Sam Recommends: “Last Time Lover” by Spice Girls

Look, I know I come off as being, like, really cool online*.

But the truth is I’m just your typical, run-of-the-mill Millennial woman who once had an all-encompassing obsession with the Spice Girls.

Yes, I was part of a Spice Girls fan club from 4th-5th grade.

Yes, each of me and my four girlfriends assigned ourselves a role in the group.

Yes, I wanted to be Baby Spice.

Yes, I opted to claim the role of Posh Spice so I could at least be my second favorite Spice Girl and avoid a fight I probably wouldn’t win being one of the more soft spoken girls in the friend group.

Yes, we performed a choreographed routine to “Spice World” at our school talent show in full costume, including hot pink and purple feather boas.

No, I don’t even want to estimate how much of my parent’s hard-earned money I wasted by printing full color photos of these lovely ladies from the internet when I was first learning how to surf the web.

When I went through my first bout of insomnia at nine years old, I tried to self-soothe by reciting the Spice Girls movie in my head. I had the dolls. I cried when Ginger Spice left the group and the Spice Girls as I knew them ended.

And now, whenever I hear any Spice Girls song, I’m reminded of those simpler times, and all of the other seemingly inconsequential things I cared about back then. Butterfly clips. Beanie babies. TGIF on ABC. Seeing Titanic in the movie theater, not just once, but twice. Rollerblading in my driveway, NSYNC and Britney Spears booming out through my hot pink Boombox. Making silly movies with my sister and our other friends in the neighborhood. My dreams to be a series regular on Saturday Night Live. Or an Oscar Winning actress. Whichever panned out first.

So, why did I choose this track when “Wannabe,” “Stop,” and “Say You’ll Be There” exist? Well, that’s easy. It’s because I still love “Last Time Lover,” even as a grown-ass, existentially-disillusioned woman with a full time job and dreams that are more grounded in reality.

I’m pretty sure this is the track that sparked my obsession with raunchy (Scary Spice would say “dirty) bass lines & lyrics oozing with sexuality. I’m listening to it on repeat now, in fact. You should, too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XBWbolukMA

*Just kidding. I know I only come off as being kinda cool online.(Song recommendation by Samantha Lamph/Len)