam. As you might have read in Jonny's journal a show that Fox/Upn is putting out called "Upscale Chicago" is offering to pay our way down there and give us a private jet Bon Jovi style if we allow them to film us. Making asses of oursevles on film isn't anything new to us so we were completely for it. For the final news, yes it's true that Greg's roommate really did burn down the back of the house. Unfortunately he keeps all the KH merch back there as well. Most of it was safe but it does have a nice Char-Broil smell so when you get your tee shirt in the mail really understand that the scent is unique and a special part of KH history. Feel special.