Spice Girls - Wannabe

"Wannabe" is the debut single by the British girl group the Spice Girls. Written by the group members with Matt Rowe and Richard Stannard during the group's first professional songwriting session, it was produced by Rowe and Stannard for the group's debut album Spice, released in November 1996. The song was written and recorded very quickly; the result was considered lacklustre by their label, and was sent to be mixed by Dave Way. The group was not pleased with the result, and the recording was mixed again, this time by Mark "Spike" Stent. "Wannabe" is an uptempo dance-pop song that incorporates a mix of hip hop and rap. The lyrics, which address the value of female friendship over the heterosexual bond, became an iconic symbol of female empowerment and the most emblematic song of the group's Girl Power philosophy. Despite receiving mixed reviews from music critics, the song won for Best British-Written Single at the 1997 Ivor Novello Awards and for Best Single at the 1997 BRIT Awards. "Wannabe" was heavily promoted by the group. Its music video, directed by Johan Camitz, became a big success on the British cable network The Box, which sparked press interest in the group. Subsequently the song had intensive radio airplay across the United Kingdom, while the group performed it on television programmes and started doing interviews and photo shoots for teen magazines. Released as the group's debut single in July 1996, "Wannabe" topped the UK Singles Chart for seven weeks and has received a double Platinum certification by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). In January 1997 it was released in the United States, topping the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks. It was the group's only number-one single in that country. By the end of 1996, "Wannabe" had topped the charts in 22 nations, and by March 1997 this number had climbed to 37. "Wannabe" became the best-selling single by a female group in the world, with 1,360,000 and 2,910,000 copies sold in United Kingdom (by 2015) and United States (by 2014), respectively, and over 7 million copies worldwide by the end of 1997. In 2014, it was rated as the most easily recognizable pop song of the last 60 years.

Written by Spice Girls/Richard Stannard/Matt Rowe

Produced by Richard Stannard & Matt Rowe

Wannabe - 2:52

Wannabe [Japanese Promo CD Edit] - 2:46

Wannabe [Call Out Research Hook #1] - 0:14

Wannabe [Call Out Research Hook #2] - 0:17

Wannabe [Dave Way Alternative Mix] - 3:27

Wannabe (demo) - 2:53

Wannabe [Dub Slam] - 6:25

Wannabe [Edit Version] - 2:10

Wannabe [Instrumental] - 2:53

Wannabe [Instrumental] - 2:52 same as [Karaoke]

Wannabe [Instrumental Slam] - 6:20

Wannabe [Junior Vasquez 12" Club Mix] - 9:20

Wannabe [Junior Vasquez Club Dub] - 9:20 

Wannabe [Junior Vasquez Gomis Dub] - 6:42

Wannabe [Junior Vasquez Gomis Dub 2007 Remastered] - 6:42 

Wannabe [Junior Vasquez Remix Edit] - 5:57

Wannabe [Junior Vasquez Single Edit] - 2:54

Wannabe [Motiv 8 Mix - Korean Sampler Edit] - 3:52

Wannabe [Soul Seekerz Club Mix 1] - 5:30 rough mix

Wannabe [Soul Seekerz Club Mix 2] - 6:28 rough mix 

Wannabe [Soul Seekerz Club Mix 3] - 6:04 rough mix

Wannabe [Soul Seekerz Club Mix 4] - 6:13 rough mix

Wannabe [Soul Seekerz Dub] - 6:57

Wannabe [Soul Seekerz Dub Mix 1] - 5:31 rough mix

Wannabe [Soul Seekerz Dub Mix 2] - 6:25 rough mix

Wannabe [Soul Seekerz Dub Mix 3] - 6:04 rough mix

Wannabe [Soul Seekerz Dub Mix 4] - 6:13 rough mix

Wannabe [Soul Seekerz Extended Piano Vocal] - 7:01

Wannabe [Soul Seekerz Extended Vocal] - 6:56 same as [Soul Seekerz 2007 Remix ]

Wannabe [Soul Seekerz Piano Dub] - 6:59

Wannabe [Soul Seekerz Piano Radio Edit] - 3:27

Wannabe [Soul Seekerz Radio Edit] - 3:33

Wannabe [Soul Seekerz Radio Edit 1] - 3:21 rough mix

Wannabe [Soul Seekerz Radio Edit 2] - 3:14 rough mix

Wannabe [Soul Seekerz Radio Edit 3] - 3:25 rough mix

Wannabe [Soul Seekerz Radio Edit 4] - 3:41 rough mix

Wannabe [Soul Seekerz Remix Alt 1] - 5:23 rough mix

Wannabe [Vocal Slam] - 6:20

Wannabe [Vocal Slam Edit] - 3:42 promo video only 

Wannabe / Spice Up Your Life (London 2012 Olympic Games Medley) - 3:34

Lyrics

Yo, I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want 

So tell me what you want, what you really, really want 

I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want 

So tell me what you want, what you really, really want 

I wanna (ha) I wanna (ha) I wanna (ha) I wanna (ha) 

I wanna really really really wanna zigazig-ah

If you want my future, forget my past 

If you wanna get with me, better make it fast 

Now don't go wasting my precious time 

Get your act together we could be just fine

I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want 

So tell me what you want, what you really, really want 

I wanna (ha) I wanna (ha) I wanna (ha) I wanna (ha) 

I wanna really really really wanna zigazig-ah

If you wannabe my lover

You gotta get with my friends 

(Gotta get with my friends) 

Make it last forever

Friendship never ends 

If you wannabe my lover

You have got to give 

Taking is too easy, but that's the way it is

Ah, what do you think about that

Now you know how I feel 

Say you can handle my love, are you for real? 

(Are you for real?) 

I won't be hasty, I'll give you a try 

If you really bug me then I'll say goodbye

Yo I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want 

So tell me what you want, what you really, really want 

I wanna (ha) I wanna (ha) I wanna (ha) I wanna (ha) 

I wanna really really really wanna zigazig-ah

If you wannabe my lover

You gotta get with my friends 

(Gotta get with my friends) 

Make it last forever

Friendship never ends 

If you wannabe my lover

You have got to give 

(You've got to give) 

Taking is too easy, but that's the way it is

So, here's a story from A to Z 

You wanna get with me, you gotta listen carefully 

We got Em in the place who likes it in your face 

We got G like MC who likes it on a... 

Easy V doesn't come for free, she's a real lady 

And as for me, ha you'll see

Slam your body down and wind it all around 

Slam your body down and wind it all around

If you wannabe my lover

You gotta get with my friends 

(Gotta get with my friends) 

Make it last forever

Friendship never ends 

If you wannabe my lover

You have got to give 

(You've got to give) 

Taking is too easy, but that's the way it is

If you wannabe my lover 

You gotta, you gotta, you gotta, you gotta, you gotta 

Make it last forever

(Slam, slam, slam, slam)

Slam your body down and wind it all around 

Slam your body down and wind it all around

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha 

Slam your body down and wind it all around 

Slam your body down and zigazig-ah

If you wannabe my lover