S - O - S
Into the spice-o-sphere!
"I really like things that have hidden meanings..." Emma Bunton.
Until last year, I'd thought there was no special significance to the name Spice Girls, and hadn't realised there were any hidden meanings in their work.
Re-reading, though, Raymond Fowler's account of Betty Andreasson's 1967 alien journey, I came across his speculations regarding the vision that Betty had of the huge eagle-like illuminated bird. Mr.Fowler identifies the bird with the mythical phoenix, quoting from the 1967 Collier encyclopedia: "Phoenix, a legendary bird that builds its own funeral pyre and is reborn from its own ashes. Sacred in ancient Egypt, the phoenix, which was always male and had a beautiful red and gold plumage, was fabled to live 500 years or longer. At the end of that time, it built a nest from twigs of spice trees, to which it set fire. Both the bird and its nest were consumed in the flames. Out of the ashes, a worm emerged, from which the new Phoenix grew."
Raymond Fowler, himself, then adds: "It is interesting to note that the legendary Phoenix made its nest from "twigs of spice trees.""
He quotes Betty Andreasson saying that when she saw the great bird burning, there was "..sort of like a sweet incense smell.."
And, concludes that: "Smoldering spice-twig ashes would probably give off a smell like incense!"
Obviously, reading all of this in connection with the Betty Andreasson 1967 encounter - which I already considered vitally important to any real understanding of what is going on in the world today - made me wonder whether the name Spice Girls might not have a secret significance after all!
The first single release by the Spice Girls became the most successful debut single ever. In Britain, 'Wannabe' sold 1.25 million copies. It made number one in 27 countries, selling 4 million worldwide, winning two major prizes at the 1997 Ivor Novello Awards.
The Mirror, 14.4.97: "WANNABE..wasn't originally planned, but the girls recorded it in less than an hour. Geri remembers telling the others: "This song's like us - you'll either love it or hate it. It'll do nothing or go all the way." Emma says: "We put a few private phrases like 'zigazig-ha' in. It's special because it was the first to explode into the Spice-o-sphere."
I found it interesting, also, that the title "Wannabe," if vocalised, could have another meaning as "Wanna bee" (i.e. behave like or resemble a bee), given that when the alien identified as Quazgaa delivered his farewell message to Betty Andreasson, she said that he was "..like a bee, like a giant bee head with big eyes..."
And, there is another insectile allusion/double meaning in the lyrics of "Wannabe": "..If you really bug me, then I'll say goodbye."
As I said, when Quazgaa delivered his farewell message to Betty, this alien entity resembled a bee; but from her drawing that is in Raymond Fowler's classic book 'The Andreasson Affair,' it is clear that Quazgaa's facial appearance could be compared just as reasonably to a bug.
Among the things that Quazgaa told Betty are:
"..Energy is 'round about man that he does not know of. It is the simplest form of energy. It is within the atmosphere... It has all been provided for him... Many riddles will be given... Those that are wise will understand..."
Perhaps those of you that are wise will understand that it is more than a little bit significant that the baby born to Spice Girl Melanie Brown on February 19th 1999 was named Phoenix Chi !!
*from Spice Girls interview with Kathy Acker, Guardian Weekend, 3.5.97:
"'The only way to go is growth,' says Mel B., 'I think everyone's turned a bit to the spiritual life.'
'You know,' interjects Victoria,'if you believe in evolution, we only use 20 per cent of our brain...if that. So it's natural that we can evolve to the next level. We've got to really.'"
**********************