Song: Like Toy Soldiers ~~ 2004 ~~ 4:56
Artist: Eminem
LP/CD: Encore ~~ Aftermath ~~ 2004
Composers: Dawson~Margules~Mathers~Resto

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 of the whole world on my shoulders
I ain’t never supposed to show it, my crew ain’t supposed to know it
Even if it means goin’ toe to toe with the Benzino
It don’t matter, I never drag ‘em in battles that I can’t handle
Less I absolutely have to, I’m suppose to set an example
I need to be the leader, my crew looks for me to guide ’em
If some s*** ever just pop off I’m suppose to be beside ‘em
That Ja s***, I tried to squashed it, it was too late to stop it
There’s a certain line that 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 s*** went way beyond some Jay Z and Nas s***
And even though the battle was won, I feel like we lost it
I spent so much energy on it, honestly, now I’m exhausted
I’m so caught 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
Now it’s never my object to for someone to get killed
Why would I wanna destroy somethin’ I helped build
It wasn’t my intentions, my intentions were good
I went through my whole career without ever mentionin’
And that’s just outta respect for not runnin’ my mouth
And talkin’ about somethin’ that I knew nothin’ about
Plus Dré told me stay out ‘cause this 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 talkin’ a man who literally saved my live
Like f*** it, I understand, this is business and this s*** just isn’t none of my business
But still knowing this s*** could pop off at any minute

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 time when you could just say a rhyme
And wouldn’t have to worry about one of your people dyin’
But now it’s elevated cause once you put someone’s kids in it
The s*** gets escalated, it ain’t just words no more, is it
It’s a different ball game, call names and you ain’t just rappin’
We actually tried to stop the 50 and Ja beef from happenin’
Me and Dré 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 gabbin’ in magazines how he stabbed him
F*** it 50, smash him, mash him, and let him have it
Meanwhile my intentions pulled in another direction
Some receptionist said the source who answers phones at his desk
Has an e******* 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 f***ed the game up ‘cause one of the ways I came was
Through that publication, the same one that made me famous
Now the owner of it got a grudge against me for nothin’ but f*** it
That motherf***er can get it too, f*** ‘em then
But I’m so busy being p****d 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
Still have soldiers that is on the front line that's willin’ to die for us
As soon as we give the orders
Never to extort us, strictly to show they support us
Maybe shout ‘em out in a rap or up in chorus
To show we love ‘em back and to let ‘em know how important is
To have Runyon Avenue soldiers up in our corners
Their loyalty to us was worth more then any award is
But I ain’t trying to have none of me 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 ‘fore I’ll let it go any further
Now don’t get it twisted, it’s not a plea that I’m coppin’
I’m just willin’ to be the bigger man if y’all can quiet poppin’ off
At the jaws with the knockin’ ‘cause frankly I’m sick of talkin’
I’m not gonna let someone else’s coffin rest on my conscious

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

Transcribed by: Char Star
Uploaded on: April 23, 2005