Track Listing

1. Wannabe
2. Say You'll Be There
3. 2 Become 1
4. Love Thing
5. Last Time Lover
6. Mama
7. Who Do You Think You Are
8. Something Kinda Funny
9. Naked
10. If U Can't Dance

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5306 in Music
• Released on: 1996-10-01
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Review
Putting aside the Girl Power phenomenon--really, what were the chances five scantily-clad birds flashing their knickers with kung-fu kicks wouldn't make it in the music industry?--the Spice Girls really do mean something: great singles. There's not a dog in their whole back-catalogue. They kicked off their career with "Wannabe", "Say You'll Be There" and "2 Become 1"--that's the pop equivalent of an Olympic gold in the triathlon. They're all here on Spice, along with the live favourite "If You Can't Dance"--one that Geri always looked particularly picked-upon whilst singing--and that irresistible champagne effervescence of pop history in the making. The only mistake they made at this point in their career was not releasing the slinky R&B track "Naked" as a single; and if that's because the video plot automatically suggests itself as too obvious, it's not as if that curtailed any other facet of their career. --Caitlin Moran

CD Description
There's a long tradition in England of kiddie-pop bands whoharmonise well, look good, sell syrup by the millions in the U.K. and can't get arrested in the U.S. The Spice Girls smash that mold by adding a point of view. Having more pop hooks than your average bait & tackle shop doesn't hurt either.The five Spice Girls met when they answered a would-be svengali's ad looking for young women who could sing and dance. He got more than he bargained for. They also had spunk, and one of their first acts was to fire him and take control of their own career.
The group co-wrote every song on SPICE,and it's an audacious debut on the order of Madonna's firstLP. The girls' songs, like Madonna's, are simultaneously about wanting sex and wanting empowerment; their mantra is "girl power". These are new kids on the block who've actually been around the block a few times. Calling their debut single"Wannabe" is merely the most obvious nod to the queen of pop; they pay further homage in the brazen way they grab for any pop style within reach. Hip-hop, dancehall reggae, dance-club beats and soft balladry and all thrown into this spicy pop stew with utter abandon. Vocal lines are wantonly tossedback and forth among the five like unsuspecting suitors. Ifthey can figure out a way to keep it up, watch out.

Customer Reviews

What you really really want
The whole Spice Girls concept was one of the most genius creations in pop music history, and the group's immense global success serves to confirm this. Five singing/dancing women, each with their own character, nickname, and ensuing persona, with the 'Girl Power!' slogan to appeal to young girls and a sex appeal for.... well - all men. They were heavily criticised for being emblematic of all that was wrong with pop music and their slogan was accused of being inauthentic due to the group's overtly sexual image (see the video to 'Say You'll Be There', for a palpable example). However, this really highlighted some critic's ignorance of post-feminist theory and literature, rather than an accurate deliberation of the group's implications.

Besides, 'Spice' is a tremendous pop album that regenerated the sense of fun that pop had lost some years previously, and this was further punctuated by the group's flamboyance. In fact, many pop albums that have been produced since seem to exemplify qualities and influences that can be identified on 'Spice'. Some people will never be convinced that any one of the individual members possessed even the slightest trace of artistic merit. However, most seem to overlook the fact that the Spice Girls only delivered the final artefact and that there was a whole team of producers and artists involved with the Spice Girls concept. Most crucial was two excellent song-writing duos: Stannard/Rowe and Watkins/Wilson (the former being arguably superior to the latter). The song-writing and the arrangements of the songs thereof was supreme, and there are a variety of pop influences that could be discussed, i.e., r 'n' b ('Say You'll Be There', 'Naked'), funk ('Something Kinda Funny'), gospel ('Mama'), even a bit of jazz ('If You Can't Dance').

The album opens with the sound of running footsteps and laughter before Mel B's attention-grabbing 'Well!!!' just before 'Wannabe' kicks in. Once the familiar (i.e., often used) I-bIII-IV-bVII riff begins Mel B and Geri exchange that famous 'I'll tell you what I want what I really really want, - so tell me what you want what you really really want', and the Spice Girl 'précis' can be identified within the first eight seconds. Certainly, there is no way you are not going to listen! The 'girl on top' hypothesis is humorously presented with lines such as 'don't go wasting my precious time', 'What d'ya think about that?', 'are you for real?', and 'If you really bug me then I'll say good bye', and the deliberately catchy chorus summarises their message lyrically. Towards the end of the song each member is pithily introduced. It is a great introduction to the album, and arguably Richard Stannard and Matt Rowe (with the Spice Girls) coined one of the greatest singles in pop history; one that was certainly much-needed at the time. The video is great too, with the girls gate-crashing an aristocratic party, and causing general (but in no way violent - the light-hearted sense of fun prevails) destruction. It does appear as if someone was attempting to convey some kind of message somewhere - for the girls pass a tramp in the street before they enter the building, and on leaving jump on a bus. However, there is no sense that they are showing any contempt for the people at the upper-class party. Perhaps the video is more of an observation on our excessively hierarchical society, rather than an definite protest. When the group jump on the bus, they beacon us to follow them...... and a large number of people did just that.

The r 'n' b enthused hit single 'Say You'll Be There' has a very strong melody and is perfectly arranged, including a wonderful harmonica solo, with some pretty fine vocal work from Mel C towards the end as well. Other hit singles '2 Become 1' (Christmas UK number 1 1996), 'Mama', and 'Who Do You Think You Are?' (Comic Relief 1997) will be familiar to most. 'Love Thing' also has a great melody, which exploits the blues influence upon pop in general, with use of flattened seventh, augmented ninths etc. A lot of the vocal arrangement is very advanced, balancing textures, the members various vocal ranges, and solos vs. harmony, vs. parallel octaves (the type of vocal arrangement that had previously been an attractive quality of such groups as TLC)to perfection, and 'Something Kinda Funny' is a case in point. Lyrically, the songs are either about typical pop song subjects (i.e., the joys, trials and tribulations of relationships), the group's 'Girl Power!' message, or a juxtaposition of the two. There are a few exceptions i.e., 'Mama' and 'Naked' (perhaps 'Mama' isn't exactly a high point on the album.... but you can't win 'em all). Following the introductory nature of 'Wannabe', 'If You Can't Dance' is something of a summary, particularly of their 'Girl Power!' statement, with the persistently repeated line 'If you can't dance to this you can't do nothing for me baby!'

Overall, 'Spice' is an impeccably well-balanced pop album with an amiable allure. Whatever one might think of the five individuals, the Spice Girl concept was a work of ingenuity. In years to come, it should become more and more patent that the repercussions of 'Spice' on popular music were far greater than was first evident, and the album holds a significant place in the history of pop music. For now, we can sneakily put the album in our personal stereos when no one is looking, keep the volume at a reasonable level, bop along, and hope that no one asks what we're listening to!

Simply the best
Following up an album which many people consider to be not only the best musical experiment since a child called Mozart though he'd give the family piano a go, but the best album ever recorded, is not an easy task, but somehow, SOMEHOW, they topped it.

Taking its roots in the cubic funkist bass movement established at the turn of the century by Tom Waits, and turning it on its head, this album surpasses and transcends genres whilst reinventing them.

Cited by many influencial bands as the reason they entered music, one can only weep with joy as the touching meloncolic tones drift through the air - and resonate not only in the ear drum, but in the heart too.

A must own slice of history. In one word - "ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!!!!"

Spice of your life
When this came out i was about 14 and was all into the Girl Power thing that they were shouting about.
The Spice Girls is what the music industry needed at that time and they have the ingredients to make a great pop band and a great pop album. This is such a great album from 1997, it is packed full of the type of hits you would expect and Wannaba and Say You'll be There is an ideal of what the songs on the album are like.
biggest band of the mid 90's and this is worth a listen, if you remember the hits you will love it and if you like pop music buy it!!