Melanie B covered the song for the Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me soundtrack.
Word Up
Melanie B Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Got a weird thing to show you
So tell all the boys and girls
Tell your brother, your sister and your mamma too
we're about to go down
And you know just what to do
Wave your hands in the air like you don't care
Glide by the people as they start to look and stare
Come on baby tell me what's the word
Word up everybody says
When you hear the call you've got to get it underway
Word up it's the code word
No matter where you say it you know that you'll be heard
Now all you sucker DJ's who think you're fly
There's got to be a reason and we know the reason why
Why you put on those airs and you act real cool
Got to realize that you're acting like fools
If there's music we can use it
You're free to dance
We don't have the time for psychological romance
No romance, no romance, no romance for me mamma
Come on baby tell me what's the word
Word up everybody says
When you hear the call you've got to get it underway
Dial L for love, Dial L for love, Dial L for love
W.O.R.D. UP, W.O.R.D. UP, W.O.R.D. UP, W.O.R.D. UP
Yeh you sucker DJ's who think you're fly
There's got to be a reason and we know the reason why
Why you put on those airs and you act real cool
Got to realize that you're acting like fools
Give us music we can use it, yes, we can dance
We dont have no time for psychological romance
No romance, no romance, no romance for me mamma
Come on baby tell me what's the word
Word up everybody says
When you hear the call you've got to get it underway
Word up it's the code word
No matter where you say it you know that you'll be heard
Word up everybody says
When you hear the call you've got to get it underway
Word up it's the code word
No matter where you say it you know that you'll be heard
The lyrics of “Word Up” by Melanie B are about having a good time on the dance floor, with a call on everyone to join in the party. The song starts with the singer calling everyone to pay attention to what she and her group of pretty ladies have to offer. According to the lyrics, they have a “weird thing” they want to show everyone, and they want everyone, including siblings and parents, to join in the fun. As everyone starts partying, the singer instructs them to wave their hands and do their dance without caring who is watching them. She encourages everyone to take part in the party, telling them they know what to do.
The second verse directs a specific message to “sucker DJs who think they’re fly.” The singer accuses them of putting on airs and acting cool without any real reason. She tells them to drop the façade and give everyone the music they can dance to, without any psychological games. The chorus repeats the message of the song; the word up is a code word that brings people together, no matter where they are, and everyone has to join in the party.
Overall, the lyrics of “Word Up” by Melanie B encourage everyone to let loose and have fun, without worrying about what anyone else thinks. It is a song about enjoying life and letting loose, a message that resonates with many people.
Line by Line Meaning
Your pretty ladies around the world
Melanie is addressing all the beautiful ladies around the world.
Got a weird thing to show you
She has something unusual to show them.
So tell all the boys and girls
She asks the ladies to inform everyone about it, both males and females.
Tell your brother, your sister and your mamma too
She asks them to tell their entire family, including their mother and siblings.
we're about to go down
Melanie announces the beginning of something.
And you know just what to do
She assumes that they all know what to do next.
Wave your hands in the air like you don't care
She instructs them to wave their hands aimlessly.
Glide by the people as they start to look and stare
She tells them to walk past people as others gaze at them.
Do your dance, do your dance, do your dance quick mamma
She instructs them to perform their dance moves quickly.
Come on baby tell me what's the word
Melanie encourages them to tell her about what they think and feel.
Word up everybody says
This is the call to action for everyone.
When you hear the call you've got to get it underway
Melanie urges everyone to act when they hear the call.
Word up it's the code word
She emphasizes that the phrase 'Word up' is the code word that everyone should know.
No matter where you say it you know that you'll be heard
She assures that the message will be heard, no matter where you say it.
Now all you sucker DJ's who think you're fly
Melanie addresses the DJs who think they are cool.
There's got to be a reason and we know the reason why
She believes that they act like that for a certain reason, but she knows the real reason.
Why you put on those airs and you act real cool
She questions why they pretend to be cool.
Got to realize that you're acting like fools
She advises them to stop acting foolishly.
If there's music we can use it
She highlights the importance of music.
You're free to dance
She tells everyone that they are free to dance.
We don't have the time for psychological romance
She emphasizes that they should not waste time on psychological romance.
No romance, no romance, no romance for me mamma
She reiterates that she is not interested in romance at the moment.
Dial L for love, Dial L for love, Dial L for love
She gives a clue on how to find love by dialing L.
W.O.R.D. UP, W.O.R.D. UP, W.O.R.D. UP, W.O.R.D. UP
Melanie spells out the code word 'Word up' for anyone who missed it earlier.
Yeh you sucker DJ's who think you're fly
She addresses the DJs again and calls them out as fools.
Give us music we can use it, yes, we can dance
She repeats the importance of music and dancing, and urges them to provide good music.
We dont have no time for psychological romance
She reminds them not to waste time on anything other than dancing.
No romance, no romance, no romance for me mamma
Again, she clarifies that at the moment, she is only interested in dancing.
Come on baby tell me what's the word
She reiterates her call for everyone to share their thoughts.
When you hear the call you've got to get it underway
Melanie reminds everyone to act when they hear the call.
No matter where you say it you know that you'll be heard
She reiterates that the message will be heard, no matter where you say it.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LARRY BLACKMON, TOMI JENKINS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@onyx567
Even after all this time, I'm still so confused yet mesmerized by this strangely fascinating video. I understand it yet I still don't lol. Here's what I can kinda gather for anyone who's interested:
0:08 The inner zoom-in glimpse gives us an indication that this is all taking place inside Mel's imagination
0:15 on the side reads M.G. in reference to when Mel B was Mel G (if you know you know)
0:28 Mel is a puppet whose strings are cut off by a gimp who seems to be the original puppet master?
0:32 Who is this child? I used to think it was supposed to be her daughter but a later scene indicates otherwise. Her dress at 3:25 reads "phagocytes" which is an immune cell
1:08 - 1:14 She transports through the mirror as we see that she has entered the mirror and the dress has left her body
1:16 Mel (who is portrayed via a very early form of motion capure) pleasures herself with the book Tears of Eros (which upon further research is a real erotica book and could perhaps explain a lot of the inspiration behind the BDSM imagery in this video) and slowly transforms into her would-be dominatrix self
2:05 Mensuration?
2:21 The blade reads "thanatos" which is the personification of death from ancient Greek mythology
2:53 - 2:59 Either this indicated an aura of dominance and power or symbolism of self-pleasure by murdering one's own former self idk lol I'm so lost at this rate
3:06 Omg 4K has now revealed Mel to be pregnant this whole time (which makes sense since the vid was made in late 1998) so that little girl can't be her daughter?
3:20 Cool motion capure scene in the midst of self pleasure
3:30 Spitting eggs which are then carried by the little girl with the phagocyte dress?
4:20 Very beautiful shot of Mel once again
In conclusion, I'm so lost yet so fascinated. I wonder what was going through the director's brain? We need this video or song to trend again so we can get some answers. Also side note that the performance on Top of the Pops indicates that more motion capure scenes were filmed but never used.
@pauljet
That's still the weirdest SG related video, even after nearly 25 years! Will you have the other video with actual footage of Mel, too, please?
@SpiceGirlsMania
I confess that I also find this clip of hers quite strange, lol... Yes, the second version of Word Up will be the next clip I post here on the channel. Stay tuned!! ❤
@reecehaines395
my favorite
@kingi.m.newsv2536
Again omg love ❤ thank u im the biggest mel b fan xx
@SpiceGirlsMania
Stay tuned to the channel. Soon I will post all her clips in 4K! ❤
@traceybradbury5022
❤❤❤
@JacobW567
Finally! Thanks, big thanks!
@SpiceGirlsMania
😍😍😍
@onyx567
Even after all this time, I'm still so confused yet mesmerized by this strangely fascinating video. I understand it yet I still don't lol. Here's what I can kinda gather for anyone who's interested:
0:08 The inner zoom-in glimpse gives us an indication that this is all taking place inside Mel's imagination
0:15 on the side reads M.G. in reference to when Mel B was Mel G (if you know you know)
0:28 Mel is a puppet whose strings are cut off by a gimp who seems to be the original puppet master?
0:32 Who is this child? I used to think it was supposed to be her daughter but a later scene indicates otherwise. Her dress at 3:25 reads "phagocytes" which is an immune cell
1:08 - 1:14 She transports through the mirror as we see that she has entered the mirror and the dress has left her body
1:16 Mel (who is portrayed via a very early form of motion capure) pleasures herself with the book Tears of Eros (which upon further research is a real erotica book and could perhaps explain a lot of the inspiration behind the BDSM imagery in this video) and slowly transforms into her would-be dominatrix self
2:05 Mensuration?
2:21 The blade reads "thanatos" which is the personification of death from ancient Greek mythology
2:53 - 2:59 Either this indicated an aura of dominance and power or symbolism of self-pleasure by murdering one's own former self idk lol I'm so lost at this rate
3:06 Omg 4K has now revealed Mel to be pregnant this whole time (which makes sense since the vid was made in late 1998) so that little girl can't be her daughter?
3:20 Cool motion capure scene in the midst of self pleasure
3:30 Spitting eggs which are then carried by the little girl with the phagocyte dress?
4:20 Very beautiful shot of Mel once again
In conclusion, I'm so lost yet so fascinated. I wonder what was going through the director's brain? We need this video or song to trend again so we can get some answers. Also side note that the performance on Top of the Pops indicates that more motion capure scenes were filmed but never used.
@user-qq4tl5pu8r
Muchas gracias por tu canal