Martika (August 27, 1991) – Martika’s Kitchen Album
- GlamSlamEscape
- Aug 27, 1991
- 5 min read
Martika’s Kitchen is the second album by California pop singer Martika, released in August 1991. Four tracks were written and produced with input from Prince: Martika’s Kitchen, Spirit, Love... Thy Will Be Done, and Don’t Say U Love Me.
Prince became involved after most of the album had already been recorded. Martika contacted him after repeatedly watching Graffiti Bridge, explaining that the film reflected themes she had written in her notebook.
Their collaboration began with Martika’s Kitchen in late 1990 or early 1991. Martika brought a notebook of lyrics to their first meeting, which Prince used as the basis for several songs.
Love... Thy Will Be Done was recorded in January 1991 from Martika’s lyrics. Her label encouraged further collaboration, leading Prince to record Spirit and Don’t Say U Love Me in early 1991. Martika later replaced Prince’s guide vocals with her own in Spring 1991, adding further instrumentation and background vocals in New York.
A fifth Prince‑related track, Open Book, was not included on the album but was later released by Jevetta Steele in 1993.
Five singles were released: Love... Thy Will Be Done, Martika’s Kitchen, Colored Kisses, Safe In The Arms Of Love, and Spirit (promo only). The album was a worldwide success but underperformed in the USA, peaking at number 111 on the Billboard Pop Chart. It reached number 15 in the UK.
In 2017, the album was remastered and reissued in 2018 as Martika’s Kitchen: Reheated Edition, expanding the album with remixes and edits.
Track Listing (LP Format)
All songs written by Prince, except where indicated.
Side one
• Martika’s Kitchen — Prince, Levi Seacer Jr. — 5:08
• Spirit — Prince, Frankie Blue, Martika, Levi Seacer Jr. — 4:37
• Love... Thy Will Be Done — Prince, Martika — 5:02
• A Magical Place — Christopher Max
• Coloured Kisses — Frankie Blue, Les Pierce, Martika
• Safe In The Arms Of Love — Martika,
Michael Cruz, Michael Jay
Side two
• Pride & Prejudice — Martika, Michael Cruz
• Take Me To Forever — Martika, Michael Jay
• Temptation — Frankie Blue, Les Pierce, Martika
• Don’t Say U Love Me — Prince, Martika — 4:24
• Broken Heart — Frankie Blue, Les Pierce, Martika
• Mi Tierra — Frankie Blue, Martika
Total length: 57:18
(Original release)
Album Details
Released: 27 August 1991 26 January 2018 (Reheated Edition)
Recorded: Studios: Paisley Park Studios (Chanhassen, MN); Electric Lady Studios (New York, NY); Trax Recording Studios (LA)
Genre: Length: 57:18 (1991); 116:51 (2018) Labels: Columbia Records
Producer: Prince (Paisley Park)
Certifications Region — Certification — Units UK — Silver — 60,000 UK — Gold — 100,000 Australia — Gold — 35,000 Spain — Gold — 50,000
Tape Cassette Release (MC)
Side 1
• Martika’s Kitchen
• Spirit
• Love... Thy Will Be Done
• A Magical Place
• Coloured Kisses
• Safe In The Arms Of Love
Side 2
• Pride & Prejudice
• Take Me To Forever
• Temptation
• Don’t Say U Love Me
• Broken Heart
• Mi Tierra
CD Release (1991)
• Martika’s Kitchen — 5:08
• Spirit — 4:37
• Love... Thy Will Be Done — 5:02
• A Magical Place
• Coloured Kisses
• Safe In The Arms Of Love
• Pride & Prejudice
• Take Me To Forever
• Temptation
• Don’t Say U Love Me — 4:24
• Broken Heart • Mi Tierra
2CD Reheated Edition (2018)
Disc 1 — Main Course (Original Album)
• Martika’s Kitchen — 5:08
• Spirit — 4:37
• Love... Thy Will Be Done — 5:02
• A Magical Place
• Coloured Kisses
• Safe In The Arms Of Love
• Pride & Prejudice
• Take Me To Forever
• Temptation
• Don’t Say U Love Me — 4:24
• Broken Heart
• Mi Tierra
Disc 2 — Side Orders (Remixes & Edits)
• Love... Thy Will Be Done (7" Edit) — 4:23
• Martika’s Kitchen (7" Edit) — 4:12
• Coloured Kisses (7" Edit)
• Safe In The Arms Of Love (Edit Version)
• Spirit (Radio Edit) — 3:56
• Love... Thy Will Be Done (Prince Mix) — 5:58
• Martika’s Kitchen (Remix 1 Alt. 7" Video Version) — 5:00
• Coloured Kisses (Remix)
• Spirit (House Mix) — 8:04
• Martika’s Kitchen (Extended Version) — 5:24
• Spirit (Hip‑Hop Mix) — 5:01
• Martika’s Kitchen (Alt. Dub Version) — 5:09
Personnel (Full Track‑Specific Credits)
Martika • vocals
Prince • all instruments (except where noted) • guitar/bass on Martika’s Kitchen • guitar on Don’t Say U Love Me • keyboards on Merci For The Speed Of A Mad Clown In Summer • background vocals (various tracks)
Levi Seacer Jr. • instruments on Martika’s Kitchen (uncredited)
Paul Pesco • guitar on Martika’s Kitchen, Don’t Say U Love Me
C.J. Vanston • organ on Martika’s Kitchen • synthesizer on Love... Thy Will Be Done
Marlen Landin • background vocals on Martika’s Kitchen, Spirit
Fred McFarlane • keyboard programming/arrangement on Spirit
Christopher Max / Cindy Mizelle / Karen Bernod / Steve Real / Audrey Wheeler • background vocals on Spirit
Rahsaan Patterson • background vocals on Spirit, Love... Thy Will Be Done, Don’t Say U Love Me
David Frank • keyboard programming on Don’t Say U Love Me
Technical
• Prince — producer (Paisley Park)
• Morris Hayes — additional production (Don’t Say U Love Me)
• Michael Koppelman — recording engineer
• Michael McDonald — recording engineer (Spirit, Love... Thy Will Be Done, Don’t Say U Love Me)
• Bob Rosa — mixing engineer
• Michael Cruz — vocal recording engineer (Martika’s Kitchen, Love... Thy Will Be Done)
Charts
America
| Chart | Peak Position | Weeks |
| USA: Billboard Top Pop Albums | 111 | 9 |
Europe
| Chart | Peak Position | Weeks |
| UK: Gallup Top 40 Albums | 15 | 15 |
| Netherlands: Dutch Album Top 100 | 78 | 4 |
| Germany: Offizielle Top 100 | 51 | 5 |
Pacific
| Chart | Peak Position | Weeks | | Australia: ARIA Albums | 9 | 9 |
Chronology: [Martika (1988)] → Martika’s Kitchen (1991) → [Best of: More Than You Know(1997)]
Singles from Martika’s Kitchen
Martika Participacion Especial: Celia Cruz – Mi Tierra Sony Discos – DBS 81472 US
Contemporary Press Reports
Archival newspaper and magazine coverage from the original release period.
SOURCES Discogs, 45 World, Wikipedia, BBC Official Charts, Prince Vault, Sleeveographia2 All magazine scans, photographs, and original text excerpts referenced in this entry remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This Chronicle entry is a transformative, non‑commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference. No ownership of the original material is claimed or implied.
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