Viva Forever

"Viva Forever" is a song by English girl group the Spice Girls from their second studio album, Spiceworld (1997). The song was co-written by the group with Matt Rowe and Richard Stannard, while production was handled by the latter two. It is a pop ballad with Spanish-style elements. The song's theme is about a summer romance during a holiday vacation, as the lyrics discuss recent experiences and memories. It was released as the album's fourth and final single on 10 July 1998 by Virgin Records. The single's commercial release was delayed several times and was poorly promoted, being affected by Geri Halliwell's departure and the subsequent continuation of the Spiceworld Tour by the remaining members. The song was well received by most music critics, with some considering it their best work artistically in 1998. It was a commercial success, debuting atop the UK Singles Chart, becoming the group's seventh number-one single in the United Kingdom and staying at the position for two weeks. It has since been certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). The song was also successful on the music charts in the rest of Europe, as well as Canada and Oceania. An accompanying music video, directed by Steve Box, features stop motion animation of the group as fairies, and it took five months to be completed. The video was commissioned months before Halliwell's departure and as such, she is featured in it and on the accompanying artwork.