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 Spice Girls at Christmas |
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  Dec 14 2020, 10:44 AM
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#1
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 "Jayrusaleminians" - Umi.
Pronouns: he/him
Joined: 4 April 2007 Posts: 41,425 User: 3,217 
          
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Let's get festive and reminisce about all of the Spice Girls' Christmas related moments!
 Spice Girls achieved three Christmas UK #1s in a row - '2 Become 1' in 1996 (24 years ago), 'Too Much' in 1997 (23 years ago) and 'Goodbye' in 1998 (22 years ago) Feel free to post your favourite performances, and share your memories of the releases of these singles! Do these songs make you feel Christmassy, are they a part of your festive listening? |
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Dec 14 2020, 10:46 AM
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#2
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"Jayrusaleminians" - Umi.
Pronouns: he/him
Joined: 4 April 2007 Posts: 41,425 User: 3,217
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They recorded two Christmas covers - Sleigh Ride & Christmas Wrapping - and included them as B Sides on 2 Become 1 & Goodbye. Do you like either of them? Which do you prefer?
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Dec 14 2020, 10:50 AM
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#3
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"Jayrusaleminians" - Umi.
Pronouns: he/him
Joined: 4 April 2007 Posts: 41,425 User: 3,217
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In December 1999, the girls played 8 shows in Manchester and London - 'Christmas in Spiceworld'. The full Earl's Court concert was broadcast on Sky One that same year.
The set list included a Christmas medley of Merry Xmas Everybody and I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday: What are your thoughts about this tour and their Christmas medley? 
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Dec 14 2020, 10:55 AM
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#4
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"Jayrusaleminians" - Umi.
Pronouns: he/him
Joined: 4 April 2007 Posts: 41,425 User: 3,217
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Top of the Pops gave the Spice Girls their own Christmas special in 1997! It included their performances from 1996 & 1997, and commentary from the girls.
That same year, they recorded a Christmas message that preceded the TV premiere of their Istanbul concert: |
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Dec 14 2020, 05:31 PM
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#5
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 BuzzJack Gold Member
Joined: 3 February 2018
Posts: 2,041 User: 64,815
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I did a SG Christmas Quiz on Insta stories last night and next week some of these moment will also be in it
 I remember Christmas 1997 so clearly - TOTP, watching the Istanbul concert, listening to my Spiceworld cassette all day long and eating my Cadbury's chocolates. The next day I went to the cinema with my family to see Spiceworld The Movie at my local cinema. I mean INCREDIBLE times. I cannot put it into words, there's been nothing like it since and probably never will be again. Christmas was so magical during the Spice Girls era when I was a kid. |
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Dec 14 2020, 06:09 PM
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#6
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 BuzzJack Platinum Member
Joined: 6 September 2017
Posts: 11,807 User: 39,568
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Did they do their An Audience With around Christmas time too, I always associate it with Christmas 1997 which was my Spice Girls Christmas! Everything I got was Spice Girls related, Istanbul VHS, Spiceworld, Beanbag, lunchbox, drink bottle, posters etc etc etc it was AMAZING!
 The Spice Girls Christmas #1 3 years in a row is something I'm so proud about but I still do not understand why they didn't release something for Christmas 1999 and try take the record for themselves rather than sharing it!?!? Perfect time to release a Christmassy themed song tied in with the Christmas shows! Not only would it have made them one of the very few to go into double figures for #1s (the following year) but also they would still be the act with the most consecutive #1 from first single as they would have broken Westlife's run (unless they didn't of course lol). It's always been a huge WTF thing for me that they didn't go for the Christmas 1999 #1, 2000 I understand as they called it quits. |
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Dec 14 2020, 06:22 PM
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#7
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BuzzJack Enthusiast
Joined: 6 September 2017
Posts: 927 User: 39,574
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QUOTE(spiceboy @ Dec 14 2020, 06:09 PM)  Did they do their An Audience With around Christmas time too, I always associate it with Christmas 1997 which was my Spice Girls Christmas! It was filmed right at the time they sacked Simon which was the start of November and shown at the end of November so was very close to Christmas. Andi Peters who produced it twas afraid they were going to pull out of filming it as everything in relation to Simon was removed and they had to organise everything themselves which must've been chaos behind the scenes. I love the 1996 TOTP special they co hosted with Robbie Williams, they were so fresh and full of energy then.    |
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Dec 15 2020, 09:16 AM
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#8
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BuzzJack Regular
Joined: 6 June 2019
Posts: 425 User: 88,486
 
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I prefer this version
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Dec 15 2020, 01:39 PM
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#9
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BuzzJack Legend
Joined: 11 June 2011
Posts: 23,993 User: 14,031 
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Each year I have an expectation that 2 Become 1 will return to the chart but it never happens.
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Dec 15 2020, 01:43 PM
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#10
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Sugar Like Apple Pie
Joined: 8 March 2006
Posts: 52,247 User: 126
 
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What a cute collection
those TOTP performances are awkward though with the miming.
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Dec 16 2020, 02:51 PM
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#11
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"Jayrusaleminians" - Umi.
Pronouns: he/him
Joined: 4 April 2007 Posts: 41,425 User: 3,217
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24 years ago on this date: '2 Become 1' was released as a single!
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Dec 16 2020, 08:31 PM
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#12
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BuzzJack Platinum Member
Joined: 16 November 2009
Posts: 7,591 User: 9,988
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Even Victoria is getting nostalgic for 2 become 1 on insta
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Dec 16 2020, 10:07 PM
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#13
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BuzzJack Platinum Member
Joined: 7 September 2017
Posts: 5,073 User: 39,587
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What a classic! What a MOMENT most pleasing to me in my career as a fan
Basically, this is Emma's song ok? Let's establish that first and foremost But overall the song is beautifully written and performed by them. PLUS they always delivered it live. Let's reminisce on their live performances on tour: Live in Istanbul A class performance. The costumes? Stunning. The vocals? Stunning. The musical arrangament? Stunning. Bunton's big note? Good enough  For their very performance on tour, it was near perfection! THAT OUTRO!Spice World Tour 1998 Simple, stylish and gorgeous. The arrangement is akin to the Istanbul but overall this is a much more brighter performance and they all sound gorgeous. Personally I would have done a bit more with the staging, but overall it works well! Christmas in Spice World 1999 This one is probably my least favourite. I thought bringing the fans on stage a bit weird lol They all sound great though and it feels like it would have been a cute moment in the arena. Return of The Spice Girls Tour 2007/2008 Their best tour moment of this song, imo! It's beautifully staged with the feathers and the polls. And they all sounded amazing too! The composition is perfect, with the added violins in Emma's bridge Together with Viva Forever on this tour, this is up there with their best performances ever in terms of overall quality!Spice World 2019 Tour Somewhat understated in such a massive show, this is a nice moment at the end of Act 5. They sounded gorgeous and Emma's big note moment is gorgeous here too. However, it is kind of just there, like a reprise of the 1998 tour but with better production values lol The sound is also maybe a bit meh, the composition isnt that great and it is probably a bit too close to the original for its own good. But it was an emotional moment on that tour and everyone went mad singing the whole thing. Being in that arena was WILD and at points you could hear the crowd singing more than the girls lol it was so loud! |
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Dec 17 2020, 09:33 AM
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#14
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"Jayrusaleminians" - Umi.
Pronouns: he/him
Joined: 4 April 2007 Posts: 41,425 User: 3,217
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Those performances
I think my favourite is the Return of the Spice Girls performance... visually the most interesting, very beautiful
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Dec 17 2020, 11:44 AM
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#15
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BuzzJack Platinum Member
Joined: 7 September 2017
Posts: 5,073 User: 39,587
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QUOTE(Jay* @ Dec 17 2020, 09:33 AM) Those performances I think my favourite is the Return of the Spice Girls performance... visually the most interesting, very beautiful For me is a toss between Istanbul and the Return tour. I think the Return tour edges it as the staging is gorgeous but Istanbul has a nice elegant style to it that is lacking on the others and really compliments the song, I think... |
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Dec 18 2020, 02:47 PM
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#16
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BuzzJack Platinum Member
Joined: 6 September 2017
Posts: 11,807 User: 39,568
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The Return performance is the best simply amazing!
I've always felt this was very much Emma's song too like Wannabe is basically Mel B's song, however my favourite part is Mel B's "Set your spirit freeee it's the only way to beee" love it! |
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Dec 18 2020, 03:03 PM
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#17
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 you never forget your first time...
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Joined: 19 April 2011 Posts: 121,600 User: 13,530            
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We've had Magic radio on in the staff room recently and they've been playing 100% Christmas songs, I've heard 2 Become 1 a few times!
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Dec 18 2020, 05:50 PM
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#18
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BuzzJack Gold Member
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Joined: 10 December 2013 Posts: 4,220 User: 20,217
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All 3 songs are in my festive playlist. It was fun to hear Christmas Wrapping on 90s radio today
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Dec 19 2020, 08:24 PM
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#19
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BuzzJack Regular
Joined: 25 March 2018
Posts: 394 User: 69,521
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QUOTE(spiceboy @ Dec 14 2020, 01:09 PM) The Spice Girls Christmas #1 3 years in a row is something I'm so proud about but I still do not understand why they didn't release something for Christmas 1999 and try take the record for themselves rather than sharing it!?!? Perfect time to release a Christmassy themed song tied in with the Christmas shows! Not only would it have made them one of the very few to go into double figures for #1s (the following year) but also they would still be the act with the most consecutive #1 from first single as they would have broken Westlife's run (unless they didn't of course lol). It's always been a huge WTF thing for me that they didn't go for the Christmas 1999 #1, 2000 I understand as they called it quits. I've had this thought too. They did kinda sorta have a song out near Christmas 1999...with that Artists for Children's Promise cover of It's Only Rock n' Roll. It was out a week earlier than the big push for the Christmas #1...but considering the level of talent rounded up for that thing, they might have expected it to have some staying power on the charts (it didn't). Side note. Just listened to it again for the first time in ages. I'm glad it was for a good cause...but that version is unlistenable chaos. Also weird to know there's a video out there that features both the Spices and Kid Rock so prominently. I used to see Kid out eating french fries quite a lot. Anyway. Is there a song we think should have been their attempt at a Christmas number one? The ballads that were recorded in the fall of 1999 were Let Love Lead The Way, Oxygen, and A Day In Your Life. One of those? I have wondered if any of them were created with the thought of a possible Christmas release. Certainly this crossed someone's mind. A Day In Your Life, in particular, sounds a bit to me like an attempt at that. I've thought they may have skipped it...not wanting to release a track so close to the charity track where they're featured. Might not be a good look? Taking on Westlife might not have been easy for them either. |
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Dec 19 2020, 08:59 PM
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#20
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BuzzJack Regular
Joined: 25 March 2018
Posts: 394 User: 69,521
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And yes, I have fond memories of the girls tied to Christmases as well. They didn't explode in America until 1997, but I remember listening to their first two albums that Christmas...blaring Goodbye/Sisters/We Are Family as I unwrapped presents in 1998...and even playing Northern Star a lot in Christmas 1999 (the song's always sounded very wintry to me).
I honestly don't love the Christmas songs they recorded as a group. The talking parts of Sleigh Ride sound like they were recorded in a bathroom or something. The version without them talking is a little better...but it's not an especially interesting take on the song. With Christmas Wrapping, I like the production...but I just think the song is awkward...like it's got too many words. I heard the girls' version before the original. I figured it was something they cranked out quickly...and was really surprised to learn it's a cover. I also think it'd be better with the full group ("oh DAMN, guess what I forgot?" should be a Mel B line). I realize Mel B and Victoria were pregnant...but they were still doing quite a lot of promo as a four piece after Christmas Wrapping was recorded. A studio session would have been less effort than all that. Actually, the 1999 live Christmas medley was the time I think they performed the right material for them. It's loud. Fun. Quirky. Those songs fit them perfectly. Granted, the audio's not perfect, some vocals sound like they're turned too low, and Mel B flat-out forgets the words. But had they really nailed it, I wish that live recording could have lived on as a staple of Christmas-time radio. This post has been edited by Piers: Dec 19 2020, 09:00 PM |
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