"Yo, I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want."
If you were alive in 1996, those eleven words weren't just lyrics. They were an earthquake. When the Spice Girls burst onto the scene with "Wannabe," they didn't just release a catchy tune; they launched a manifesto. It's weird to think about now, but the mid-90s were actually pretty moody. We had grunge fading out and Britpop—mostly dudes with guitars like Oasis and Blur—dominating the airwaves. Then, five women in platform sneakers and tracksuits showed up screaming about zig-a-zig-ah, and suddenly the rules changed.
Honestly, the "tell you what I want what I really really want" hook is one of the most effective pieces of songwriting in the history of the 20th century. It’s demanding. It’s assertive. It’s a complete rejection of the "quiet girl" trope that had been standard in pop for decades.
The Chaos Behind the Catchphrase
Most people think "Wannabe" was some corporate-manufactured product polished to perfection in a boardroom. That’s not quite right. The song was actually written in less than an hour. The girls—Mel B, Mel C, Victoria, Geri, and Emma—huddled in a studio with songwriters Richard "Biff" Stannard and Matt Rowe. They were high on energy and probably a lot of sugar.
They wanted something that captured their actual vibe: loud, chaotic, and fiercely loyal to each other.
The famous "tell you what I want what I really really want" line wasn't just a clever rhyme. It was the centerpiece of their philosophy of "Girl Power." It was about setting terms. In a world where young women were often told to be polite or wait for permission, the Spice Girls were essentially saying, "Here’s the deal. Take it or leave it." It shifted the power dynamic from the person being pursued to the person doing the choosing.
Why the Industry Hated It (At First)
Believe it or not, Virgin Records wasn't sold on "Wannabe" being the first single. The executives wanted something a bit more R&B, something smoother. They thought the opening of the song—that cackling laugh and the frantic rap—was too much. They were wrong.
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Mel B famously fought for the song. She knew that the raw, DIY feel was exactly what would connect with teenagers. It felt authentic. It felt like something you and your friends would do in a bedroom with a hairbrush microphone.
When the video dropped—shot in one long, continuous take at the Midland Grand Hotel—it solidified the brand. They weren't just singers; they were a gang. That’s the secret sauce of the "tell you what I want what I really really want" ethos. It wasn’t about finding a boyfriend. It was about making sure that any potential boyfriend knew he came second to the "besties."
The Zig-A-Zig-Ah Mystery
We have to talk about it. What does it mean?
For years, fans have debated the meaning of "zig-a-zig-ah." Some thought it was a dirty joke. Others thought it was just gibberish. According to some insiders and various interviews over the years, it was a bit of an inside joke regarding a specific person they didn't like who shared a studio space with them. They used the phrase to describe a certain type of annoying behavior.
But honestly? It doesn't matter.
The brilliance of the phrase is that it's a placeholder for whatever you want. It’s a linguistic Rorschach test. By leaving it vague, the Spice Girls invited every listener to plug in their own desires. It made the song universal.
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The Lasting Impact on Modern Pop
You can't have Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, or Dua Lipa without the Spice Girls. They broke the seal on female agency in modern mainstream pop. Before them, girl groups were often styled to be identical—think The Supremes (who were amazing, but very controlled). The Spice Girls were the opposite. They were five distinct archetypes.
This allowed fans to "pick" a Spice Girl. It was brilliant marketing, sure, but it also validated different ways of being a woman. You could be sporty, you could be posh, you could be scary.
The "tell you what I want what I really really want" sentiment became the blueprint for the "Independent Women" era of the early 2000s. It told a generation of girls that their desires were not just valid, but that they should be the starting point of any conversation.
It Wasn't Just About the Music
If we look at the numbers, "Wannabe" hit number one in 37 countries. It sold over 7 million copies. But the cultural footprint is way bigger than the sales data.
The song arrived at a specific moment when "Cool Britannia" was at its peak. It was a time of optimism. But while the guys were singing about "Champagne Supernovas," the girls were talking about the practicalities of friendship and boundaries.
Interestingly, the song has seen a massive resurgence on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Gen Z has reclaimed the "tell you what I want what I really really want" audio because the message of radical self-expression still hits. In an era of curated social media feeds, the raw "don't care" attitude of 1996 feels refreshing all over again.
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Reevaluating the "Girl Power" Legacy
Some critics at the time dismissed "Girl Power" as "feminism lite" or a mere marketing gimmick to sell lollipops and Union Jack dresses. And yeah, there was a ton of merch.
But for a seven-year-old girl in 1996, seeing five women take over the world while demanding exactly what they wanted was radical. It was a gateway drug to more complex ideas of empowerment. It taught a generation to be loud.
How to Apply the "Wannabe" Mindset Today
If you’re looking to channel that energy in your own life or career, it basically comes down to clarity of intent. Most people fail because they are too afraid to say exactly what they need. They "sorta" want a promotion. They "kinda" want a change.
The Spice Girls didn't "sorta" want anything.
- Define the "Really Really": Strip away the polite fluff. What is the actual goal?
- Prioritize the "Besties": Success is hollow if you lose your support system. Build your "gang" before you build your empire.
- Don't Wait for the Edit: The "Wannabe" video was great because it was raw. Stop waiting for your project to be perfect before you show it to the world.
- Own the Room: Even if you feel like you don't belong, act like you own the place. The girls weren't invited to that fancy party in the video; they crashed it.
The song might be thirty years old, but the demand for authenticity hasn't aged a day. Whether you're navigating a relationship, a job interview, or just trying to figure out your next move, being able to tell the world exactly what you want—what you really, really want—is still the most powerful move you can make.
Start by writing down your "zig-a-zig-ah"—that one thing that feels too big or too weird to ask for. Then, stop asking for permission and start stating your terms. The world usually listens when you're loud enough.