The Spice Girls have finally unleashed what could have been their debut single – after it was binned in favour of Wannabe as the alternative was deemed ‘too rude’ to be played on radio.
The fab five hit the top of the charts with their debut single back in 1996 – but the ladies deliberated releasing a five minute track called Feed Your Love instead of their iconic first single.
The saucy track – recorded by Mel Brown, Victoria Beckham, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Horner (nee Halliwell) – was all about a sex act.
While the song was locked away in a vault when it was decided not to be released, Feed Your Love has now been recovered and released as part of a special Wannabe25 EP – released by the band as part of the 25th anniversary of their success.
Lyrics that were deemed to saucy to air on radio back in the ‘90s include: “Feed your love to me, feed it to me, boy. ’Cause I need to know that you care, I need to know that you care.
“Feed your love to me, baby. ’Cause I really, really, really wanna share my secrets with you.”
While the raunch factor increases with further lyrics stating: “I’ve got the man I love, he’s gracious and good to me. Do just what you wanna do for the rest of the night.”
The Sun reports that the track was banned because: "the suggestive lyrics leave little to the imagination, which is why it never got airplay in the Nineties."
The demo version of Feed Your Love and demo versions of Wannabe have been shared by the band as they mark 25 years since they first topped the charts.
The new EP is considered the first new music released by the group since the 2007 single Headlines (Friendship Never Ends) which reached number 11 in the UK charts.
The Spice Girls drummed up excitement for their new release last month – taking to Twitter, the band announced: “It’s official! It’s been 25 years of the Spice Girls.
“We believe there is a Spice Girl in all of us, and we want you to join us on a trip down memory lane!
“We want to see you singing your heart out, showing off your best dance moves and hear how you’ve been inspired, influenced and excited by everything People Power!”
They also said in a statement released last month: “The Spice Girls belong to everyone and that’s why we want to mark 25 years of Wannabe by celebrating our incredible fans.
“There is a Spice Girl within all of us, and their rise to fame was a story lived by millions of us around the world… it’s time for those stories to be told.”
As well as their eagerly-anticipated EP, the band have also launched the #IAmASpiceGirl campaign to celebrate “people power”.
Celebrities including the hit singers Adele and Sam Smith have already posted quotes, as has the Hollywood actress Blake Lively, a big fan of the group growing up.
