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Posted by: Jay❄ May 21 2021, 03:21 AM

Melanie C's recent infamous quote (at least, within the fan base) is "B Sides are B Sides for a reason!", implying that B Sides are tracks that aren't quite good enough to be album tracks, let alone singles. However, fans sometimes hear something special in a B Side that the artist/label seemingly didn't.

Which B Sides do you think deserved to be included on their albums? Also, do you think any of them were actually good enough to have been singles?

In the lists below, I'm only including their commercially released B Sides (that appeared on CD/Cassette/DVD singles). I'm not including: live tracks (for example We Are Family) / any bonus tracks that appeared on releases such as The Real Beckhams DVD or Melanie C's Live DVDs / any leaked songs... technically these are not B Sides. However, if you feel passionate enough to mention any of those tracks, then please feel free to do so.


If I've left any B Sides out, apologies!


Spice
Spice Girls - Bumper to Bumper
Spice Girls - Take Me Home
Spice Girls - One of These Girls
Spice Girls - Sleigh Ride
Spice Girls - Baby Come Round

Spiceworld
Spice Girls - Spice Invaders
Spice Girls - Outer Space Girls
Spice Girls - Walk of Life

Other
Spice Girls - Christmas Wrapping


A Girl Like Me
Emma Bunton - (Hey You) Free Up Your Mind
Emma Bunton - Merry-Go Round
Emma Bunton - Close Encounter
Emma Bunton - Invincible
Emma Bunton - Let Your Baby Show You How to Move

Free Me
Emma Bunton - Don't Tell Me You Love Me Anymore
Emma Bunton - So Long
Emma Bunton - Takin' It Easy
Emma Bunton - Eso Beso
Emma Bunton - So Nice (Summer Samba)

Life in Mono
Emma Bunton - Midnights and Martinis


Schizophonic
Geri Halliwell - G.A.Y.
Geri Halliwell - Summertime
Geri Halliwell - Live and Let Die
Geri Halliwell - Very Slowly
Geri Halliwell - These Boots Are Made for Walking
Geri Halliwell - Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps

Scream If You Wanna Go Faster
Geri Halliwell - Brave New World
Geri Halliwell - New Religion
Geri Halliwell - Breaking Glass
Geri Halliwell - Getting Better
Geri Halliwell - Destiny

Passion
Geri Halliwell - True Love Never Dies


Hot
Mel B - Sophisticated Lady


Northern Star
Melanie C - Angel on My Shoulder
Melanie C - I Want You Back
Melanie C - Follow Me
Melanie C - Something's Gonna Happen
Melanie C - I Wonder What It Would Be Like

Reason
Melanie C - Love to You
Melanie C - Like That
Melanie C - Living Without You
Melanie C - I Love You Without Trying
Melanie C - Wonderland
Melanie C - Knocked Out

Beautiful Intentions
Melanie C - Everything Must Change
Melanie C - Warrior
Melanie C - Runaway

This Time
Melanie C - Fragile
Melanie C - Already Gone
Melanie C - We Love to Entertain You

The Sea
Melanie C - Stop This Train
Melanie C - Cruel Intentions
Melanie C - Stronger

Stages
Melanie C - You'll Never Walk Alone

Version of Me
Melanie C - One Minute (This did end up being included in the Deluxe Version of this album)



Victoria Beckham
Victoria Beckham - In Your Dreams
Victoria Beckham - Always Be My Baby
Victoria Beckham - Feels So Good

Posted by: Jay❄ May 21 2021, 03:43 AM

Spice Girls
I think the two albums have perfect track lists, so it's hard to imagine anything else being included. Maybe Take Me Home comes closest to being worthy of a slot on Spice. Spiceworld - Walk of Life could have been a nice addition, but I don't think it was a hugely missed opportunity and it's nice as part of the Too Much single package. I definitely don't think any of their B Sides were missed single opportunities!


It's been an awfully long time since I heard many of the solo Spice B Sides, so I'd be interested to hear your thoughts! I can provide a few comments though.


Emma Bunton
I feel like Invincible could have provided a somewhat edgier moment on A Girl Like Me, it isn't hugely far removed from the vibe of What I Am. So Long is gorgeous and worthy of album track status.


Geri Halliwell
None of the Schizophonic era B Sides were worthy of album inclusion imo. I'm not very familiar with the Scream B Sides, I'll have to listen again. Passion - I do remember preferring True Love Never Dies to some of the album tracks.


Mel B
Sophisticated Lady would have stuck out on Hot. I think it's a great track though, better than some songs on Hot.


Melanie C
A huge number of B Sides, some I recall, some I don't... many of the Northern Star era B Sides are lovely, but I don't believe any of them are missed opportunities. Reason on the other hand... I think any of the Reason B Sides would have helped elevate the album! Already Gone is great, that definitely should have been on This Time.


Victoria Beckham
I find these tracks to be on par with the bulk of the album tracks tbh, in that they're fine but nothing special.

Posted by: PAJ May 21 2021, 05:46 AM

I always liked Bumper to Bumper but that’s just me. Probably not album material though.

Posted by: PAJ May 21 2021, 05:47 AM

Also I didn’t realise there were so many solo b-sides. I may need to investigate the Emma and Mel C (Northern Star era) ones.

Posted by: lovaticuk May 21 2021, 07:13 AM

Take Me Home and Walk of Life are sublime! I still listen to both regularly, not so much the others, unless its Christmas and I listen to Sleigh Ride and Christmas Wrapping

Posted by: Jade May 21 2021, 08:10 AM

'Take Me Home' is easily my favourite of all these B-Side, would've been happy to see that on 'Spice'

Posted by: Chemistry May 21 2021, 10:56 AM

Breaking Glass is one of my favourite Geri song of all time, wouldn't have worked as a single but should have definitely been an album track.

Posted by: Mr.X May 21 2021, 11:01 AM

YES I LOVE THIS GAME

Spice
Spice Girls - Bumper to Bumper
Spice Girls - Take Me Home

I think both of these would have been incredible album tracks, of they had wanted to take the album to a 12 track and not loose its' connotations of being a classic. Certainly I would have replaced Mama with Take Me Home as it is the better song at least, but I always felt that Bumper to Bumper and Take Me Home represent two of the best qualities of the Spice Girls: one is cheeky, r'n'b summer fun, the other is a moody ballad full of introspection and soul-searching. But I am not sure they would have been great singles...

Spiceworld
Spice Girls - Walk of Life

This one I can see being included in a special edition but I am quite glad it wasnt included in the album. It certainly would have been the weakest album track of them all. Had they released a special edition in 1998, or a delux, I think including Walk Of Life, together with Step To Me would have been great though!

Emma Bunton - A Girl Like Me
Not really in love with her bsides this era. The best one is Close Encounters but they all scream b-side at best to me.

Emma Bunton - Free Me
So Long
Takin' It Easy
Eso Beso
So Nice (Summer Samba)

In an ideal world, Emma would have released a delux version of Free Me and all of these would have been included in there. All of these are amazing songs, worth it of inclusion in the main album.

So Long is definitely her 'lost' masterpiece. I get it that it probably wasnt included in the album as it is quite differnt in sound and lyrically it is actually quite close to No Sign of Life. But trully, it would have been a perfect inclusion, somehow. Takin' It Easy would have sounded great towards the beginning of the album.

Eso Beso and So Nice were definitely recorded for the perfection that is the Crickets single bundle, but either would have slotted right in on the album, I think. Certainly Eso Beso sounds like it could do very easily.

Emma Bunton - Life in Mono
Midnights and Martinis

Not sure on this one, just sad we didnt get to hear more bsides actually...

Geri Halliwell
I only know Breaking Glass and I think that song is probably one of her better ever, so yes.

Mel B - Hot
Sophisticated Lady is a cute girl and should totally have been on the album, together with Word Up, instead of ABC 123 or I Believe

Melanie C - Northern Star
I Wonder What It Would Be Like is a cute song and I coudl see it being on a special edition of the album, actually. Shame it never made it.

Melanie C - Reason
Love to You
Like That
Wonderland

All of these should have been on the album, instead of Soul Boy, Do It or Loose Myself in You. Wonderland continues to be one of her better songs ever, a total shame that it got relegated to bside on a DVD... wild...

Melanie C - This Time
Fragile and Already Gone are better than quite a lot of songs in the albums and both would have been better singles than the actual singles of the album...

Victoria Beckham
In Your Dreams could have been cute instead of IOU....

Posted by: schizo_spice May 21 2021, 10:14 PM

She wanted it on there but the album had been finalised and mastered by the time she recorded it.

I think

Take Me Home
Outer Space Girls
Breaking Glass
Summertime
Brave New World
Getting Better
Free Up Your Mind
So Long
I Want You Back
Angel on My Shoulder
Like That
Love to You

All deserved album track status.

Posted by: spiceboy May 22 2021, 08:28 AM

Spice
None. Take me home is good but the album is already perfect as it is I wouldn't remove anything to replace it with a Bside.

Spiceworld
Again none the album is perfect as it is. I do think Walk of life is album worthy material and could maybe have been an extra track having 11 tracks and not 10 but I wouldn't remove any for that song.

Free Me
Emma Bunton - So Long
Emma Bunton - Eso Beso
Emma Bunton - So Nice (Summer Samba)

All of the above are way better than Crickets I would take that out and replace with one of the above.

Life in Mono
Emma Bunton - Midnights and Martinis

Actually a very nice track I'm not sure what I'd take out to replace it with though?

Schizophonic
None of the B-sides were stronger than album tracks. I do have a massive soft spot for her cover of TBAMFW though. Don't think it would fit the album however.

Scream If You Wanna Go Faster
Geri Halliwell - Brave New World
Geri Halliwell - New Religion
Geri Halliwell - Breaking Glass
Geri Halliwell - Getting Better
Geri Halliwell - Destiny

All of these tracks are better than Shake your bootie cutie and Feels like sex so any of the two to replace those two. Brave New World and Getting better maybe?

Passion
Geri Halliwell - True Love Never Dies

I actually really like Passion and I'm not sure which track I would remove to fit this in... the ballads on Passion are highlights of the album. It's a great track though and album worthy.


Hot
I think Sophisticated Lady is a great track but it wouldn't fit on HOT. Maybe if she had done a more versatile album ala Northern Star then it could have gone on it.

Northern Star
Melanie C - I Want You Back

I adore this track however I don't know which track I would be willing to replace it with as I love the Northern Star album. Tbh pretty much all the NS era B-sides are album worthy but she definitely chose the right tracks.

Reason
Melanie C - Love to You
Melanie C - Like That
Melanie C - Living Without You
Melanie C - I Love You Without Trying
Melanie C - Wonderland
Melanie C - Knocked Out

ALL of these songs are better than several Reason tracks (Lose yourself in me, Do I, Soul boy). I think I love you without trying is actually single worthy nevermind album worthy,

Beautiful Intentions
Melanie C - Everything Must Change

Love this song and think it is definitely album worthy and actually potentially single worthy, however I love Beautiful Intentions and would struggle to remove a track for it...

This Time
Melanie C - Fragile
Melanie C - Already Gone
Melanie C - We Love to Entertain You

All three of these tracks are more worthy of being album tracks over quite a few This Time ones. Already Gone is single material.

The Sea
Melanie C - Cruel Intentions

I think this could have replaced a couple of The Sea tracks, maybe Beautiful Mind would be a good place for it.

Stages
None

Version of Me
None


Victoria Beckham
Can't comment I've never had the interest to listen to them.

Posted by: Voodoo Jun 30 2022, 11:13 AM

I Want You Back, Something's Gonna Happen & I Wonder What It Would Be Like would have been worthy additions to Northern Star. I love their rocky vibe.

Already Gone should definitely have been a single from This Time. I adore it so much. It's actually one of my favorite Melanie songs ever. Her adlibs in the end are everything.

Although it's quite an up-tempo song, the lyrics are quite poignant & sad.

I think it's Melanie's most popular B Side on YouTube.



Special mention also goes to Fragile. It's so beautiful.

Posted by: Jessie Where Jun 30 2022, 11:36 AM

It kind of shows just how bad her vocals are though! There's a good song in there though, perhaps its potential could have been realised in different hands.

Posted by: vibe Jun 30 2022, 07:34 PM

Already Gone is 🥰

Posted by: Mr.X Jun 30 2022, 09:46 PM

WAIT!!!!!!!!

What the BUNTON HELL is this @spiceboy?????

You are hereby REMOVED from The Flawless Fandom for sacrilege against Emma Bunton herself!

Posted by: McAndrew Jul 1 2022, 10:20 AM

Crickets was a bizarre cover, let alone as a single choice... With everyone "coming" everywhere.

Breathing and No sign of Life were right there. But even So Long would've been a better choice for the album and single.

Posted by: Mr.X Jul 1 2022, 10:42 AM

Crickets was a perfect single and that is a hill I will die on

Posted by: spiceboy Jul 1 2022, 04:32 PM

Here lies Mr X he died from terrible emma music choices…

Posted by: Blond 2.0 Jul 1 2022, 05:20 PM

Take me Home
Walk Of Life

Geri Halliwell - Brave New World .
Geri Halliwell - Breaking Glass .


Emma Bunton - So Long
Emma Bunton - So Nice (Summer Samba)

OMG Mel C a lot really lol

Melanie C - I Want You Back
Melanie C - Love to You
Melanie C - Like That
Melanie C - Living Without You
Melanie C - I Love You Without Trying
Melanie C - Everything Must Change
Melanie C - Fragile
Melanie C - Already Gone
Melanie C - We Love to Entertain You
Melanie C - Cruel Intentions

Posted by: Mr.X Jul 1 2022, 05:33 PM

Sorry I dont speak to ex-Flawless fans

Posted by: dromeda Jul 1 2022, 06:11 PM

I love Is This Love, but I have no idea from what era it is. And the story about this song.

Spice : Take Me Home - album track
Spice World: Walk of Life - album track
forever: Woman 😂 - album track and lead single

Posted by: Piers Jul 10 2022, 04:12 AM

Good topic! I won't go through every album era, but here's a few off the top of my head.

Geri - Summertime (Schizophonic). I wouldn't put it in single consideration out of the Schizophonic material, but at the very least I think it towers over You're In A Bubble. I would slot it somewhere in the latter half of the album and then end Schizophonic with Someone's Watching Over Me. While Geri has stronger songs, I do think Summertime and Goodnight Kiss are the best use of her vocal abilities in this album era.

Geri - Getting Better (Scream If You Wanna Go Faster). I feel like no one really ever talks about this song...but to me, there's enough effort put into this that it seems like it was intended for something greater than a b-side. My guess (which isn't based on much) is that this was supposed to accompany the Therapy film she was shopping around at the time. "We need a little therapy, c'mon" Yes? No? Anyway. I think the common wisdom would be to replace either Shake Your Bootie Cutie or Heaven and Hell (Being Geri Halliwell)...but I'll pretty much always take loudly, proudly bizarre over unmemorable. So I'd slot Getting Better on the album in place of either Don't Call Me Baby or Lovey Dovey Stuff.

Emma - Invincible. (A Girl Like Me) To me, the production here lacks a certain oomph...but a more rocky, amped-up mix would have actually been single material. I know a different artist actually did release this song as a single around the same time...and it went nowhere. But. With the right artist (Emma) and the right mix (it wasn't that far off), I think this one had the makings of an early 2000s classic. It just sounds to me like something that you'd hear in a commercial for one of the Now compilations.

Melanie C - Follow Me (Northern Star). I've always thought this song was gorgeous. Way too good to be left off Northern Star. My guess is she was trying to get a good variety of themes and sounds for the album...and this one was a smidge similar to Closer. But I still would have included it...preferably in place of If That Were Me (Follow Me is superior to that one in every way as far as I'm concerned). I'd even go so far as to say I would have been up for Follow Me as the 5th single off the album...and I like it better than all the singles off Reason, Beautiful Intentions, and This Time (though not all the album tracks in general).