Placing last, perhaps surprisingly, is Emma's cover of her Spice Girls classic '2 Become 1'!
Emma first tackled '2 Become 1' away from the other girls in 2003, when she performed it by herself on the UK television show CD:UK. Fast forward 16 years and she's finally given us a studio version, with one notable difference - the inclusion of a duet partner: Robbie Williams!
This pairing actually stems back to 2016, when Robbie invited Emma to sing '2 Become 1' with him during a live set. Afterwards, Emma noticed that the performance received a warm reception on social media - which she cites as one of the reasons that eventually lead her to back to the recording studio. Emma decided to record '2 Become 1' for her new album because it's her favourite Spice Girls song, and she decided to email Robbie to recreate the magic of the performance.
Personally, I think the end result leaves a lot to be desired. This studio version sounds very rough to me, and I don't think either artist are anywhere close to being at their best, vocally. I felt that their live performance had some chemistry to it, which seems absent on this recording - perhaps due to the fact that they recorded their lines separately from each other. Honestly, I think I'd have preferred this as an Emma solo.
'2 Become 1' is currently her second highest 'My Happy Place' track in her "Popular Top 10" list on Spotify, so it seems the combination of a Spice Girls classic & Robbie Williams has drawn in more listeners than her other offerings. Most of us seem to agree there's better songs to be found on the album though!
Posted by: Jay ☆ Apr 25 2019, 06:03 AM
9th - Come Away with Me (feat. Josh Kumra) [37 points]
Narrowly avoiding last place is 'Come Away with Me', a cover of a Norah Jones single from her huge 2002 album of the same name. Emma revealed that this is a song that she & her partner Jade Jones fell in love to. It is a very romantic song!
Her duet partner here is Josh Kumra, a 28 year old British singer-songwriter, best known for his 2011 #1 single 'Don't Go'.
It appears this isn't regarded as a particular album highlight by anyone, with the most generous ranks placing it 7th.
A connection between Emma Bunton & Norah Jones is that both artists released their second albums in the same week - 'Free Me' and 'Feels Like Home', respectively. In the UK, Norah Jones entered at #1 while Emma placed at #7. Funnily enough 15 years later, 'My Happy Place' came out in the same week as Norah's latest release 'Begin Again' - but the tables have turned. Emma made it to a respectable #11, while Norah's album missed the Top 100.
Posted by: Lukuzz Apr 25 2019, 06:26 AM
No real loses so far, though I hope Emotion is out next
Posted by: Michael Andrew Apr 25 2019, 08:57 AM
I honestly would've loved '2 Become 1' as a solo.
As a commercial decision, I understand Emma's thinking on the duet. It could've been good. But Robbie murdered it for me. It's as though he's trying too hard to demonstrate his vocal range, rather than honouring the soulful nature of the song.
Originally by The Beatles, Emma revealed that 'Here Comes the Sun' was playing as she gave birth to her first born son Beau. Obviously this makes it very a special song to her, so much so that she was worried she'd cry while performing it on Radio 2! The intro of the song also alludes to how emotional it makes Emma, via a sweet conversation with Beau.
Posted by: Jay ☆ Apr 27 2019, 10:43 AM
7th - You're All I Need to Get By (feat. Jade Jones) [58 points]
Another song on the record that is a family moment! This cover of the 60s classic by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell is a duet between Emma Bunton and her partner Jade Jones, with their youngest son Tate (is it just Tate? I don't think Beau is involved?) providing a spoken & vocal intro to the song. Emma & Jade performed this together on Radio 2 to promote the album, and a music video is filmed but yet to be released.
Posted by: Mr.X Apr 27 2019, 11:19 AM
Not surprised by the results at all. A bit of a shame that Emma is actually releasing You're All I Need To Get By when there are MUCH better songs (and better produced ) on the album...
'Emotion' is a cover of the 1977 song by Australian singer Samantha Sang. It was written by Barry & Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees, who recorded their own version in 1994 (but wasn't released commercially until 2001!). Destiny's Child achieved an international hit with their cover version in 2001.
Emma says that the song makes her feel emotional whenever she hears it, and revealed that her partner Jade, her mum and her kids all wanted her to record it for her own album.
Posted by: Mr.X May 5 2019, 10:39 PM
my opinions have changed a bit since first impressions. Don't Call Me Baby now ranks much lower for me... her vocal somewhat underminds the song and the track really goes nowhere.
Posted by: Jay ☆ May 17 2019, 02:03 AM
5th - I Only Want to Be With You (feat. Will Young) [74 points]
Highest Rank Position: 1st - vibe Lowest Rank Position: 9th - Maurice!, Michael Andrew
Emma's highest placed duet is with Will Young, on 'I Only Want to Be With You'! Originally by Dusty Springfield (released in 1963 as her debut single), Emma & Will's take on the classic is to slow it right down and transform it into a touching ballad. Emma revealed that the song took a while to record because she & Will couldn't stop gossiping in the studio!
Posted by: vibe May 17 2019, 07:51 AM
Still my fav on the album.
Posted by: Eduardo Jul 28 2019, 01:15 PM
What took you so long...
Posted by: Mr.X Jul 28 2019, 05:04 PM
Seems like Jay forgot about this thread, but tbh that's how the public reacted to the album in the first place
Posted by: vibe Jul 29 2019, 02:29 PM
Haha
Posted by: Spiceboy Jul 29 2019, 03:03 PM
Eduardo and Mr X handing them disses like pros
Posted by: Jay ☆ Jul 29 2019, 03:05 PM
I’ll finish this off soon!
Posted by: Mr.X Jul 30 2019, 04:07 PM
🙃😜
Posted by: Jay ☆ Aug 12 2019, 10:55 AM
4th - I Wish I Could Have Loved You More [89 points]
I feel like the majority of us would agree that this is the most obscure cover version on the album! It was originally by British pop artist Candie Payne, released in 2006. I hadn't heard the song before Emma's version, in fact I still haven't checked out the original, so to me it feels like an Emma original!
Posted by: Mr.X Aug 12 2019, 03:11 PM
I actually really love that song and it feels like a Bunton original - she always delivers of making covers feel like her own music when she wants to (see Crickets and Life in Mono).
The only bit of this one track I would question would be the lack of other lines in the verses, as I find the repeating of the title over and over quite cool but grating after a few listens.
But it is GORGEOUS and I wish she would do more on this vein of music.
Posted by: Spiceboy Aug 12 2019, 03:57 PM
I adore I wish I could have loved you more it’s brilliant 😍
Don't Call Me Baby is the highest placed cover version! It is originally by Madison Avenue, whose version went to #1 in the UK way back in 2000. Emma loved the song back in the day, and thought that it would be very tongue in cheek for her to record her own version, given that she is known as Baby Spice!
Posted by: Jay ☆ Aug 13 2019, 08:44 AM
The Top 2 songs are Baby Please Don't Stop and Too Many Teardrops, but which song will be victorious? I can reveal that there is just one point separating them.
Find out soon!
Posted by: Mr.X Aug 13 2019, 10:11 AM
TBH Don't Call Me Baby has worn off me since the beginning. I can't quite stand her vocal on it anymore lol Also it needs a bit more edge to work.
Posted by: Jay ☆ Oct 12 2019, 05:42 PM
QUOTE(Jay ☆ @ Aug 13 2019, 09:44 AM)
The Top 2 songs are Baby Please Don't Stop and Too Many Teardrops, but which song will be victorious? I can reveal that there is just one point separating them.
Just 1 point separated the runner up and the winner... and Too Many Teardrops is our runner up! This song - only the second of two original compositions on the album - was released as a preview track ahead of the release of My Happy Place. It's certainly a throwback to the sixties pop sound she perfected across her 2004 & 2006 albums Free Me & Life in Mono respectively. It's also quite a tease when it comes to how potentially strong a fully original album by Emma could have been.
Which means that BuzzJack's favourite song from My Happy Place is...
Congratulations Baby Please Don't Stop! The only other original song on the album was chosen to lead the album as the first single. It became Emma's first lead single release since 2007's All I Need to Know - yes, Baby made us wait 12 whole years for new music! With the music industry changing beyond recognition since Emma was last an active popstar (streaming!), sadly Baby Please Don't Stop didn't enter the UK charts. Regardless, BuzzJack's Spice fans were clearly very pleased with this track and many consider it to be the album's strongest moment.
Sorry the results took so long to reveal. The album is 6 months old today!
Posted by: Mr.X Oct 12 2019, 06:39 PM
Thanks JAY!
I think Too Many Teardrops has indeed become my favourite Emma song from this era and definitely the highlight of the album. At the moment, it is in the Top5 of her best songs overall for me. Baby Please Don't Stop was a safe Emma song, to me it has lost its appeal with time.
A shame she never did a proper video and promo for Too Many Teardrops ( I think all we got was an interview and premiere of the song on Graham Norton radio show, but like no airplay) and instead focused on Baby Please Don't Stop and All I Need To Get By, but Im hoping it will make an appearence on the Albert Hall show.
Posted by: Jay ☆ Oct 12 2019, 07:10 PM
I think Too Many Teardrops was a missed opportunity too, it deserved a video
Posted by: Spiceboy Oct 13 2019, 08:54 AM
Too many teardrops is easily my favourite now I would even put I wish I could have loved you more slightly above BPDS.
Posted by: sammy01 Oct 13 2019, 09:21 AM
Obvious top 2 and the order of the rest is pretty much my feelings on the album. I'd probably bump Emotions up to #5 as it just suits her voice beautifully.
Overall I'd say bar the bottom 3 tracks in this rate it is a very solid album. Swap those 3 covers for 2 more originals and 1 more better cover and the album would be a solid 8.5. As it is thise songs drag it down to a 7 maybe even 6.5.
Posted by: Spiceboy Oct 13 2019, 10:14 AM
For me: 1. Baby please don’t stop 2. Too many teardrops 3. I wish I could have loved you more 4. I only want to be with you
Are all great and would be my single choices
5. Don’t call me baby 6. Emotion
Are good as album tracks
7. You’re al I need
Is average presents nothing new but isn’t offensive either
8. Come fly with me 9. 2 become 1 10. Here comes the sun
Are all terrible and really drag the album down.
Posted by: Mr.X Oct 13 2019, 10:58 AM
QUOTE(Spiceboy @ Oct 13 2019, 11:14 AM)
For me: 1. Baby please don’t stop 2. Too many teardrops 3. I wish I could have loved you more 4. I only want to be with you
Are all great and would be my single choices
5. Don’t call me baby 6. Emotion
Are good as album tracks
7. You’re al I need
Is average presents nothing new but isn’t offensive either
8. Come fly with me 9. 2 become 1 10. Here comes the sun
Are all terrible and really drag the album down.
So much agree!
Posted by: sammy01 Oct 13 2019, 12:22 PM
I think we all pretty much agree those 3 tracks are rubbish. Such a shame because the rest is good enough.
Posted by: Jay ☆ Oct 13 2019, 02:58 PM
I actually find Come Away with Me quite pleasant lol. Interestingly it’s her second most popular track from the album on Spotify, also in her Top 5 songs. It’s included in a playlist called Chill Covers.
2 Become 1 and I Only Wanna Be with You are the two main offenders for me that drag down the album. 2 Become 1 comes across like a rush job and sounds kind of sterile. On IOWBWY, Emma & Will Young’s vocals together clash in a surprisingly harsh way.
Otherwise, I appreciate that Here Comes the Sun is a special song for Emma, and therefore I understand the sentimentality of having her children sing on it, but it certainly ups the saccharine factor. I’m not really a fan of the song whoever sings it, but it’s nice enough.
My ranking would be:
1. Baby Please Don’t Stop 2. Too Many Teardrops 3. Don’t Call Me Baby 4. I Wish I Could Have Loved You More 5. Emotion 6. You’re All I Need to Get By (I’d possibly have it higher than Emotion if it wasn’t for the intro) 7. Come Away with Me 8. Here Comes the Sun 9. I Only Wanna Be with You 10. 2 Become 1
Posted by: sammy01 Oct 13 2019, 03:11 PM
It shows what playlists do for songs because no one would be checking for Come away with me otherwise. I guess it is a good thing though as it might be helping the album do a few units a week through streaming sales.
Posted by: Spiceboy Oct 13 2019, 10:14 PM
QUOTE(Jay ☆ @ Oct 13 2019, 03:58 PM)
I actually find Come Away with Me quite pleasant lol. Interestingly it’s her second most popular track from the album on Spotify, also in her Top 5 songs. It’s included in a playlist called Chill Covers.
2 Become 1 and I Only Wanna Be with You are the two main offenders for me that drag down the album. 2 Become 1 comes across like a rush job and sounds kind of sterile. On IOWBWY, Emma & Will Young’s vocals together clash in a surprisingly harsh way.
Otherwise, I appreciate that Here Comes the Sun is a special song for Emma, and therefore I understand the sentimentality of having her children sing on it, but it certainly ups the saccharine factor. I’m not really a fan of the song whoever sings it, but it’s nice enough. My ranking would be:
1. Baby Please Don’t Stop 2. Too Many Teardrops 3. Don’t Call Me Baby 4. I Wish I Could Have Loved You More 5. Emotion 6. You’re All I Need to Get By (I’d possibly have it higher than Emotion if it wasn’t for the intro) 7. Come Away with Me 8. Here Comes the Sun 9. I Only Wanna Be with You 10. 2 Become 1
You didn't put Too many teardrops first so therefore your opinion on IOWBWY is invalid sorry (not sorry)....
My ranking is: 1. Too many teardrops 2. I wish I could have loved you more 3. Baby please don't stop 4. I only wanna be with you 5. Emotion 6. Don't call me baby
7. All I need (to get by)
8. Come away with me 9. Here comes the sun
10. 2 become 1 (ruined a classic!)
Posted by: Spiceboy Oct 13 2019, 10:15 PM
QUOTE(Mr.X @ Oct 13 2019, 11:58 AM)
So much agree!
This is a guy with taste
(Apart from your weird and frankly not right views about Melanie C's songs - When you're gone, Loving you... )
Posted by: Mr.X Oct 14 2019, 01:02 AM
QUOTE(Spiceboy @ Oct 13 2019, 11:15 PM)
This is a guy with taste
(Apart from your weird and frankly not right views about Melanie C's songs - When you're gone, Loving you... )
Both are terribly middle-of-the-road songs. When You're Gone is slightly better but I just cant enjoy it ah. Loving You has ONE redeeming feature: Matt would get it. Hard
My ranking:
1. Too Many Teardrops (Bunton on top form!) 2. I Wish I Could Have Loved You More (I love this take on her sound. YES!) 3. Baby Please Don't Stop (I dont love it but it is a nice song) 4. All I Need To Get By (I am choosing to ignore the sacarine and terrible kids singing in the intro lol otherwise this would be a couple spots lower) 5. Don't Call Me Baby (it has really not stood the test of, erm, 5 months age ) 6. I Only Want To Be With You 7. Emotion (meh) 8. Come away with me (terrible...) 9. Here comes the sun (terrible...)
10. 2 become 1 (ruined a classic!)
Posted by: Jay ☆ Oct 14 2019, 01:46 AM
As a matter of interest, what do you guys find so terrible about Come Away with Me? Its lyrical content? The vocals? It being a slow song? Do you not like the original song either?
I find it to be a very relaxing listen and Emma's vocals sound lovely... I sense that she really connects with the romantic nature of the song as she's singing it. I think her vocals complement Josh's very nicely, actually a much better fit than with Robbie or Will.
Posted by: Michael Andrew Oct 14 2019, 07:47 AM
I agree with you Jay. For me, Robbie and Will are great names. But Josh's soulful vocal is a better match with Emma's.
I think 'I Only Wanna Be With You' is an incredible song though. It just never gets old.
Posted by: sammy01 Oct 14 2019, 01:23 PM
For me Come away with me is just beyond boring. It isn't even boring but beautiful like All I need to know, it just plods along until it finishes or you fall asleep.
Posted by: Mr.X Oct 14 2019, 02:06 PM
I think Come Away With Me is too close to the original to feel interesting to me. It's such a Norah Jones song and Emma doesnt provide much difference to it. Josh sounds devine in it, and thier voices kind of compliment each other, but the result is a bit... kind of just there. For me...
Funnily that I think Emma's 4 collaborators in this album dont really work that well with her. Jade and Josh are the most complimentary to her voice, though. But even Jade and her dont blend that well, plus I think the tone in the chorus for All I Need To Get By doesnt sound so good on her...
Maybe I am too married to the original. I just think she has proven before that she can do much better. Crickets was a brilliant cover, and so was Life in Mono, I Wish I Could Have Loved You More, etc....
Posted by: Eduardo Oct 14 2019, 09:44 PM
Lately, I've been only listening to Too Many Teardrops and I Only Want to Be With You.
And I was thinking about her timing for duets: it was too soon to feature Luis Fonsi and too late to feature Will Young.
This studio version sounds very rough to me, and I don't think either artist are anywhere close to being at their best, vocally. I felt that their live performance had some chemistry to it, which seems absent on this recording - perhaps due to the fact that they recorded their lines separately from each other. Honestly, I think I'd have preferred this as an Emma solo.
) on the album...
I’ll finish this off soon!
)
)