Classic Spice Girls song is now censored by radio stations over offensive lyrics
Their song Spice Up Your Life features a lyric which is unthinkable in 2025 and would see them likely cancelled if they were to release the song today.
They were unstoppable at the height of Girl Power in the 1990s, but the Spice Girls have fallen foul of the censors over a lyric that are deemed to offensive for modern audiences.
Their song Spice Up Your Life features a lyric which is unthinkable in 2025 and would see them likely cancelled if they were to release the song today. It could even be seen as racist.
Stations are now only playing a censored version of the No1 hit which was recorded almost 30 years ago and released in 1997.
The iconic girl group’s track is one of their biggest and most recognisable hit featuring Victoria Beckham, Mel B, Mel C, Emma Burton and Geri Halliwell otherwise known as Posh Spice, Scary Spice, Sporty Spic, Baby Spice and whatever Geri was called. Oh yeah, Ginger Spice.
Upon its release, it stayed in the charts’ Top 20 for six weeks, and then remained in the Top 40 for 12.
However, a controversial line in the song has led to the track now being censored by numerous radio stations.
The original lyric read: “Yellow man in Timbuktu. Colour for both me and you,” although radio stations including BBC Radio 2 are now playing an amended version of the hit with the word “Yellow” removed.
Controversy around the lyric goes back to 2019 too, when reports emerged that the group were considering replacing the word “Yellow” with “Happy” for their reunion tour that year. This decision was later thrown out, and they played the song with the original lyrics.
A censored version of the hit song was played during an episode of Doctor Who back in 2023, when characters spoke over the lyrics.
The Spice Girls formed in 1994 and became part of the ‘Cool Britannia’ era as an antidote to the Britpop movement that was being spearheaded by the likes of Blur, Pulp and Oasis.
Other hits included 2 Become 1, Viva Forever and the debut hit Wannabe.
The Spice Girls are rumoured to be in talks about a reunion tour once again.
Top showbiz news
However, a reunion tour in 2019 did not feature Victoria Beckham which led to a bit of a slanging match at the time.
The last time they all performed together publicly was at the London Olympics closing ceremony in 2012.