Like Toy Soldiers

Name	Like Toy Soldiers
Cover	Like_Toy_Soldiers.jpg|
Border	yes
Artist	Eminem
From album	Encore
Released	January 25, 2005January 31, 2005 (UK)
Format	CD
Recorded	2004
Genre	Hip hop, conscious hip hop
Length	4:56
Label	Shady, Aftermath, Interscope
Writer	M. Mathers, L. Resto, M. Dawson, M. J. Margules, M. Marrero, M. Jay
Certification	Gold (ARIA)Gold (RIAA)
Producer	Eminem, Luis Resto
Last single	"Encore/Curtains Down"(2004)
This single	"Like Toy Soldiers"(2005)
Next single	"Mockingbird"(2005/2006)

"Like Toy Soldiers" is a song by American rapper Eminem from his fifth album Encore. The song samples 1989 song "Toy Soldiers" by Martika. The song reached number thirty-four on the Billboard Hot 100, number one in the United Kingdom and the top ten in many other European countries, Australia and New Zealand.

Content

This song tells the story of his attempts to calm a violent community of rappers. He speaks openly about problems with The Source magazine and its editor Benzino, as well as Murder Inc. Records, and explains the feud between Ja Rule and 50 Cent, which Eminem felt went far beyond the Jay-Z vs. Nas feud. The song finishes as Eminem offers a truce to his enemies. Like Toy Soldiers features a vocal sample from "Toy Soldiers" by Martika, which makes up the chorus. In addition, this song also brings up some issues with his ongoing feud with Ja Rule who made some remarks about Hailie, Mathers' daughter, on a song called "Loose Change". Ja Rule called Eminem's wife "a known slut" and his mother a crackhead in the song and wondered what Eminem's then 8-year-old daughter Hailie was going to be "when she grows up". However, this could also be a reference to rapper Everlast. Eminem and Everlast at one point had beef, and Everlast dissed Haillie in a song. Eminem responded back with the song "Quitter" with D-12, and warns Everlast "If you talk about my little girl in a song again, Imma kill you". The feud has since died off; much before the beef with Murder Inc. and Benzino. "Like Toy Soldiers" was later included on Eminem's compilation album in 2005.

Eminem leaves out a word in this song when referring to Dr. Dre's own feuds. From the context of someone with whom Dr. Dre had a feud, and the fact that the name must rhyme with "good," the word can be inferred to be "Suge," a reference to Suge Knight with whom Dr. Dre had problems in the mid 90's. At the Voodoo Concert in 2009, the Yankee Stadium Home & Home Concerts in 2010, and possibly other performances, Eminem completed the line, rapping "My intentions were good, I went through my whole career without ever mentioning Suge."

Music video

Released in 2004, the song's video starts with two young kids opening a book which depicts Eminem's fellow D12 member Proof being gunned down in a drive-by shooting. Ironically and tragically, in the early hours of April 11, 2006, Proof was shot and killed at the CCC nightclub on Detroit's 8 Mile Road. Cameo appearances in the video include 50 Cent, Luis Resto, Dr. Dre, Obie Trice, and D12. Deceased rappers 2Pac, Biggie Smalls, Big L, and former D12 member Bugz are also shown at the end of the music video to show the fatal consequences of rap wars.

Track listing

;CD single

;UK CD single

Charts

{| class="wikitable sortable" |- !align="left"|Chart (2004–2005) !align="left"|Peakposition |- |align="left"|Australian Singles Chart | style="text-align:center;"|4 |- |align="left"|Austrian Singles Chart | style="text-align:center;"|8 |- |align="left"|Belgian Singles Chart (Flanders) | style="text-align:center;"|11 |- |align="left"|Belgian Singles Chart (Wallonia) | style="text-align:center;"|18 |- |Danish Singles Chart | style="text-align:center;"|2 |- |Eurochart Hot 100 | style="text-align:center;"|1 |- |align="left"|Finnish Singles Chart | style="text-align:center;"|15 |- |align="left"|French Singles Chart | style="text-align:center;"|34 |- |align="left"|German Singles Chart | style="text-align:center;"|8 |- |Hungarian Singles Chart | style="text-align:center;"|6 |- |align="left"|Irish Singles Chart | style="text-align:center;"|3 |- |align="left"|Italian Singles Chart | style="text-align:center;"|8 |- |align="left"|Netherlands Singles Chart | style="text-align:center;"|8 |- |align="left"|New Zealand Singles Chart | style="text-align:center;"|2 |- |align="left"|Norwegian Singles Chart | style="text-align:center;"|4 |- |align="left"|Swedish Singles Chart | style="text-align:center;"|14 |- |align="left"|Swiss Singles Chart | style="text-align:center;"|3 |- |align="left"|UK Singles Chart | style="text-align:center;"|1 |- |align="left"|U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | style="text-align:center;"|34 |- |U.S. Billboard Rhythmic Top 40 | style="text-align:center;"|33 |- |align="left"|U.S. Billboard Hot R&B;/Hip-Hop Songs | style="text-align:center;"|64 |- |U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream | style="text-align:center;"|24 |- |align="left"|U.S. Billboard Pop 100 | style="text-align:center;"|24 |}

See also

List of European number-one hits of 2005

List of number-one singles from the 2000s (UK)

References

External links

"Like Toy Soldiers" Official Music Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lexLAjh8fPA&feature;=related

Category:Eminem songs Category:2004 singles Category:European Hot 100 Singles number-one singles Category:UK Singles Chart number-one singles Category:Singles certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America Category:Songs produced by Eminem Category:Songs written by Eminem