Too Much (Spice Girls song)
"Too Much" | ||||
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Single by Spice Girls | ||||
from the album Spiceworld | ||||
B-side |
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Released | 8 December 1997 | |||
Recorded | June 1997 | |||
Studio | Abbey Road (London) | |||
Genre | ||||
Length |
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Label | Virgin | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Absolute | |||
Spice Girls singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Too Much" on YouTube |
"Too Much" is a song by English girl group the Spice Girls from their second studio album, Spiceworld (1997). The group members co-wrote the song with its producers, Paul Wilson and Andy Watkins—the songwriting and production duo known as Absolute—while the group was shooting scenes for their film Spice World.
"Too Much" is a
Released as the album's second single on 8 December 1997, it topped the
Background
In June 1997, the group began filming scenes for their film Spice World. Simultaneously, Virgin Records started the first marketing meetings for the Spiceworld album's promotional campaign, set to be released in November.[1] Since no songs had been written for the album at that point, the group had to do all the songwriting and recording at the same time as they were shooting the film.[2] Between takes, and at the end of each filming day,[3] the group usually went straight into a mobile recording studio set up in a Winnebago, which followed them between film sets.[2] The schedule was physically arduous with logistical difficulties,[1] as Melanie Brown commented in her autobiography: "doing the two full-time jobs at the same time took its toll and within a couple on weeks, exhaustion set in."[3]
Writing and recording
The concept of "Too Much" was mainly penned by
Geri came in and sang: 'Too much of something/Da-da-da-da-da...Right. OK. You got that?' We started working on it and we wanted to do some sort of doo-wop vocal thing. So we constructed this backing track and then more of the girls started to come in—this was quite a good day—and gradually they started to add on their little bits.[4]
Absolute structured the song using doo-wop records as a template. The format was for
Composition
"Too Much" is a
The song is constructed in a
Release
"Too Much" was released in the United Kingdom on 15 December 1997, in two single versions.
Reception
Critical response
"Too Much" received mixed reviews from critics. Larry Flick of Billboard magazine praised the song, describing it as a "swishy classic-pop ballad that tickles the ear with tasty doo-wop flavors", and added that the arrangement and the group's harmonies "work extremely well together".[7] David Browne of Entertainment Weekly called it a "sultry slow jam".[15] The Miami Herald dubbed the song a "silky pop ode" and called it "irresistible".[16] British magazine Music Week gave it five out of five, picking it as Single of the Week. The reviewer declared it a "delightfully sweet ballad which will give them another huge Christmas smash, though it's unlikely to match the endurance of their last festive offering, 2 Become 1."[17] Claudia Connell of News of the World said, "Many see this single as make-or-break time. Fortunately it's a million times better than Spice Up Your Life. It's a strong ballad in which Mel C shows that at least one of them can sing."[18] Sylvia Patterson of NME characterised the song as a "lavish, harmonised spree of New Orleans loveliness with strings and Spanish guitar", adding that it is "the absolute tops!".[19] Sputnikmusic's Amanda Murray also complimented the track, calling it a "genuinely great song".[20] Murray also felt that the group's voices had improved so that they could "pull off more difficult passages with at least an iota of conviction".[20] Ian Hyland of the Sunday Mirror enjoyed the track, but felt that Chisholm sounded "daft", and added that she needs to "calm down on the scouse front".[21] The Virginian-Pilot described the strings on the song as "classic soul with a 90s tweak".[22]
Some reviewers criticised the R&B-infused production. In a review of
Commercial performance
"Too Much" debuted atop the
"Too Much" was moderately successful in Europe, reaching number three on the Eurochart Hot 100 Singles,[35] peaking inside the top 10 in Denmark, Finland, Ireland, and Spain,[35][36][37] and inside the top 20 in Austria, Belgium (both the Flemish and Walloon charts), France, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Switzerland.[35][38][39] The song was also a modest success in Oceania. In New Zealand, it debuted on 21 December 1997 at number 20, peaked at number nine for two weeks, and stayed on the chart for 12 weeks.[40] In Australia, it debuted on the ARIA Singles Chart at number 29, peaking at number nine in its sixth week; it remained on the chart for 15 weeks,[41] and was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA).[42]
In the United States, "Too Much" debuted at number 22 on the
Music video
The music video for "Too Much" was directed by Howard Greenhalgh and filmed on 10 November 1997 in a studio located in London.[48][49] The video features each Spice Girl in their own individual scene, inspired by their own film fantasies.[50] Melanie Brown is shown singing on top of a tank strapped with ammunition in an industrial post-apocalyptic war scene in a segment based on the film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985). Emma Bunton is shown in a bedroom dressed in white pyjamas while objects float around her on their own; her scene is based on Poltergeist (1982). Melanie Chisholm is shown in a Chinatown, dressed in a red cheongsam and black pants with her hair in a long ponytail with red streaks; her scene is based upon Year of the Dragon (1985). Geri Halliwell is featured in a black-and-white scene based on Rita Hayworth's performance in Gilda (1946). She is shown performing on a smoky stage in a long, white sequined gown with a group of sailors dancing around her. Victoria Beckham is shown in a missile silo next to a smoking rocket, clad in a black catsuit and with a long ponytail; she is portraying Catwoman from Batman Returns (1992).[49][50]
The "Too Much" music video premiered on 2 December 1997 on the American television network UPN, as part of a one-hour special titled Too Much Is Never Enough.[51] Two versions of the music video exist: the original one, and a version that includes scenes from the group's 1997 film Spice World; the latter was included on the bonus DVD that accompanies the special edition of their 2007 Greatest Hits album.[52] The original version was officially released in December 2022 to mark the release of ‘’Spiceworld 25’’.
Live performances
"Too Much" was performed several times on television, including
The group have performed the song on their four tours, the
Track listings
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Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Spiceworld.[10]
Management
- Published by Windswept Pacific Music Ltd/BMG Music PublishingLtd.
Personnel
- Spice Girls – vocals
- Absolute – production, all instruments
- Paul Hicks – engineering
- Robbie Kazandjian – engineering assistance
- Mark "Spike" Stent – mixing
- Jan Kybert – mixing assistance
- Mike Higham – additional programming
- Kick Horns – brass
- Milton McDonald – guitar
- Stephen Hussey – string arrangements
- Pure Stringz – strings
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Certifications and sales
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[42] | Gold | 35,000^ |
France ( SNEP)[93]
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Gold | 250,000* |
New Zealand (RMNZ)[94] | Gold | 5,000* |
United Kingdom (BPI)[34] | Platinum | 682,000[31] |
United States | — | 600,000[46] |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Release history
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
France | 8 December 1997 | Maxi CD 1 | EMI | |
Germany | ||||
15 December 1997 | Maxi CD 2 | |||
United Kingdom |
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Virgin | ||
United States | 13 January 1998 |
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France | 16 January 1998 | Maxi CD 2 | EMI | |
Japan | Maxi CD | Toshiba EMI | ||
United States | 27 January 1998 |
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Virgin |
References
- ^ a b Sinclair 2004, pp. 113–114
- ^ a b Halliwell 1999, p. 286
- ^ a b Brown 2002, pp. 273–274
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- ^ Halliwell 1999, p. 287
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- ^ a b c Spice Girls 2008, pp. 34–37
- ^ a b Spiceworld (liner notes). Spice Girls. Virgin Records. 1997. p. 6. CDV2850.
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Bibliography
- ISBN 0-7553-1063-2.
- ISBN 0-385-33475-3.
- Kutner, Jon; Leigh, Spencer (2005). 1000 UK Number One Hits. ISBN 1-84449-283-4.
- Sinclair, David (2004). Wannabe: How the Spice Girls Reinvented Pop Fame. Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-7119-8643-6.
- Spice Girls (1997). Spice World: The Movie. ISBN 0-609-80338-7.
- Spice Girls (2008). Spice Girls Greatest Hits (Piano/Vocal/Guitar) Artist Songbook. ISBN 978-1-4234-3688-1.