Like Toy Soldiers – English Lyrics

• By: Eminem

Lyrics & Translation

Delve into Eminem's "Like Toy Soldiers" to explore the complexities of hip-hop beefs and the call for peace. This track offers a unique perspective on conflict, responsibility, and the impact of words, making it a powerful tool for understanding the language of regret and resolution.

[English]

[TV newscaster speaking indiscinctly]

- I'm bored, let's do something else.

- I got this book, my dad gave it to me.

[TV newscaster] Sounds as though the white rapper is attempting to put an end...

♪ Step by step, heart to heart, left right left ♪

♪ We all fall down ♪

♪ Step by step, heart to heart, left right left ♪

♪ We all fall down ♪

♪ Like toy soldiers ♪

♪ Bit by bit, torn apart ♪

♪ We never win but the battle wages on ♪

♪ For toy soldiers ♪

♪ I'm supposed to be the soldier ♪

♪ Who never blows his composure ♪

♪ Even though I hold the weight

♪ I ain't never suppose to show it ♪

♪ My crew ain't suppose to know it ♪

♪ Even if it means going toe to toe with the Benzino It don't matter ♪

♪ I never drag 'em

♪ I'm suppose to set an example ♪

♪ I need to be the leader ♪

♪ My crew looks for me to guide 'em ♪

♪ If something ever just pop off ♪

♪ I'm suppose to be beside 'em ♪

♪ That Ja, I tried to squashed it ♪

♪ It was too late to stop it ♪

♪ There's a certain line ♪

♪ You just don't cross it, and he crossed it ♪

♪ I heard him say Hailie's name on a song and I just lost it ♪

♪ It was crazy, this went way beyond some Jay-Z and Nas ♪

♪ And even though the battle was won, I feel like we lost it ♪

♪ I spent so much energy on it, honestly I'm exhausted ♪

♪ And I'm so caught in it ♪

♪ I almost feel like I'm the one who caused it ♪

♪ This ain't what I'm in hip-hop for ♪

♪ It's not why I got in it ♪

♪ That was never my object for someone to get killed ♪

♪ Why would I want to destroy something I helped build ♪

♪ It wasn't my intentions, my intentions were good ♪

♪ I went through my whole career with out ever mentioning ♪

♪ And that was just outta respect, for not running my mouth ♪

♪ And talking about something that I knew nothing about ♪

♪ Plus, Dre told me stay out ♪

♪ This just wasn't my beef, so I did ♪

♪ I just fell back, watched and gritted my teeth ♪

♪ While he's all over TV ♪

♪ Now I'm talking a man who literally saved my life ♪

♪ Like, it I understand, this is business ♪

♪ And this here just isn't none of my business ♪

♪ But still knowing that it could pop off ♪

♪ At any minute ♪

♪ 'Cause step by step, heart to heart, left right left ♪

♪ We all fall down ♪

♪ Like toy soldiers ♪

♪ Bit by bit, torn apart ♪

♪ We never win but the battle wages on ♪

♪ For toy soldiers ♪

♪ It used to be a time when you could just say a rhyme ♪

♪ And wouldn't have to worry about one of your people dying ♪

♪ But now it's elevated ♪

♪ 'Cause once you put someone's kids in it ♪

♪ It just gets escalated, it ain't just words no more, is it ♪

♪ It's a different ball game ♪

♪ You call names and you ain't just rapping ♪

♪ We actually tried to stop the 50 ♪

♪ And Ja beef from happening ♪

♪ Me and Dre had sat with him ♪

♪ Kicked it and had a chat with him ♪

♪ And asked him not to start it ♪

♪ He wasn't gonna go after him ♪

♪ Until Ja start yappin' in magazines how he stabbed him ♪

♪ And 50 smashed him, mash him and let him have it ♪

♪ Meanwhile my intentions pulled me in other directions ♪

♪ Some receptionist said the source ♪

♪ Who answers phones at his desk has an obsession for me ♪

♪ And thinks that I'll be his resurrection ♪

♪ Tries to blow the dust of his mic and make a new record ♪

♪ But now he's the game up 'cause one of the ways I came up ♪

♪ Was through that publication ♪

♪ The same one that made me famous ♪

♪ Now the owner of it got a grudge against me for nothing ♪

♪ But, that over-sucker can get it too, then ♪

♪ But I'm so busy being pissed off, I don't stop to think ♪

♪ That we just inherited 50's beef with Murder Inc ♪

♪ And he's inherited mine, which is fine ♪

♪ Ain't like either of us mind ♪

♪ We still have soldiers that's on the front line ♪

♪ That's willing to die for us ♪

♪ As soon as we give the orders ♪

♪ Never to extort us, strictly to show they support us ♪

♪ And maybe shout 'em out in a rap or up in a chorus ♪

♪ To show we love 'em back ♪

♪ And to let 'em know how important it is ♪

♪ To have Runyon Avenue soldiers up in our corners ♪

♪ Their loyalty to us is worth more then any award is ♪

♪ But I ain't trying to have none of my people hurt ♪

♪ Or murdered, it ain't worth it ♪

♪ I can't think of a perfecter way to word it ♪

♪ Then to just say that I love y'all ♪

♪ Too much to see the verdict ♪

♪ I'll walk away from it all ♪

♪ Before I'll let it go any further ♪

♪ But don't get it twisted, it's not a plea that I'm coping ♪

♪ I'm just willing to be the bigger man ♪

♪ If y'all can quit popping off at the jaws ♪

♪ With the knocking, 'cause frankly I'm sick of talking ♪

♪ I'm not gonna let someone else's coffin ♪

♪ Rest on my conscience 'cause ♪

♪ Step by step, heart to heart, left right left ♪

♪ We all fall down ♪

♪ Like toy soldiers ♪

♪ Bit by bit, torn apart ♪

♪ We never win but the battle wages on ♪

♪ For toy soldiers ♪

♪♪♪

[music fading]

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
battle /ˈbæt.əl/ B2	noun - a fight or war between opposing forces
soldier /ˈsoʊl.dʒər/ B1	noun - a person who serves in the army
blood /blʊd/ B1	noun - the red liquid that circulates in the veins of humans and animals
loss /lɒs/ B2	noun - the fact or process of losing someone or something
tears /tɪərz/ B2	noun - drops of liquid from eyes caused by emotion or crying
anger /ˈæŋ.ɡər/ B2	noun - a strong feeling of being upset or mad
war /wɔːr/ B2	noun - a state of armed conflict between different countries or groups
peace /piːs/ B1	noun - freedom from war or violence
anger /ˈæŋ.ɡər/ B2	noun - a strong feeling of being upset or mad
movement /ˈmuːv.mənt/ B2	noun - an act of changing position or going from one place to another
chaos /ˈkeɪ.ɒs/ C1	noun - complete disorder and confusion
escape /ɪsˈkeɪp/ B2	verb - to get away from a dangerous or unpleasant situation noun - the act of running away from something dangerous

Key Grammar Structures

• I'm supposed to be the soldier

  ➔ Present continuous tense

  ➔ The phrase "I'm supposed to" indicates an expectation or obligation.

• It was crazy, this went way beyond some Jay-Z and Nas

  ➔ Past simple tense

  ➔ The use of "was" indicates a completed action in the past.

• I need to be the leader

  ➔ Infinitive form

  ➔ The phrase "to be" is in the infinitive form, expressing a necessity.

• I can't think of a perfecter way to word it

  ➔ Comparative form

  ➔ The word "perfecter" is a comparative form of the adjective "perfect".

• I just fell back, watched and gritted my teeth

  ➔ Past simple tense

  ➔ The verbs "fell back," "watched," and "gritted" are all in the past simple tense.

• But still knowing that it could pop off

  ➔ Present participle

  ➔ The phrase "knowing" is a present participle used to indicate an ongoing action.

• To show we love 'em back

  ➔ Infinitive form

  ➔ The phrase "to show" is in the infinitive form, indicating purpose.