Girl power may have grown up, but the lyrics from the iconic UK’s band’s debut single are far from forgotten.
So here’s the story from A to Z: This week it was 18 years ago that arguably the UK’s best girl group to date, the Spice Girls released their chart-topping hit, ‘Wannabe’.
On 8th July 1996, the lyrical genius of chanteuses Geri Halliwell, Emma Bunton, Victoria Beckham, Melanie Brown and Melanie Chisholm was released on cassette, 12” vinyl and CD. Before long, the quintet’s single earned Double Platinum status in Australia and the UK, with the no. 1 position in the US Billboard Hot 100 Chart.
While many a youngster fought over who was going to play Baby or Ginger Spice at primary school slumber parties, that doesn’t mean that 18 years on the single is any less of a dance floor chick magnet.
Considering 2014 is the year of the ’90s trend, it’s only fitting we celebrate this momentous anniversary with a gif (or seven).
1. They made choreographed dances A-okay.
There’s no need to keep your sweet dance moves locked up in your bedroom; grab a posse of girlfriends and publicly synchronise that shit.
2. They taught girls from a young age to have standards.
Does “If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends” ring any bells? Women today, pay attention.
3. But it’s also completely fine to kiss random strangers.
Guess that means Saturday night’s antics needn’t be banished from memory.
4. Mel C spearheaded the sportswear trend.
Who knew Sporty Spice could be so prophetic? Her crop top-and-trainers uniform was ahead of its time.
5. Equally Geri for pioneering the no-pants fad.
With her trademark sex-kitten aesthetic, of course the sassy singer was going to unofficially inspire 2013’s sans-slip dress movement.
6. Posh taught us you don’t always have to be ‘in character’.
Good ol’ Victoria Beckham showed us there’s nothing wrong with acting a little out of character sometimes.
7. Last but certainly not least, they made us wanna zigazig ha.
We didn’t know exactly what it was, but as soon as Mel B said it we wanted to do it. ‘Zigazig ha’ was a noun, a verb, a way of life. May it last in Urban Dictionarys forever.
But if you still haven’t slammed your body down enough by now, here is the full track in all of its wind-it-all-around glory:
Words: Steph King