I was first introduced to the girls Spice in aerobics class, when Wannabe was everywhere. Their message simple, their beat borrowed, their enthusiasm infectious. When I went on my honeymoon to the UK, the daily paper delivered to our door was in the throes of Spice Girl Week, and featured collectible trading stickers. It was such a happy time in life that their music also became a bookmark for the year 1997.
As with anything pop star phenom, they had the books, the collectibles, the dolls, the movie and of course, you argued which one was your favorite. My favorites were, of course Scary, Ginger then Sporty. Baby was ok, but Posh was worthless.
Grown up Spices. Wha' dya do with yer curls then Scary?
As with anything, some of their songs have the timeless sheen of pop magic that will always sound great. Others have dated horribly but were good at the time.
So music-wise, what was good?
Wannabe: Opening with a bawdy laugh and a crash of music, the girls made the party happen in 96/97. Scary leads and the girls trash the place.
2 Become 1: If I was in high school in '97, this would have been the IT song for me. Since I wasn't, I was content to watch in amusement when I used to go dancing in bars with the girls. Pure torch, and a vocal highlight for Emma.
Who Do You Think U Are: Girls tarted it up for the video, a bar hop dance club stomper. Very disco.
If U Can't Dance: Throwaway giggle at the end of the of album with a wicked little horn.
Say You'll Be There: It's one of the bigger singles from the album, not a favorite except for the homage to the movie Faster Pussycat Kill, KILL!
Spice Up Your Life: "Flamenco, Lambada... But hip hop is harder! We moonwalk the foxtrot, then polka the salsa... Shake it shake it shake it, haka!" Arriba Scary.
Stop: So 60s girl group. Charming, adorable. Posh's vocals are horrendous.
Viva Forever: Another torcher that has a touch of melancholy when you realize that by time this was released as a single, Ginger had already left the group, citing exhaustion. In later years, she acknowledges the whirlwind ride that was those two years, all while battling bulimia. Girl power comes as a sacrifice. The video is a terrifying fantasy sequence where the girls are puppet fairies that lead a tween into the woods and kidnap him/her (the child is very ambiguous). hiding him/her in a Rubik's Cube of death or something. Interviews with the band state the fate of the tween was left ambiguous, representing the death of a person/friendship/etc. YouTube viewers state it was the stuff of nightmares.
Lady is a Vamp: Roll credits on Spice World, the movie so bad it's great. Pure burlesque, the girls name drop icons from the sixties on. Seems sorrily dated to be celebrating "power girls in a 90s world" in 2014. I think I still own a bustier, not for public consumption...
I'm The Leader of the Gang (Come On): Not a single on any album nor a hit anywhere, but a fun, energetic romp in the middle of the Spice World movie where they perform in Milan with near naked Italian models. Deleted scene with Gary Glitter, who shortly after filming was the subject of a pedophile scandal. Oops. Nifty nod to the glam rock era for which they borrowed, I wish I had a complete single somewhere. Best I could do was a crappy version someone spliced together from deleted scenes. I listen to the Girlschool version instead.
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