Jakarta (ANTARA) - Lagu "Wannabe" adalah singel pertama yang dirilis grup musik wanita Spice Girls pada 8 Juli 1996. Lagu itu langsung menarik perhatian dunia dengan pesan kekuatan wanita (girl power) dan kepribadian unik para anggota grup.

Dalam prosesnya, album ini menjadikan lima gadis yang tidak dikenal - Victoria Adams, Melanie Brown, Melanie Chisholm, Emma Bunton, dan Geraldine Halliwell - sebagai bintang dunia.

Lagu tersebut diciptakan kelima Spice Girls bersama Richard "Biff" Stannard dan Matt Rowe. Proses penulisan dan penyusunan lirik lagu tentang nilai persahabatan itu memakan waktu 10 hari.

Baca juga: Tanpa Victoria Beckham, Spice Girls resmi reuni tahun depan

Spice Girls dibentuk sebagai alternatif perempuan untuk boy band yang sedang populer di Inggris saat itu. Personel Spice Girls menghabiskan waktu bertahun-tahun untuk mengembangkan penampilan dan citra mereka, sehingga ketika "Wannabe" dirilis, mereka sudah siap untuk menjadi bintang.
Video musik "Wannabe" disutradarai oleh Johan Camitz dan menampilkan para anggota Spice Girls yang bermain-main dan membuat adegan di St Pancras Midland Grand Hotel di London dalam "one continuous shot".

"Wannabe" memenangi Brit Awards sebagai singel terbaik tahun 1997.

"Wannabe" tetap menjadi lagu pop yang berpengaruh, menurut BBC, meskipun ada kontroversi mengenai arti "zig-a-zig ah" dari beberapa liriknya, menurut laman Songfacts.

Lirik lagu "Wannabe" sebagai berikut:

Ha ha ha ha ha
Yo, I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want

So tell me what you want, what you really, really want

I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want

So tell me what you want, what you really, really want

I wanna, (ha) I wanna, (ha) I wanna, (ha) I wanna, (ha)

I wanna really, really, really wanna zig-a-zig ah

If you want my future, forget my past

If you wanna get with me, better make it fast

Now don't go wasting my precious time

Get your act together we could be just fine

I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want

So tell me what you want, what you really, really want

I wanna, (ha) I wanna, (ha) I wanna, (ha) I wanna, (ha)

I wanna really, really, really wanna zig-a-zig ah

If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends

(Gotta get with my friends)

Make it last forever, friendship never ends

If you wanna be my lover, you have got to give

Taking is too easy, but that's the way it is

Oh, what do you think about that?

Now you know how I feel

Say you can handle my love, are you for real?

(Are you for real?)

I won't be hasty, I'll give you a try

If you really bug me then I'll say goodbye

Yo, I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want

So tell me what you want, what you really, really want

I wanna, (ha) I wanna, (ha) I wanna, (ha) I wanna, (ha)

I wanna really, really, really wanna zig-a-zig ah

If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends

(Gotta get with my friends)

Make it last forever, friendship never ends

If you wanna be my lover, you have got to give

(You've got to give)

Taking is too easy, but that's the way it is

So, here's a story from A to Z

You wanna get with me, you gotta listen carefully

We got Em in the place who likes it in your face

You got G like MC who likes it on a

Easy V doesn't come for free, she's a real lady

And as for me, ha you'll see

Slam your body down and wind it all around

Slam your body down and wind it all around

If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends

(Gotta get with my friends)

Make it last forever, friendship never ends

If you wanna be my lover, you have got to give

(You've got to give)

Taking is too easy, but that's the way it is

If you wanna be my lover

You gotta, you gotta, you gotta, you gotta, you gotta

Slam, slam, slam, slam (make it last forever)

Slam your body down and wind it all around

Slam your body down and wind it all around

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha

Slam your body down and wind it all around

Slam your body down and zig-a-zig ah

If you wanna be my lover