"Say You'll Be There" by The Spice Girls

What up, Dialophiles? The Dial’s receivers are in an unapologetic, and unabashed late ‘90s pop mood tonight, and no group symbolizes that lighthearted genre and era better than those five babes from Britain, known worldwide as The Spice Girls! Give it up for the forgotten former top 10 hit “Say You’ll Be There”! 

Last time that we had this conversation I decided we should be friends, yeah, But, now we're going round in circles, tell me will this deja vu never end? 

The second single from their 1996 debut LP Spice, SYBT tells the tale of two friends who realize that they have genuine romantic emotions for each other, and the subsequent admission that they should become lovers. The song is sung from the woman’s point of view (shocker!), and details how she initially dismissed the guy as “friend-only” material, but has since decided to give in to romance, as long he promises to always be there for her.

It’s worth noting that there is a peculiar lyric in the bridge leading to the chorus, which manifests in the line “any fool can see they’re falling”. Based on the “voice” of the female storyteller/singer, the line SHOULD be “any fool can see WE’RE falling”, especially given that the lyric that immediately follows is “I gotta make you understand”. Clumsy lyric notwithstanding, SYBT is a jubilant and funky nugget with elements of soul, disco, and a slight hint of new wave styled 80’s pop.

Despite reaching US #3 on the Hot 100, SYBT quickly disappeared from American airwaves several months after its peak, and has been rarely heard on terrestrial radio since. I suspect this is because its release was sandwiched in between the monster breakout hit “Wannabe”, and the huge adult contemporary ballad “2 Become 1”. It simply became lost in the shuffle.

If you, put two and two together, you will see what our friendship is for... If you can't work this equation, then I guess I'll have to show you the door.

SYBT is accompanied by a very stylish and memorable video, in which the girls demonstrate karate know-how, blast targets with ninja stars, boomerangs, and laser guns, and apprehend two guys that appear to be minding their own business, all while looking hot (in more ways than one…) in the Mojave Desert. There’s a cowboy-looking-dude who ends up blindfolded and tied down to stakes on the hot sand (though truth be told, he does look rather shady…), and another guy who pulls up in a red pickup, and quickly finds himself strapped to the roof of the Spices’ car, who then proceed to drive off into the sunset! Talk about windburn!

It’s really hard to tell if the girls are supposed to be heroines, or villainesses in this clip. It’s also likely they are simply mischievous femmes taking crap from no man, regardless of how threatening he actually is. I suppose since the Spices’ entire public persona was based on “GIRL POWER”, this video serves as an exaggerated extension of that ideal, however, it approaches self-parody here. Even still, the video is great fun, with the ladies being introduced movie-credits style with crazy names like “Katrina Highkick”, “Trixie Firecracker”, and “Blazin’ Bad Zula”, and some nifty effects when glass beakers and fishbowls are blasted off of fence posts in the desert sun. 

There is no need to say you love me… it would be better left unsaid… 

The video also serves as quite a treat for classic car enthusiasts, as the “cowboy” character drives a greenish-grey 1963 Lincoln Continental, the hapless pickup driver tools around in a red ‘63 Chevy Corvair Rampside, and the girls themselves drive a blue ‘69 Dodge Charger Daytona. Also, the beginning of the clip features a vintage mid ‘50s Burgermeister Beer “Burgie Man” flying saucer store display, which should please any beer historian or student of pop culture.

So take a spin with Mel B, Mel C, Geri, Emma, and Victoria, and groove to their unfairly-neglected-by-current-radio late 90s smash. And despite what you may be expecting, I am not going to close out this review with a “Zigga Zig Ha” reference. Wait, did I just... yes I sure did. Well, shoot.

I'm giving you everything, all that joy can bring this I swear, yes I swear…

And, all that I want from you, is a promise you will be there.