Downtown is definitely very high didn’t expect it up that high

#21 Tomorrow

 

From: Free Me (single) + Free Me (album)

Release year: 2003

Average votes: 7,81

 

 

Really just edging over So Long is another Free Me-era staple: Tomorrow. First released as a b-side to the first single of the era Free Me in Spring 2003, the song functioned here as an attempt to provide a further outlook into what type of sounds the main album would bring. Together with Who The Hell Are You, the two b-sides functioned as an expanded soundscape to the single, and prepared us for the more bossa-nova and experimental pop that we then came to associate with Emma's sound at the time.

 

Written by Emma and Yak Bondi (who also produces the track!), Tomorrow is the baby-sister to the iconic Maybe. They do both thread the same sonic landscapes and quirky pop sound. It is one of the ONLY album tracks that Emma performed at the time, when she took on the song for a special one-off Top of the Pops performance around the time of the album's release.

 

I would say that the Top20 is incredibly strong and damn, the last 10 tracks were also really high quality. You can tell that both Free Me and Life in Mono have really stood the test of time for many fans, whereas A Girl Like Me and My Happy Place had mainly singles that were up to Emma's standards.

 

Here's how it is going and what we still have in competition:

 

RESULTS SO FAR

 

21. Tomorrow

22. So Long

23. Undressing You

24. Downtown

25. Life in Mono

26. Who The Hell Are You

27. You Are

28. I'm Not Crying Over Yesterdays

29. Amazing (featuring Luis Fonsi)

30. A World Without You

31. I Only Want To Be With You (featuring Will Young)

32. Don't Call Me Baby

33. High On Love

34. Lay Your Love On Me

35. Something Tells Me (Something's Gonna Happen Tonight)

36. You're All I Need To Get By (featuring Jade Jones)

37. Eso Beso

38. Maybe (Latino Mix)

39. Midnights & Martinis

40. Better Be Careful

41. We're Not Gonna Sleep Tonight (album version)

42. Sunshine on a Rainy Day

43. Takin' It Easy

44. A Girl Like Me

45. Por Favor

46. Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps

47. So Nice (Summer Samba)

48. We're Not Gonna Sleep Tonight (single mix)

48. Been There, Done That

50. Santa Baby

51. Emotion

52. Coming Home For Christmas

53. Come Away With Me (featuring Josh Kumra)

54. Spell it OUT

55. Free Up Your Mind

56. Don't Tell Me You Love Me Anymore

57. She Was a Friend of Mine

58. I Know Him So Well

59. Invincible

60. Close Encounter

61. I Don't Know (Emma features on Damage's single)

62. Let Your Baby Show You How to Move

63. Here Comes The Sun

64. Merry Go-Round

65. 2 Become 1 (featuring Robbie Williams)

66. Sometimes (Chicken Shed charity album, 2002)

67. Greatest Day (England's 2014 Official World Cup Song, also including Melanie C)

 

Still in competition:

 

Songs (in order of album release!): What Took You So Long?, Take My Breath Away, What I Am (featuring Tin Tin Out), Free Me, Maybe, I'll Be There, Breathing, Crickets Sing for AnaMaria, No Sign of Life, Something So Beautiful, All I Need To Know, Perfect Strangers, I Wasn't Looking (When I Found Love), Mischievous, Take Me To Another Town, All That You'll Be, He Loves Me Not, Baby Please Don't Stop, I Wish I Could Have Love You More, Too Many Teardrops

 

Singles: 9

Album tracks: 11

 

Free Me songs: 7

Life in Mono songs: 7

A Girl Like Me songs: 3

My Happy Place songs: 3

B-sides: 0

Other: 0

Edited December 18, 2024Dec 18 by Mr.X

Tomorrow and So Long are chef's kiss. Both shouldn't have been used as b-sides. Tomorrow always sounded very radio friendly. Could have been a single if it was never used as the b-side on Free Me.

#20 I Wasn't Looking (When I Found Love)

 

From album: Life in Mono

Release year: 2006

Average votes: 7,8401

 

 

Opening up the Top20 is one of Life in Mono's best reviewed songs upon its release. Written by Emma with Hannah Robinson (of 'Some Girls' and Sophie Ellis Bextor fame!), the song is a fan-favourite orchestral pop masterpiece. It was tauted by critics at the time as a very radio-friendly song that could easy tackle the Bridgit Jones-audiences that exist in the UK.

 

Ema said of the track that she was inspired by her relationship with Jade: I was kind of looking back on the relationship I've got with Jade and how it's weird when you're not looking for something it comes and smacks you in the face. (from her own website at the time!)

 

Sadly never played live to today! Lets hope Bunton revives some of the Life in Mono and Free Me album tracks in her next live show since it seems like both album's album tracks have really stood the test of time!

 

#19 He Loves Me Not

 

From album: Life in Mono

Release year: 2006

Average vote: 7,8403

 

 

Taunted at the time as another potential single of the album (but never really in contention!) the song seems Emma hoping around, picking daisis and picking at their petals in a game of 'he loves me, he loves me not', the ancient game of love that was so popular when we were kids! It fits right in with her Baby Spice persona but in a more wonderous and wandering way!

 

Emma on He Loves Me Not: I think this song sounds like it could have been written years ago because it has a really lovely and timeless feel to.

 

#18 Mischievous

 

From album: Life in Mono

Release year: 2006

Average votes: 7,8404

 

 

Another Life in Mono album staple finally leaves the competition! Three in a row!

 

Mentioned by pretty much every critic at the time as the album track with the most potential as a single, Mischievous is a Cathy Dennis-written pop track that goes straight to the heart of sexy, sultry Emma she was going for with the Life in Mono album. The melody is very strong and probably the biggest hook of the album.

 

 

Emma on the track: "it's just one of those cheeky songs, a bit naughty. When me and Cathy get together that's exactly she brings that naughty side out of me and that fun side. It's one of those times where writing wise I can just really let myself go and just go with it. I've known her for years. Sometimes we just eat dinner and get a bottle of wine and end up not doing much. We do like a bit of gossip and a catch up. But no, it's a great track."

 

Funnily enough, Emma does a simple trick on this track which sadly backfired a little: she pronounces 'Mischievious' with a hard accent on the final 'i' where the actual work does not have that final 'i' not is it ever pronounced in the way that Emma does in this album. It is a bit off putting as it clearly was just a way to find it to fit the melody rather than for grammar, rhyme or narrative reasons! It was pointed out a lot at the time.

Edited December 22, 2024Dec 22 by Mr.X

Updated the previous reply to include TWO MORE tracks because they all have very very close voting averages. In fact, a mere 0,0001 separates some of them!

 

Also, have included more info on each track.

Lots of Life in Mono! My favourite there is possibly I Wasn’t Looking When I Found Love, her vocals sounds really pretty on it. Mischievous is a bit of a bop!

Mischievous is a bit of a missed out single for me, such a fun catchy bop!

Ooopppss I got too drunk over the Christmas period, appologies! Rate about to get going again :P

 

#17 What I Am (featuring Tin Tin Out)

 

From album: A Girl Like Me

Release year: 1999

UK peak chart position: #2

UK chart run: 02-09-15-23-39-51-57-48-45-45-38-38-82-Out

UK Total Sales: 234,000 [source: Official Charts Company] (15th January 2020)

Average votes: 8,07

 

 

The one which started it all :wub: Whilst (Hey You) Free Up Your Mind was the first solo song from Bunton to ever be released, What I Am has the honour of being the very first single to be released and promoted. Of course, in true Bunton style, the song is a cover of the hit song by Edie Brickell & New Bohemians. Emma does a nice cute version if not too distant from the original, but it does well in general and it provided her with a cute hit to start off her solo ventures.

 

What I Am saw Emma joining in with relatively unknown duo Tin Tin Out, who also worked with The Coors but barely anyone else at that point. It was included in their album and promoted all over TV and Radio in the UK.

 

Of course, we cannot skip over the fact that this single's release was embroiled in a chart competition race against Emma's own former friend and Spice Girl colleague, Geraldine Halliwell and her single Lift Me Up. Ultimately, Emma lost the battle, but to be fair, both songs were met with not much longevity (though What I Am is probably Emma's third most successful song overall!).

 

The last few years since Emma went back on the road, she has performed it and the song has seen renewed interest.But I for one - and even if I am a bit indiferent to it - am a bit shocked the song is so low here. I thought it would be Top10 but glad it isn't.

 

This is NOT Emma's highest placing cover on this rate though! Can you guess what song that honour goes to? And what placing it will have?? :w00t:

 

Of course, we cannot skip over the fact that this single's release was embroiled in a chart competition race against Emma's own former friend and Spice Girl colleague, Geraldine Halliwell and her single Lift Me Up. Ultimately, Emma lost the battle, but to be fair, both songs were met with not much longevity (though What I Am is probably Emma's third most successful song overall!).

 

At least we got some performances of What I Am with Emma’s mic on and working! Can’t say the same for any of the Lift Me Up performances :coffee:

Sorry I’m feeling shady tonight lol

At least we got some performances of What I Am with Emma’s mic on and working! Can’t say the same for any of the Lift Me Up performances :coffee:

Sorry I’m feeling shady tonight lol

 

Geraldine's solo career was a total hack job! She was good to write a good 90's pop song but she was never destined to be a long-running solo pop star, lets be real.

 

They all mimmed at the time though, even Mel C! But at least Mel C and Emma had the eye to sing live whenever they could.

Aw. It’s amazing to think Baby was only 24 in that video.

 

You can really notice a change in her confidence when she sings now. She sounds much more sure of her voice these days. But she’s always had that lovely tone and pitch.

#16 Crickets Sing for AnaMaria

 

From album: Free Me

Release year: 2004

UK peak chart position: #15

UK chart run: 15-28-39-55-Out-92-95-96-99-113-111-Out-160-174-200-Out

UK Total Sales: 20,352

Average votes: 8,11

 

 

After the release of Free Me (album) and coming off a successful run of singles that showcased the variety of sounds and excellent music that the album contained, it was time to cap off the era with a left-field approach. Enter Simon Fuller who suggested the song to Emma when she was in Rio filming the music video for the era's first single.

 

Putting those latin-bossa nova sounds to good use, Emma brings a fresh, more Western approach to the iconic 'Os Grilos' by legendary Brazilian artist Marcos Valle. Her version here is fun and pop-to-the-core, and really suits Emma's popstar vibe.

 

Maybe the song was a bit too much of a left-field choice however, as Emma mentioned it was Simon who suggested to release this after I'll Be There, and whilst it did well overall, it stalled at #15 in the UK charts and sold only 20,000 copies - at the time it was Emma's lowest seller! But Emma did do the promo rounds - performing the song at any TV show possible and doing a variety of interviews (oh those were the times!!).

 

Eventually, whereas the single didn't particularly sell that well, it did bring the album back up to the charts - which is what really counts!

 

Emma did throw the iamspamspamamisink to the single though. The video reunites Emma with Greg Musak (of Who Do You Think You Are fame) and it shows her running away with her lover - only for her family to appear in the van! It's an odd and quirky video that is effective even if slightly too silly! Works well with her retro-60s vibe though, for sure!

 

It is still today one of her most left-field singles and a bit of a forgotten gem! Glad to see it making the Top20 in this rate as I believe it was only Top40 in the last BuntonRate :teresa:

 

Maybe enough time has past and the Emma Bunton fans have warmed up to it now? :cheer:

 

Edited December 30, 2024Dec 30 by Mr.X

Geraldine's solo career was a total hack job! She was good to write a good 90's pop song but she was never destined to be a long-running solo pop star, lets be real.

 

She lasted just as long as Emma did... and she has put just as much (if not more) work into her career as Emma too.

 

Sadly none of them were destined for long term careers, as much as I love Melanie C even she is only still going because of her own sheer determination not to give in rather than from continued success.

 

Geri would do just as well as Emma now if she signed onto a record like BMG, a top 20 / 10 album and no chance of a single charting, she could play Mighty Hooplah and do a small tour of her own. Whether it would be as good is a matter of opinion (and I'd say not since Emma is a stronger performer). Melanie only gets slightly more opportunities because she has fought damn hard for them, neither Emma or Geri have.

 

Final addition, Schizophonic was a fabulous era for any popstar and showed a lot of creativity and a strong knowledge of her audience. Kudos to Geri in my opinion she made up for areas where she lacked talent with sheer will, determination and creativity.

 

 

#16 Crickets Sing for AnaMaria

 

From album: Free Me

Release year: 2004

UK peak chart position: #15

UK chart run: 15-28-39-55-Out-92-95-96-99-113-111-Out-160-174-200-Out

UK Total Sales: 20,352

Average votes: 8,11

 

 

After the release of Free Me (album) and coming off a successful run of singles that showcased the variety of sounds and excellent music that the album contained, it was time to cap off the era with a left-field approach. Enter Simon Fuller who suggested the song to Emma when she was in Rio filming the music video for the era's first single.

 

Putting those latin-bossa nova sounds to good use, Emma brings a fresh, more Western approach to the iconic 'Os Grilos' by legendary Brazilian artist Marcos Valle. Her version here is fun and pop-to-the-core, and really suits Emma's popstar vibe.

 

Maybe the song was a bit too much of a left-field choice however, as Emma mentioned it was Simon who suggested to release this after I'll Be There, and whilst it did well overall, it stalled at #15 in the UK charts and sold only 20,000 copies - at the time it was Emma's lowest seller! But Emma did do the promo rounds - performing the song at any TV show possible and doing a variety of interviews (oh those were the times!!).

 

Eventually, whereas the single didn't particularly sell that well, it did bring the album back up to the charts - which is what really counts!

 

Emma did throw the iamspamspamamisink to the single though. The video reunites Emma with Greg Musak (of Who Do You Think You Are fame) and it shows her running away with her lover - only for her family to appear in the van! It's an odd and quirky video that is effective even if slightly too silly! Works well with her retro-60s vibe though, for sure!

 

It is still today one of her most left-field singles and a bit of a forgotten gem! Glad to see it making the Top20 in this rate as I believe it was only Top40 in the last BuntonRate :teresa:

 

Maybe enough time has past and the Emma Bunton fans have warmed up to it now? :cheer:

 

 

 

 

Final final addition, this is crap, worse than anything on Schizophonic. :lol: :P

She lasted just as long as Emma did... and she has put just as much (if not more) work into her career as Emma too.

 

Sadly none of them were destined for long term careers, as much as I love Melanie C even she is only still going because of her own sheer determination not to give in rather than from continued success.

 

Geri would do just as well as Emma now if she signed onto a record like BMG, a top 20 / 10 album and no chance of a single charting, she could play Mighty Hooplah and do a small tour of her own. Whether it would be as good is a matter of opinion (and I'd say not since Emma is a stronger performer). Melanie only gets slightly more opportunities because she has fought damn hard for them, neither Emma or Geri have.

 

Final addition, Schizophonic was a fabulous era for any popstar and showed a lot of creativity and a strong knowledge of her audience. Kudos to Geri in my opinion she made up for areas where she lacked talent with sheer will, determination and creativity.

 

Honey, we were talking about the ability to sing live :teresa:

Final final addition, this is crap, worse than anything on Schizophonic. :lol: :P

 

Personally I think Crickets is a better song overall than 90% of that album. But I guess opinions are just opinions, not facts :P

#15 Baby Please Don't Stop

 

From album: My Happy Place

Release year: 2019

UK charts: N/A

UK sales: 6,691 (as of 2020)

Average votes: 8,19

 

 

The year is 2019, and the Spice Girls are about to embark on a much-anticipated stadium tour that will eventually become the biggest tour ever by a Girl band. The group hasn't reunited for live shows since 2012's short performance at the Olympics and the world is waiting with the utmost excitement. The press is feverish, the Greatest Hits is back on the charts and there are offers being sent to the group to extend the tour worldwide.

 

So what does BabyBunton decide to do instead of focusing on the group? Well, she decides to release another solo album, this time a record full of covers and two new original tracks :rolleyes: :teresa: These girls....

 

Released TWO months before the album was out :blink: Baby Please Don't Stop was Emma's return statement to the music industry after 12 years away :blink: Produced by and written with Metrophonic, the song threads on similar grounds that Free Me and Life in Mono danced in: this 60's swinging pop music that is quicky, flirty and very British.

 

It was met however, with a bit of indifference from the press and critics, as the sound didn't seem to have developped much. It is a very safe release that didn't really offer that much. The video itself was also criticised for being very bland. Whilst Emma performed it on the BBC One Show and a few radio stations, it failed to catch much attention on streaming (barely any playlisting) and barely any radio support. So it failed to chart at all or make much dent on any platforms. Still, it brought Baby Spice back and helped to introduce her 'BabyBunton and her Family' type of branding to the UK public.

 

Funnily enough, it is the lowest of the My Happy Place songs left in this competition with the other two having much more clear and strong voting, as well as both being strong critic and fan favourites.

 

Did Emma mess up by releasing this as the lead? And was she wrong to release it on the lead up to the Spice tour?

 

Edited January 1Jan 1 by Mr.X

I think Baby Please Don't Stop is a very nice, cute bop! A nice addition to her singles catalogue. It's a bit mad to think it's already 6 years old this year. :wacko:

Crickets Sing is a tuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuune.