Spice Girls.Photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
If you wanna know what “zig-a-zig-ah” means, you gotta get withMelanie “Mel B” Brown’s friends.
During an interview on Monday’s episode ofToday with Hoda & Jenna, Scary Spice was asked to explain the gibberish lyric from the Spice Girls' signature hit “Wannabe” and chose to keep its meaning to herself, claiming it’s a “group secret.”
Mel B, 48, co-wrote the chart-topping song with fellow Spice Girls membersGeri Halliwell,Emma Bunton,Melanie “Mel C” ChisholmandVictoria Beckhamas well as producers Matt Rowe and Richard Stannard — and those are the only people she wants to know the meaning of “zig-a-zig-ah.”
During theTodayinterview,Jenna Bush Hagersaid she and cohostHoda Kotb"have some thoughts" on the lyric’s meaning, to which Scary Spice replied, “It’s a group secret. But you can make of it what you want.”
“I made up that word, and I can’t tell you,” added Mel B. “If I do, I will have to kill you, and we don’t want to do that. We love you both.”
Bush Hager, 42, however, wasn’t ready to give up the query. “Is it what we think it is?” she asked of the presumably risqué lyric.
Mel B in Los Angeles in November 2023.Frazer Harrison/Getty
Frazer Harrison/Getty
“You will not stop pushing! I’m not telling you,” said Mel B, who even refused to tell the cohosts what “zig-a-zig-ah” means during a commercial break.
“I’m not going to say it,” the formerAmerica’s Got Talentjudge insisted, miming a lip-zipping motion.
Released in 1995, “Wannabe” soared to the top of the charts in over 20 countries, captivating listeners with its high-energy pop rhythm and lyrics about valuing friendship over romance.
Spice Girls in London in February 1997.Ray Burmiston/Avalon/Getty
Ray Burmiston/Avalon/Getty
The song is written from the perspective of the Spice Girls speaking to a prospective lover, telling them in its chorus, “If you wanna be my lover, you 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.”
“Wannabe” also features an especially catchy refrain that includes the mystery (and potentially cheeky) gibberish: “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, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, / I wanna really, really, really wanna zig-a-zig-ah.”
In July 2021, the Spice Girls celebrated the 25th anniversary of “Wannabe,” and most of the group members took to social media and reflected on the hit song.
Spice Girls in December 2007.MJ Kim/getty
“Zigazigahhhhhh!!! 🎉🎉,” Bunton, 47, wrote on social media. “Feeling very emotional, what an amazing 25 years it has been. Thanks to our wonderful fans for making 5 girls dreams come true, loving the songs that we wrote, copying our dance routines and embracing our individuality!”
In her own post, Mel C, 49, mused, “25 years! Can you believe it?!”
“With the help of our amazing fans this song catapulted us on our incredible journey, so much love and thanks to you guys today, the wonderful Matt and Biff, and my darling Spice Girls,” Sporty Spice wrote. “So many memories! The Strongroom, St Pancras, those stairs! And backflipping all over the World!”
Spice Girls in London in February 1997.JMEnternational/Redferns
“Happy Birthday Wannabe!” she added. “Can’t wait until we Zig a zig ahh again!!!”
Alongside another heartfelt tribute, Geri Halliwell Horner, 51, took a walk down memory lane.
Mel B in Manchester in May 2022.Karwai Tang/WireImage
Karwai Tang/WireImage
Halliwell also shared that she “bought a gold ring for each of the girls when we first got together as a symbol of our friendship.”
“It’s a special bond that continues to stand the test of time. I’m so proud of everything we have,” she continued. “I’m so proud of everything we have achieved together, girls. BIG thank you to our amazing fans from all over the world for your support and loyalty. Love, Ginger.”
Added Beckham, 49, “I can’t believe it’s been 25 years since Wannabe was released!! The song that changed everything…”
source: people.com
