2 Become 1

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Two Become One" redirects here. For information about the Jewel song of that name, or its original pop version, see 2 Become 1 (Jewel song).
For the 2006 film of the same name, see 2 Become 1 (film).
“2 Become 1”
“2 Become 1” cover
Single by Spice Girls
from the album Spice
B-side "One of These Girls"
"Sleigh Ride"
Released Flag of Japan December 12, 1996
Flag of the United Kingdom December 16, 1996
Flag of Australia March 31, 1997
Flag of the United States July 29, 1997
Format Vinyl record (12"),
cassette, CD single
Recorded 1996
Genre Pop Ballad
Length 4:00
3.39 (Music Video)
Label Virgin Records
Writer(s) Richard Stannard
Matt Rowe
Spice Girls
Producer Richard Stannard
Matt Rowe
Certification Platinum (BPI, ARIA)
Gold (RIAA)
Spice Girls singles chronology
"Say You'll Be There"
(1996)		 "2 Become 1"
(1996)		 "Mama" / "Who Do You Think You Are"
(1997)
Alternate covers
UK CD 2 cover
UK CD 2 cover
US CD1 cover
US CD1 cover

"2 Become 1" is a pop song performed by the British group Spice Girls. It was the third single released from their debut album Spice (see 1996 in music). It was their first ballad release as a single and was very different from their previous material, which was more up-tempo and dance-based.

"2 Become 1" became the group's third consecutive number-one and their second million-selling single in the United Kingdom. Released in December 1996, it stayed at the top for three weeks, and was certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry. In the United States the single was released in July 1997, peaking at four (the group's third consecutive top five) and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. It was one of their most successful singles, peaking inside the top ten on the majority of the charts it entered.

Contents

[edit] Writing and inspiration

"2 Become 1" was co-written by the Spice Girls along with partners Richard Stannard and Matthew Rowbottom. Stannard and Rowe also co-produced the track. The slow ballad focuses upon how the bonding of two lovers can become so strong that they practically become one entity, through the act of sex.[1]

 Music sample:

"2 Become 1"

A 31 second sample of the group's first ballad and third number-one hit.
Problems listening to the file? See media help.

According to their official book Girl Power!, after writing more animated and dance-based songs the group decided to write a slow ballad, but the lyrics started to sound a bit corny, so the group decided to address the importance of contraception to the song with the lyrics "Be a little bit wiser baby, put it on, put it on".[1]

The group wrote the song after they finished "Wannabe", inspired by the "special" relationship which was delevoping between Halliwell and Rowe. Melanie Brown hinted this development in her autobiography comenting: "When Matt and Geri started making eye contact at each other I knew what was going on, even though they denied it. I knew them both too well for it too be a secret for me".[2]

Stannard also remembered the fondness that existed between the two: "I don't want to get into the side of things. They were very close. They clicked. And I think the lyrics in "2 Become 1" came from that, especially the first verse, which they wrote together".[2]

The song was more a melodically adept, mainstream number that added another string to their songwriting bow. As well as the obvious sexual connotations there was an aspirational undercurrent to the lyric and, desire was explicitly linked to ambition: "free your mind of doubt and danger/be for real don't be a stranger/we can achieve it/we can achieve it".[2]

One interesting quality that this song has (which does not normally occur) is that the song's title appears in the verse instead of the chorus. There are two different versions with different lyrics of "2 Become 1":

In the "album version", the second line of the second verse is "any deal that we endeavor/boys and girls feel good together".[3]

In the "single version", the same line is changed to "once again if we endeavour/love will bring us back together".[4]

Victoria Beckham sings on the "single version", while Geri Halliwell sings on the "album version". On the music video and on stage they performed the "single version", both before and after Halliwell left the band.

[edit] Spanish version

The group also recorded a Spanish version of the song. The title was simply, "2 Become 1 – Spanish Version", although the title is loosely translated in one line of the song: "Seremos uno los dos". The song was released as the eleventh track of their debut album Spice in Colombia, Mexico, South Africa and other Latin American countries, also in a special re-edition of the album in Spain and as one of the tracks of the second version of the "2 Become 1" single in the US.[5]

Even in the Spanish version, the line "Wanna make love to ya baby", remained in English".[6] The girls sing with an accent from Spain, using the traditional lisp on the letters C and Z. This is the only song the Spice Girls recorded in Spanish, aside from Halliwell's Spanish verse in the song, "If U Can't Dance".[7]

[edit] Critical reception

"2 Become 1" was generally well-received by music critics. Stephen Thomas Erlewine from All Music Guide called the song a "perfect adult contemporary confection".[8] Ben Thompson from Amazon.com described as "the ultimate guilty pleasure" and a "classic pop song that makes Spice one of the best pop albums of the 90s".[9]

LAUNCHcast's Dev Sherlock called the song a "glossy ballad that would do Mariah Carey proud".[10] Sputnikmusic said that it "has to be the smuttiest track in the entire record...a slow ballad where the girl's voices really shine through" adding that "if it weren't for the lyrics, this would be a great manufactured pop song".[11] Another review from Sputnikmusic noticed that the song "feels slightly awkward at times, with Sporty Spice sounding uncomfortable in her more melodic role" and that it "can be called dated" adding that the song "may have been totally appropriate in their day, yet today they just distract from the bubbly party going on in other songs".[12]

[edit] Music video

Spice Girls in "2 Become 1"
Spice Girls in "2 Become 1"

The video for "2 Become 1" was directed by Big TV!,[13] and the photography was in charge of the cinematographer Stephen Keith-Roach, who also worked in other music videos like Jamiroquai's "Virtual Insanity" and U2's "Discotheque".[14]

It features the five girls in Times Square in New York City with fast moving cars appearing around multi-coloured lights, appearing in various places around the city, either alone, with one other member, or as a quintet. Sometimes the closing scene would not be shown on television due to the song fading out to an instrumental which lasts for forty seconds.

The video is intercut with scenes of lovers experiencing moments of togetherness and closes with a deer wandering the streets, such a scene, according to the group's first official book Girl Power!, gave them a running gag all throughout the shoot- "Whenever anyone made a mistake it was, 'Oh deer'".[1]

In the same book Victoria Beckham comments: "It was really weird having to sing passionately into the camera, I was feeling a right mug in front of all those people singing "wanna make love to ya baby".[1]

[edit] Chart performance

The single was originally going to be released in the United Kingdom on December 9, 1996, but the release date was delayed to let Dunblane's "Knockin' on Heaven's Door", a tribute to the children killed at the Dunblane Primary School in Scotland, to stay at the top of the UK Singles Chart.[15] The single was released the next week and unsurprisingly, it became their third chart-topper, debuting at the top,[16] staying there for three consecutive weeks and giving the girls their first Christmas number-one single in the UK.[17] Even though the single was released in the last two weeks of 1996, it was the ninth best seller of the year,[18] selling more than 200,000 in the first three days and 730,000 in those two weeks.[19] In 1997, it sold a further 350,000 copies, making it the thirty-fifth best seller of that year.[20] It sold 1.08 million copies total in the United Kingdom, giving the Spice Girls their second and final million-selling UK single.[21]

The single was successful across Europe, reaching number three on the Euro Hot 100.[22] In Ireland it was their second single that top the chart. It stayed at the top for six weeks and became their first Christmas number-one single in that country.[23]

In Norway the single debuted in December 1996 at number twelve,[24] reaching a peak position of three five weeks later, staying fourteen weeks in the charts,[25] and eventually received a gold certification.[26] In the Netherlands the single was quite successful, it was their third consecutive top five in the Mega Single Top 100 peaking at number two,[27] staying twenty-one weeks in the chart.[28] In the Dutch Top 40 the single was the group's third consecutive top ten, debuting the first week of January at number six,[29] and reaching a peak position of three the next week.[30]

In France the single was their third consecutive top five,[31] it debuted on March 1, 1997 at number nine,[32] reaching a peak position of four two weeks later, staying thirteen weeks on the chart,[31] and receiving a gold certification by the Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique.[33] The single was largely successful across the rest of Continental Europe reaching the top ten in Austria, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Sweden and Switzerland and the top fifteen in Belgium and Germany.

In Japan "2 Become 1" peaked at number two in the Tokyo Hot 100 in January 1997, and ended at twenty-three in the Year End Chart.[34] In New Zealand the single debuted on December 22, 1996 at number twelve when both "Wannabe" and "Say You'll Be There" still were in the top five.[35] It eventually peak at number three and stayed eighteen weeks in the chart.[36] In Australia the single debuted on April 20, 1997 at number five, peaking at number two for two weeks, being blocked off the top by Savage Garden's "Truly Madly Deeply".[37] It stayed twelve weeks on the top ten and eighteen weeks in total,[38] and received a platinum certification by the Australian Recording Industry Association.[39]

In Brazil the song reached the number-one position for three weeks,[40] and ended at number-five at the Year End Charts in 1997.[41]

In the U.S. the song was incredibly popular, reaching the top ten in both the Hot 100 Airplay and the Hot 100 Singles Sales,[42][43] but failing to top the Billboard Hot 100, stalling at number four (one place lower than "Say You'll Be There").[44] Nevertheless, at the time of its release it became the second-highest debut on the Hot 100 by an international act, entering the charts at number six. The record is held by "Say You'll Be There", which debuted at number five.[45] Due to its long lasting popularity, the release of "Who Do You Think You Are" was cancelled for North America.

[edit] Formats and track listings

These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "2 Become 1".[5]

  • UK CD1/Australian CD/Brazilian CD/South African CD
  1. "2 Become 1" [Single Version] – 4:05
  2. "2 Become 1" [Orchestral Version] – 4:05
  3. "One of These Girls" – 3:33
  4. "Wannabe" [Junior Vasquez Remix Edit] – 5:57
  • UK CD2
  1. "2 Become 1" [Single Version] – 4:05
  2. "2 Become 1" [Dave Way Remix] – 4:01
  3. "Sleigh Ride" - 3:18
  • Dutch Promo CD/Mexican Promo CD
  1. "2 Become 1" [Spanish Version] – 4:05
  2. "2 Become 1" [Single Version] – 4:05
  • Canadian Promo CD/European CD
  1. "2 Become 1" [Single Version] – 4:05
  2. "2 Become 1" [Orchestral Version] – 4:05
  • Japanese CD
  1. "2 Become 1" [Single Version] – 4:05
  2. "2 Become 1" [Orchestral Version] – 4:05
  3. "One of These Girls" – 3:33
  4. "Sleigh Ride" – 3:18
  • Thai Promo CD
  1. "2 Become 1" [Album Version] – 4:00
  • US CD1
  1. "2 Become 1" [Single Version] – 4:05
  2. "One of These Girls" – 3:33
  • US CD2
  1. "2 Become 1" [Single Version] – 4:05
  2. "2 Become 1" [Dave Way Remix] – 4:01
  3. "One of These Girls" – 3:33
  4. "2 Become 1" [Spanish Version] – 4:05
  5. "2 Become 1" [Orchestral Version] – 4:05
  • Spanish 12" Vinyl single
  1. A1: "2 Become 1" [Single Version] – 4:05
  2. A2: "2 Become 1" [Orchestral Version] – 4:05
  3. B1: "Wannabe" [Junior Vasquez Remix Edit] – 5:57
  4. B2: "One of These Girls" – 3:33
  • UK Promo 12" Vinyl single
  1. A1: "2 Become 1" [Dave Way Remix] – 4:01
  2. B1: "Wannabe" [Junior Vasquez Remix Edit] – 5:57
  3. B2: "Wannabe" [Junior Vasquez Gomis Dub] – 6:36
  • 2007 Club Remixes
  1. "2 Become 1" [Georgie Porgie Extended Mix] – 7:16
  2. "2 Become 1" [Georgie Porgie Dub Mix] – 7:18
  3. "2 Become 1" [Georgie Porgie Radio Edit] – 4:03

[edit] Credits and personnel

Published by Windswept Pacific Music Ltd/PolyGram Music Publishing Ltd

[edit] Cover versions

[edit] Charts, peaks and certifications

[edit] Chart positions

Chart (1996) Peak
position
Austrian Singles Chart[50] 9
Belgian Singles Chart[51] 11
Danish Singles Chart[52] 7
Dutch Mega Single Top 100[28] 2
Dutch Top 40[30] 3
Euro Hot 100[22] 3
Finnish Singles Chart[53] 9
German Singles Chart[54] 13
Irish Singles Chart[55] 1
Italian Singles Chart[56] 6
Japanese Tokyo Hot 100[34] 2
Latvian Airplay Top[57] 2
New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart[36] 3
Norwegian Singles Chart[25] 3
Spanish Maxi-Singles Chart 1
Swedish Singles Chart[58] 7
Swiss Singles Chart[59] 10
UK Singles Chart[60] 1
Chart (1997) Peak
position
Australian ARIA Singles Chart[38] 2
Brazil Hot 100[40] 1
Canadian Singles Chart[61] 2
French Singles Chart[31] 4
United World Chart[62] 6
U.S. ARC Weekly Top 40[63] 2
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary[64] 8
U.S. Billboard Adult Top 40[65] 27
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[44] 4
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Maxi-Singles Sales[66] 24
U.S. Billboard Rhythmic Top 40[67] 4
U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream[68] 4

[edit] Certifications

Country Provider Certification Sales/shipments
Australia ARIA Platinum[39] 70,000+
France SNEP Gold[33] 200,000+
Norway VG Gold[26] 5,000+
United Kingdom BPI Platinum[69] 1,000 000+
United States RIAA Gold[70] 500,000+
Preceded by
"Earth Song" by Michael Jackson		 UK Christmas number-one single
1996		 Succeeded by
"Too Much" by Spice Girls
Preceded by
"Breathe" by The Prodigy		 Irish Singles Chart number-one single
December 14, 1996 - January 18, 1997		 Succeeded by
"Where Do You Go?" by No Mercy
Preceded by
"Knockin' on Heaven's Door / Throw These Guns Away" by Dunblane		 UK Singles Chart number-one single
December 22, 1996 - January 5, 1997		 Succeeded by
"Professional Widow (Armand Van Helden remix)" by Tori Amos

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d Spice Girls (1997). Girl Power!. Zone/Chameleon Books, 38-39. ISBN 0-233-99165-4. 
  2. ^ a b c Sinclair, David (2004). Wannabe: How the Spice Girls Reinvented Pop Fame. Omnibus Press, 42-43. ISBN 0-71198-643-6. 
  3. ^ Album Version-Lyrics. Hotlyrics.net . Retrieved November 4, 2007.
  4. ^ Single Version-Lyrics. Hotlyrics.net . Retrieved November 4, 2007.
  5. ^ a b Formats and track listings. Spicediscography.tk . Retrieved September 29, 2007.
  6. ^ Seremos uno los dos-Lyrics. Lyrics007.com . Retrieved November 4, 2007.
  7. ^ If U Can't Dance-Lyrics. Lyrics007.com . Retrieved November 4, 2007.
  8. ^ All Music Guide-Review. Allmusic.com . Retrieved November 3, 2007.
  9. ^ Amazon.com-Review. Amazon.ca . Retrieved November 3, 2007.
  10. ^ LAUNCHcast-Review. Uk.music.yahoo.com . Retrieved November 3, 2007.
  11. ^ Sputnikmusic-Review. Sputnikmusic.com . Retrieved November 3, 2007.
  12. ^ Sputnikmusic-Review 2. Sputnikmusic.com . Retrieved November 3, 2007.
  13. ^ Big TV!. Mvdbase.com . Retrieved September 19, 2007.
  14. ^ Stephen Keith-Roach. Mvdbase.com . Retrieved September 29, 2007.
  15. ^ McGibbon, Rob (1997). Spice Power: The Inside Story. Macmillan Publishers Ltd., 121. ISBN 0-7522-1142-0. 
  16. ^ UK Chart-History. Chartstats.com . Retrieved October 13, 2007.
  17. ^ Christmas number-one single in the UK. Theofficialcharts.com . Retrieved October 13, 2007.
  18. ^ Biggest sellers of 1996. Popreport.co.uk . Retrieved October 13, 2007.
  19. ^ 2 Become 1-Sales. Highbeam.com . Subscription Required . Retrieved October 13, 2007.
  20. ^ Sales figures sourced from Music Week. Musicweek.com . Subscription Required
  21. ^ UK million selling single. Chartstats.com . Retrieved October 13, 2007.
  22. ^ a b Euro Hot 100. Thunder.prohosting.com . Retrieved November 1, 2007.
  23. ^ Christmas number-one single in Ireland. Irishcharts.ie . Retrieved October 13, 2007.
  24. ^ Norwegian debut. Norwegiancharts.com . Retrieved October 13, 2007.
  25. ^ a b Norwegian Top 20 Singles Chart. Norwegiancharts.com . Retrieved September 18, 2007.
  26. ^ a b Norwegian Certification. IFPI.no . Retrieved September 18, 2007.
  27. ^ Mega Single Top 100-Peak position. Dutchcharts.nl . Retrieved November 1, 2007.
  28. ^ a b Dutch Mega Singles Top 100 Chart. Dutchcharts.nl . Retrieved November 1, 2007.
  29. ^ Dutch Top 40-Debut. Dutchcharts.nl . Retrieved November 1, 2007.
  30. ^ a b Dutch Top 40 Singles Chart. Top4000.nl . Retrieved September 18, 2007.
  31. ^ a b c French Top 100 Singles Chart. Lescharts.com . Retrieved September 18, 2007.
  32. ^ French Debut. Lescharts.com . Retrieved November 1, 2007.
  33. ^ a b French Certification. Disqueenfrance.com . Retrieved September 18, 2007.
  34. ^ a b Tokyo Hot 100. J-wave.co.jp . Retrieved November 1, 2007.
  35. ^ New Zealand debut. Charts.org.nz . Retrieved September 23, 2007.
  36. ^ a b New Zealand RIANZ Top 40 Singles Chart. Charts.org.nz . Retrieved September 18, 2007.
  37. ^ Australian-Chart History. Australian-charts.com . Retrieved November 1, 2007.
  38. ^ a b Australian ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart. Australian-charts.com . Retrieved September 18, 2007.
  39. ^ a b Australian Certification. ARIA.com.au . Retrieved September 18, 2007.
  40. ^ a b Brazilian Hot 100 Singles Chart. Angelfire.com. Retrieved September 22, 2007.
  41. ^ Brazil Hot 100. Hot100brasil.com . Retrieved September 23, 2007.
  42. ^ Hot 100 Airplay. Billboard.com . Retrieved September 18, 2007.
  43. ^ Hot 100 Singles Sales. Billboard.com . Retrieved September 18, 2007.
  44. ^ a b Billboard Hot 100. Billboard.com . Retrieved September 18, 2007.
  45. ^ Halliwell, Geraldine (1999). If Only. Bantam Books Ltd., 269. ISBN 0553815296. 
  46. ^ Emma Bunton - 2 Become 1. Youtube.com . Retrieved September 29, 2007.
  47. ^ Paul Gilbert Cover. Allmusic.com . Retrieved September 18, 2007.
  48. ^ Paul Gilbert 2 Become 1 Live. Kewego.es . Retrieved September 18, 2007.
  49. ^ Sitti Cover. Demonoid.com . Retrieved September 18, 2007.
  50. ^ Austrian Top 75 Singles Chart. Austriancharts.at . Retrieved September 18, 2007.
  51. ^ Belgian Ultratop 50 Singles Chart. Radio2.be . Retrieved October 7, 2007.
  52. ^ Danish Top 20 Singles Chart. Ukmix.org . Retrieved October 8, 2007.
  53. ^ Finnish Top 20 Singles Chart. Finnishcharts.com . Retrieved September 18, 2007.
  54. ^ German Top 100 Singles Chart. Musicline.de . Retrieved October 15, 2007.
  55. ^ Irish Top 50 Singles Chart. Irishcharts.ie . Retrieved September 18, 2007.
  56. ^ Italian Singles Chart. Hitparadeitalia.it . Retrieved September 18, 2007.
  57. ^ Latvian Airplay Top. Lanet.lv . Retrieved September 18, 2007.
  58. ^ Swedish Top 60 Singles Chart. Swedishcharts.com . Retrieved September 18, 2007.
  59. ^ Swiss Top 100 Singles Chart. Hitparade.ch . Retrieved September 18, 2007.
  60. ^ UK Top 75 Singles Chart. Theofficialcharts.com . Retrieved September 18, 2007.
  61. ^ Canadian airplay and sales charts. Jam.canoe.ca . Retrieved September 18, 2007.
  62. ^ United World Chart. Mediatraffic.de . Retrieved September 18, 2007.
  63. ^ ARC Weekly Top 40. Rockonthenet.com . Retrieved September 18, 2007.
  64. ^ Billboard Adult Contemporary. Billboard.com . Retrieved September 18, 2007.
  65. ^ Billboard Adult Top 40. Billboard.com .Retrieved September 18, 2007.
  66. ^ Billboard Hot Dance Maxi-Singles Sales. Billboard.com . Retrieved September 18, 2007.
  67. ^ Billboard Rhythmic Top 40. Billboard.com . Retrieved September 18, 2007.
  68. ^ Billboard Top 40 Mainstream. Billboard.com . Retrieved September 18, 2007.
  69. ^ UK Certification. BPI.co.uk . Retrieved September 18, 2007.
  70. ^ USA Certification. RIAA.com .Retrieved September 18, 2007.

[edit] External links


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Spice Girls
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