Spice

Spice Girls

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 4, 1997)
• Original Release Date: February 4, 1997
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Virgin Records Us
• ASIN: B000000WCA
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (308 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #24,321 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  Music > Pop > Dance Pop > Euro Dance

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

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

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars OK..., March 21, 2000

By	"kristen_mcmenamy_fan" (a farm town that I hate living in) - See all my reviews

I don't know where I went wrong. I am not a pop music fan at ALL. In fact I listen to heavy metal. No, seriously! I like Pantera and Metallica and Nirvana (more grunge than metal though), etc., but for some reason I also like the Spice Girls. I have all of their albums, solo albums, and a lot of their solo import singles, too. They are sitting right in between Soundgarden and Testament CDs. The Spice album has something different than other pop acts. Spice Girls albums are ones I just can't bring myself to throw away. Sometimes I can hardly believe I own this kind of music, but I listen to it, I like it, and I am sick of people branding Spice Girls fans as poppy teenage girls! Well, I AM a teenage girl, but I'm more gothic than preppie or poppy. Spice is an album MANY people will like if they can give it a chance. I don't know how anyone can listen to some of these songs and honestly say it's airheaded B.S.! The thing is, be open-minded and listen to it without thinking, "These are the Spice Girls. Bubblegum pop. No! Bad!" This is like saying some type of food is gross when you've never even tryed it! I HATE when people do that...

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I Miss Them.. Viva Spice Forever..., February 1, 2005

By	Joshua Simon "Josh" (Singapore) - See all my reviews

When i was like ... really young, i never listened to PoP music.. or any kinda music. I hated music. I was really a stuck up, bad attitude, violent guy.

Then my parents bought this cd for me.. Which i thought was stupid.. 5 girls ... haha.. I chucked it asside..

Everyone was obsessed wit Spice girls at that time.. Gosh.. posters.. stickers.. lollipops.. Barbie dolls.. Singles.. Cds..
it was everywhere.. This kinda thing never happened..

But i ignored em and continued my life.. I was a realli.. terrible kid.

A few years later, my mom died.. I never felt so depressed before.. My friend came over to my house and popped in the cd.. and put the track MaMa on.. Gosh.. It really touched me.. It spoke for me.. ..

Spice girls changed my life.. yea they cant sing that well.. but i will always love them no matter what.. I'll miss the good ole daes.. It'll never happen again. Even if they reunite. The music world is different.. Songs like wannabe, mama.. 2 become 1.. say u'll be there.. these songs cant be made any more.. PoP is different nowadays.. The difference u can see and compare.. Holler VS Wannabe..

Treasure the SPICE and SPICEWORLD.. I miss them..

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Always A Classic, July 8, 2003

By	C. Heath "Lyricweaver" (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I remember the first time I heard Wannabe on the radio -- I was hooked. In 8th grade at the time and looking for style and attitude, I found it in these five wonderful young girls. Emma (Baby Spice), Mel C (Sporty Spice), Victoria (Posh Spice), Geri (Ginger Spice), and Mel B (Scary Spice) all had distinct personalities and their music was fun and exciting. They were the biggest thing in Britain since the Beatles, and it didn't take long for them to conquer the rest of the planet, including the picky USA. This album is a classic, and I think everybody should have it in their collection. More memorable than any other Spice album, it will truly make an impression. Here's the play by play for this album, "Spice":

Wannabe:
Tell me whatcha want, whatcha really really want -- Wannabe Wannabe Wannabe! Who hasn't heard this song? Of course, we all had our own made-up versions of the rap break, all with different words and different styles. If you haven't heard this song, it's the perfect girl-power, good-timey, happy and perky thing, coated with spice and sugar as well. Each of the girls gets their own section to sing and Geri and Mel B battle on the rap intro, with Mel C shouting 'hu'! Arguably their best song ever, "Wannabe" is a classic radio tune and can still be heard today. 10/10

Say You'll Be There:
If I'm not mistaken, this single actually outsold "Wannabe" (and "Wannabe" was #1 in 32 countries!). This began the heigth of the girls' careers and in this song each girl got an identity, with Emma as Kung Fu Candy and Geri as Trixie Firecracker etc. The girls, having firmly made their own real-life identities well known by this time, played with them to create even bigger alter-egos. Not as hyped or as loud as "Wannabe", "Say You'll Be There" was a bit slower but didn't lack for in-your-face lyrics. Another classic with a harmonica solo, it's still fun and spunky. 10/10

2 Become 1:
With this song, the boys could like it and that's what helped make it so big. This was the first big ballad the girls did, and it helped make them bigger as singers and not just celebrities. They could actually show off more of their vocal talent than just vamp around singing short and sweet lyrics. Highlights of this song are the string arrangement and the chorus, which is soulful but not shrewd. A very nice love song with an important part for every girl, "2 Become 1" was another #1 for the Spices. 10/10

Love Thing:
A lot of people didn't care much for this song, but what made it good was the rap done by every girl in the bridge section. A bit more disco but not any less spicy, the girls make it clear in this song that they aren't playing around. Though this song was never the best concerning instruments, it still makes its mark. 9/10

Last Time Lover:
I always thought this song was one of the best, simply because Mel B sings very low in it, which makes it a sexy and va-va-voomish type song. Another fun thing about this song is the chorus, in which they sing "do you think I'm really cool and sexy?" Very fun, very Spice Girls-ish. Instrumentally I like the guitars in this song. 10/10

Mama:
Aww, a song for their mommies. Who hasn't done a song for those special ladies? This song also went to #1 and gave the girls a deeper side as apposed to their craziness. Like "2 Become 1", this song has some beautiful string sections, which makes it a lovely ballad. 9/10

Who Do You Think You Are:
Now THIS is a classic disco type song. Complete with quick lyrics and a raspy singing Geri, this song is just plain fun with warped guitars and fast paced brass. The video, with it's crazy and colorful presentation, helped define the girls' individuality that much more. 10/10

Something Kinda Funny:
Originally set to be the girls' first single, this tune has a sensual disposition hidden within jazzy music and soft teasing vocals. It's simple, stylish, and catchy. Despite it's appeal however, it's much more mature than "Wannabe", and while that doesn't make it any less good, it's not nearly as fun. However, it's nice to hear the girls taking a different approach. 9/10

Naked:
After seeing this song title, two words came to mind: Janet Jackson. But it is hardly anything shrewd and actually portrays a very thought-provoking concept. I would actually call this the most soulful song on the entire album. It's beautifully written, wonderfully sung and simply emits maturity. Stylistically, it falls somewhere between a spanish ballad and a jazzclub number. 10/10

If U Can't Dance:
The Spices close out their debut in grand style with this fantastic dance number! With a sliding bassline, raps by both Mel B and Geri (rapping in Spanish), and a great beat, many have called this their favorite track on "Spice". It leaves you wanting more. 10/10

Normally, I'm not a big fan of albums with only 10 tracks on them. But somehow, it works for the Spices, helping the public to remember not to take them too seriously. It really gives off the impression that the girls are in it for a good time, and that perfectly compliments their carefree and infectious personalities. The album clocks in at around 40 minutes total, but that's okay, because you can just listen to "Wannabe" again sooner.