2 Become 1
an absolute masterpiece; the blank screen at the beginning almost giving the audience time just to take in the tender grace of what they’re listening to. the reverb on the snare gives a sense scope and scale that much of the aesthetic of the song is based around. the strings are broad and sweeping. evoking every notion of romance you’ve ever encountered; from 18th century classical music to golden age hollywood. those droplet percussion pops are masterful. funky without being mechanical; delicately, tactfully groovy.
‘droplets' are a rather accurate term given the water that reveals itself unto us. in the context of the previous video, all this water is telling. aridity was metaphorical for dissatisfaction is the sardonic last song. now water is abundant in a song that speaks to complete and utter devotion.
wow what an opening. charged along the serene, obsidian-blue water surface like that. only to look up and to see that regal shot of new york (twin towers in tact). the lens curves it somewhat, giving the architectural composition of german expressionist cinema. it’s rendered a fantasy. pathetic fallacy.
visually the songs major themes are already established. we’re at once presented with these larger-than-life entities, but they’re presented so intimately. the grandeur of sensuality.
“candle light and soul forever, a dream of you and me together”. stunning opening line that is. sporty’s bit here is dotted with religious evocation “candle”, “soul”, “believe”. again, love is compared with all our most magnificent constructs; metropolises, religion. in fact love is allows the girls to conquer time itself; remaining still while the world rushes past.
again, this chimes with (or more likely mimics) another of madonna’s contemporaneous hits; utilising the same video effect and religious iconography of ‘ray of light’.
firstly, mel b’s outfit is so cool. “free your mind of doubt of danger… we can achieve it”. again, the scope and aspiration they’re speaking to here. her outspread arms evoking christ.
baby’s delivery here is fucking great. after having all the majesty of the rest of the song her bit allows a little humanity back in. a little wryness. something grounded and earthly. lust to accompany the love. the cheesy flamenco guitar lick, is yet another masterstroke in this context.
“2 become 1”; the pantheist inclination at the heart of this song. the girls themselves portrayed as anthropomorphised new yorks. entities through which the city flows.
“set your spirit free”
now back to the baby spice cheeky bit. if anyone every said “are you as good as i remember baby, get it on, get it on” to me with that exact inflection, i would die a happy man. it’s the best thing anyone’s ever said, delivered perfectly. those orchestral stabs in the background speak to this. like audible erections.
then for this second chorus the strings soar; far higher pitch than in the first chorus.
those cellos on the background. absolutely epic. spartan music. somewhat sinister like an opium den or a harem. with those flickers of other strings cutting across. that feedback. the electric piano. all these apparitional arrangement idea. haunting melodies. the spirits have been set free.