My 10 Essential Spice Girls Songs
Ah, the Spice Girls. They really were a force to be reckoned with, weren’t they? For anyone growing up the 90’s, girl power was inescapable. They were not merely a girl group, they were household names. I for one, felt like I was a part of all of it. From the release of their first single ‘Wannabe’ in July of 1996, I was on board. I, like so many others, was not just a fan. I was obsessed. From the albums to each and every single, merchandise (of which there was a LOT), magazine cuttings and even recording their TV appearances on VHS, I amassed an almighty collection of Spice Girls memorabilia. To me the Spice Girls were EVERYTHING.
I know I am not alone in that either. There are die-hard fans like myself who still long for the day they announce a new album, a new song, a film, a TV interview or anything. Anything at all. Their rather spectacular stadium tour of 2019 was proof of their legacy and that there is still an appetite for the group. It was reported that at one point over 700,000 people were simultaneously attempting to buy tickets in what Ticketmaster has stated was their busiest ticket sale ever. The initial six tour dates sold out in minutes prompting additional dates to be added - finally performing 13 dates. I myself was lucky enough to be at the very last night of the tour at Wembley Stadium, the fourth time I had seen them live. I even did a vlog of the day which you can view below.
It is somewhat incredible that the legacy of the group only consists of 3 albums. With just 3 albums (although some fans may argue it was just 2 - personally I LOVED 'Forever') they became one of the most influential pop acts of all time. Who knows what would have happened had they continued to make music together.
From my teen years through to the present day, the Spice Girls have and always will be a part of my life that I simply can not let go. Now that I’m all ‘grown-up’ it is fun to see whole new generations jumping aboard the Spice Bus. My daughter, at the very young age of 16 months, loves to bounce around throwing her arms into the air whenever Spice Up Your Life is played. This is basically a list of the 10 Spice Girls songs I listen to the most. To be clear, there is not a single Spice Girls song I dislike, not even the much-maligned ‘Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)’. I really could have included every last song as ‘essential’ but then it wouldn’t really be a list so much as me just talking about the songs. I guess that to me, they are all essential. Nevertheless, with a whole new generation discovering the group for the first time, if someone was to ask me which songs to listen to, here are my Top 10 essential Spice Girls songs:
Wannabe
“Clomp, clomp, clomp, ha ha ha ha, Yooooo! I’ll tell you what I want, what I really really want”. The undeniably iconic opening of their debut single certainly left its mark on the world to the point that in 2014 the song was named as the ‘most easily recognisable pop song of the last 60 years’. The song perfectly captures the energy, sass and attitude of the group. At the time, many labelled it as a one-hit-wonder unaware of the rise to global domination that was to come. Eventually, that little one-hit-wonder topped the charts in 37 countries and has amassed over 7 million sales.From the album ‘Spice’ (1996)
One Of These Girls
Along with the three albums, there was a whole host of B-Sides that will be relatively unknown to many but are equally worthy as being included on this list. The Spice Girls were well known for the fact that they each had their own style and personality and this track lays that out. Individually they were very different but when they come together, they ‘come as a one’. I often think of this track as some kind of ‘manifesto’ for the group which is what makes it essential listening. Other B-Sides that almost made this list include ‘Bumper To Bumper’, ‘Take Me Home’ and ‘Outer Space Girls’.From the single ‘2 Become 1’ (1996)
Who Do You Think You Are
From its very opening bars, this song is a dancefloor filler and that is hardly surprising considering it's uptempo 70's disco vibe fused with their unmistakably 90's pop sound. Full of sass and calling out all those have perhaps gotten a bit big for their boots it has become an anthem. It has an iconic status that was certainly helped along by an equally iconic performance opening the Brit Awards in 1997 which included that Union Jack dress. The accompanying music video that featured comedy legends Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, Kathy Burke, Llewella Gideon and singer Lulu as the Sugar Lumps, was a hilarious satire of the Spice Girls and the individual characters of the group. The song captures the very real sense of fun and in your face attitude of the group.
From the album 'Spice' (1996)
If You Wanna Have Some Fun
An odd choice to feature in an essentials list I hear you cry but bear with me. As mentioned, this list is also a run-down of the songs that I listen to the most and this one could not be missed out. Taken from their divisive third album 'Forever', this track was originally lined up to be a single with a promotional montage video being released in late 2000. Unfortunately, the single never materialised for whatever reason and that is a real crying shame. In contrast to 'Forever' as a whole taking a very different musical approach compared to their previous albums, 'If You Wanna Have Some Fun' features more of a pop sound than some of the other tracks. Given that the album was such a departure from their usual sound, I always felt that this song would have been a more palatable stop-gap between their older material and the new direction they were taking. To this day, I still think that more of the third album should have retained that pop sound but featured a more gradual showing of maturity. With it's typically sassy and cheeky 'wink, wink, nudge, nudge' lyrics this feels the most like a Spice Girls growing up type song.
From the album 'Forever' (2000)
Tell Me Why
Another track from the third album 'Forever', 'Tell Me Why' was originally planned as a single with remixes having been commissioned and released on the promotional circuit. Side note, check out the 'Thunderpuss Remix' as it is an absolute belter of a remix perfect for nightclubs. The song was outright R'n'B to the full extent with the typical 'Darkchild' sound of the time. Lyrically, this song was about trying to understand why they were jilted. It could easily be about both an ex-lover or more aptly, the departure of Geri Halliwell from the group. With that line of thought, it features a far more scathing response than the first official single without Geri, 'Goodbye'. The downright angry lyrics are certainly the polar opposite of the whole 'friendship never ends' schtick that the girls were known for and was present on 'Goodbye'. Whatever the context, 'Tell Me Why' is a solid track that really demonstrates the more mature sound that they were striving to achieve.
From the album 'Forever' (2000)
Say You’ll Be There
If the critics truly believed that 'Wannabe' was a one-hit-wonder, 'Say You'll Be There' must have been a definite sucker-punch when it was released as the follow-up single regardless of whether they wanted to admit it. Arguably a much better song with far more musical credibility than its predecessor it was certainly different. In a time when pop acts often released single after single that sounded eerily similar, 'Say You'll Be There' signalled that the Spice Girls were not that kind of act. Ironically, it also has an R'n'B flavour that the girls would go full throttle with later down the line. This one may not be as notable for filling dancefloors as some of their other singles but it still manages to be iconic and has become a rallying cry in its own right for the fans. "I'll give you everything on this I swear, Just promise you'll always be there". And we were. Every step of the way.
From the album 'Spice' (1996)
Never Give Up On The Good Times
I have said it before and I will say it again. It is criminal that this song was never released as a single. Originally, it was reported to be a double A-side release with ‘Viva Forever’ by Smash Hits! Magazine but the departure of Geri Halliwell from the group changed all that. With an infectious feel-good spirit and empowering message, this could sit alongside 'Who Do You Think You Are' as a dance floor filler. Much like that single, 'Never Give Up On The Good Times' has a strong disco influence and it exudes a sense of positivity and the girl power message that they were famous for. I find that this one also works really well as part of a pre-drink, getting ready to go out ritual.
From the album 'Spiceworld' (1997)
From the album ‘Spiceworld’ (1997)
From the album ‘Spiceworld’ (1997)
Holler
The lead single from their third album 'Forever', 'Holler' marked a very different sound for the Spice Girls. One that was arguably too quick and too big a change from the sheer poptastic efforts of the first two albums. That being said, it was very much the contemporary sound of the time and it was clear that the Spice Girls were making a statement with this release. They were not teenage girls anymore, they were growing up (in fact two of them were now mums) and they were not afraid to be even more in your face about adult themes. With its sexual connotations and sleek R'n'B production, it is just as danceable as their previous songs as it still had that undeniable pop hook. Although it was a double A-side release with the more pop familiar 'Let Love Lead The Way' and 'Goodbye' was featured on the album (despite it being a single release almost two years earlier) this track was the only R'n'B heavy release from the more mature 'Forever'. It often stands out a little bit when looking at the girls' single releases but in the very best way.
From the album 'Forever' (2000)Viva Forever
I would argue that this is one of the greatest pop-ballads ever written - go on, fight me! I will also say that it very nearly took the number 1 spot on this list. To this day, it gives me goosebumps when I hear it. As the last single to include Geri Halliwell until she rejoined the group for the 2007 reunion, it is also tinged with a little sadness for anyone who was a fan back in the day. Geri had left the group almost 2 months prior to the eventual release of the single which still featured her likeness in the video. Critically, the song was amongst the very best reactions to any Spice Girls track and was somewhat of a surprise given the girls previous material. It is certainly a stark juxtaposition to the likes of ‘Wannabe’ and ‘Spice Up Your Life’. Vocally, this was the girls at their very best, showing that while they were never the worlds best singers (and nor did they claim to be), their voices and harmonies worked beautifully together which is perfectly shown when they perform it live. A heartwarming yet tear-jerking and genuinely poignant song with beautiful strings and flamenco guitars, it never fails to make me think of summertime and the lost loves of the past.From the album ‘Spiceworld’ (1997)
Spice Up Your Life
Like ‘Wannabe’ before it, the lead single from the follow-up album ‘Spiceworld’ is synonymous with the group and their approach to everything they did. As if we hadn’t already had enough spice in our lives in the 15 months since their debut release, this one demanded that we have more. The song is a relentless banging carnival party anthem with influences of salsa and samba. It was a global rally cry for everyone to get on board with the Spice Girls (if they hadn’t already) because the group weren’t going anywhere. It is certainly no shocker that this one is often front and centre in any mention of the group, was the opening number of their last three tours (Christmas In Spiceworld, Return Of The Spice Girls, Spiceworld 2019) and was used along with Wannabe when the girls made a ‘surprise’ appearance at the closing of the 2012 Olympic Games in London.From the album ‘Spiceworld’ (1997)
So that is my Top 10 Essential Spice Girls songs. Like I have already said, I could have easily picked several other songs for this list. I am sure there are a few songs that other fans will say I have cruelly or unfairly left off. However, these are the 10 tracks that I feel really showcase their work and what they were all about. I do want to add an honourable mention to one more track that very nearly made the list which is 'Step To Me'. The song had a little more of a pop-rock feel to it and was originally recorded for consideration on their debut album. Ultimately it did not make the cut but did appear on the Japanese version of Spiceworld. It was also part of the major marketing promotion with Pepsi. In order to get the CD of the song, you had to collect 20 ring pulls from promotional cans of Pepsi. At the time, this was the largest ever uptake of a promotion that Pepsi had seen with around 600,000 copies of the CD redeemed. That is pretty impressive for a 'single' that you couldn't purchase in shops!
Anyhow, what do you think? Do you think I've made some glaring omissions in this list? Why not let me know in the comments down below. For now, I will leave you with the Spiceworld 2019 vlog that I mentioned at the beginning.
Thanks for reading x
