Say You'll Be There

"Say You'll Be There" is a song by English girl group the Spice Girls from their debut studio album, Spice (1996). It was co-written by the Spice Girls with Eliot Kennedy after the group left their former management in 1995. Jonathan Buck later received a songwriting credit as well. Production duo Absolute incorporated a mix of dance-pop and R&B influences into the song, which includes a harmonica solo, played by Judd Lander. The song's lyrics describe the things the group went through together and how they were always there for each other. It received mixed reviews from music critics, many of whom praised it for its catchiness, while others were critical of its production. Originally considered by the record label to be the group's debut single, it was released as the album's second single on 14 October 1996. It became their second number-one in the United Kingdom, and was certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). It was a commercial success across Europe, reaching the top ten in most of the charts that it entered. As a result of its popularity, the song was released in 1997 in Australia, receiving a gold certification by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). In the United States, it debuted at number five on the Billboard Hot 100, setting at the time a record for the highest entry by a British act on the chart. The music video was inspired by the films Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1965) and Pulp Fiction (1994), and features the group as a band of female techno-warriors, who use martial arts and high-tech ninja-influenced weapons to capture a hapless male. It includes symbols of male disempowerment, and serves as an example of solidarity and the group's bonding. It received positive reactions and was nominated for numerous awards including the 1996 Smash Hits Poll Winners Party, the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards, and the 1997 Brit Awards.