Backstreet Boys - I Want It That Way (Lyrics)

Originally, "Larger Than Life" was intended to be the lead single, following the similar formula of their first two albums, having an upbeat lead single. However, after hearing the final version of "I Want It That Way", the group wanted to move in a more mature direction, by utilizing a mid-tempo track as the lead single. Zomba Recording executives had to be convinced to approve of the song as the first single, due to them citing that the group could "alienate fans" with a mid-tempo song that had vague lyrical meaning. In the end, press information in the form of snippets was authorized for release to radio stations in March 1999, to precede the song's release to radio in April.

Backstreet Boys - I Want It That Way (Lyrics)

The song is written in the key of A major. At approximately the 2 minute, 25 seconds point of the song, the key modulates to B major. Their vocals span from E4 to B5.[6] An alternate version of the song with different lyrics was written and recorded by the band in January 1999. The version was included in some early demo presses of the album. In the alternate version, the song has the opposite message ("I love it when I hear you say, I want it that way").[7] [8] The alternative lyrics were written by Martin and Carlsson in collaboration with Mutt Lange.[9]

Many critics over the years have questioned the song's lyrical meaning, mainly the line, "I want it that way." Ben Westhoff of LA Weekly dissected the song, writing that its lyrical content "makes zero sense". For Westhoff, "Mainly, the meaning of 'that' is at issue." While analyzing the lyrics, Westhoff perceived that, "None of the sentiments in the chorus seem to go with any of the other ones. Even worse, no further explanation is given for what 'that' is." The critic assumed that in the song "someone simply doesn't like it when his lover expresses preferences, never wanting to hear when his girlfriend says she wants things in particular ways".[11]

You could argue that a guy is telling a girl that he doesn't want to hear her say he wants them anywhere but on the same page. But honestly, you should stop analyzing the lyrics to this song because they were never supposed to make sense.

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We never really understood it when we tried to figure it out in the 90s, but it was still one of the greatest Backstreet Boys songs of all time. Now when you look back, it is easy to see that it's probably about a breakup. He wants it that way, while their partner wants it that way. Get it? Well, it wasn't always this way.

So if we could only look at the backstreet boys and listen to the radio edit, we can easily conclude that they are talking to each other about how they want it that way. From each other. If, on the other hand, we read the original lyrics, we easily conclude otherwise; it is the studio executives who wish to keep us in the dark about the true meaning of the song, to keep us listlessly wandering in an emotional vacuum. What is the world coming to?

History tells us that it would indeed go on to be one of the biggest songs of their career, as well as one of the biggest selling singles of all time, but originally, the management of the Backstreet Boys wanted Martin and Carlsson to rewrite some of the lyrics, because they felt they were too confusing and vague. 041b061a72