Backstreet Boys have made a surprise admission about the lyrics of their hit song “I Want It That Way” more than 20 years after it was released.
Band members Nick Carter, Kevin Richardson, AJ McLean, Brian Littrell and Howie Dorough appeared on Watch What Happens Live earlier this week, and a fan asked them the meaning behind the chart-topping song’s famous chorus.
“In your song ‘I Want It That Way,’ why do you sing ‘I never want to hear you say / I want it that way’?” the fan asked, adding: “What way do you not want it to be?”
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It was McLean who chimed in, exclaiming: “First of all, the song makes no sense.”
He continued: “There was a completely different version of the song that actually made sense and thankfully we decided to go back to the one that didn’t make sense.
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1/23 “thank u, next” – Ariana Grande
Correct lyric: “Thank you, next. Thank you, next. Thank you, next. I’m so f***in’ grateful for my ex.”
Misheard lyric: “Bacon, eggs. Bacon, eggs. Bacon, eggs. I’m so f***in’ grateful for my eggs.”
2/23 “I Try” – Macy Gray
Correct lyric: “My world crumbles when you are not near.”
Misheard lyric: “I wear goggles when you are not near.”
3/23 “Sex on Fire” – Kings of Leon
Correct lyric: “Oooh, this sex is on fire.”
Misheard lyric: “Oooh, dyslexics on fire.”
4/23 “Erase and Rewind” – The Cardigans
Correct lyric: “Erase and rewind, ’cause I’ve been changing my mind.”
Misheard lyric: “Raisins and wine, ‘cause I’ve been changing my mind.”
5/23 “Dancing Queen” – ABBA
Correct lyric: “Dancing queen, feel the beat from the tambourine.”
Misheard lyric: “Dancing queen, feel the beat from the tangerine.”
6/23 “I’m a Believer” – The Monkees
Correct lyric: “Then I saw her face, now I’m a believer.”
Misheard lyric: “Then I saw her face, now I’m gonna leave her.”
7/23 “Jeremy” – Pearl Jam
Correct lyric: “Jeremy spoke in class today.”
Misheard lyric: “Jeremy’s smoking grass today.”
8/23 “Africa” – Toto
Correct lyric: “There’s nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do.”
Misheard lyric: “There’s nothing that a hundred men on mars could ever do.”
9/23 “Blank Space” by Taylor Swift
Correct lyric: “Got a long list of ex-lovers, they’ll tell you I’m insane.”
Misheard lyric: “Got a lot of Starbucks lovers, they’ll tell you I’m insane.”
10/23 “The Pretender” – Foo Fighters
Correct lyric: “What if I say I’m not like the others?”
Misheard lyric: “One of these things is not like the others.”
11/23 “Feel Good Inc” by The Gorillaz
Correct lyric: “Feel good.”
Misheard lyric: “Milk dud.”
12/23 “Blue” – Eiffel 65
Correct lyric: “I’m blue da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa.”
Misheard lyric: “I’m blue da ba dee da ba daa, in Aberdeen I will die, da ba dee da ba daa.”
13/23 “Blinded By the Light” – Manfred Mann’s Earth Band
Correct lyric: “Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night.”
Misheard lyric: “Wrapped up like a douche when you’re rollin’ in the night.”
14/23 “Purple Haze” – Jimi Hendrix
Correct lyric: “Scuse me, while I kiss the sky.”
Misheard lyric: “Scuse me, while I kiss this guy.”
15/23 “Tiny Dancer” – Elton John
Correct lyric: “Hold me closer tiny dancer.”
Misheard lyric: “Hold me closer Tony Danza.”
16/23 “Say You Love Me” – Fleetwood Mac
Correct lyric: “I’m begging you for a little sympathy.”
Misheard lyric: “I’m begging you for a little sip of tea.”
17/23 “Chasing Pavements” – Adele
Correct lyric: “Should I give up, or should I just keep chasing pavements?”
Misheard lyric: “Should I give up, or should I just keep chasing penguins?”
18/23 “Livin’ On A Prayer” – Bon Jovi
Correct lyric: “It doesn’t make a difference if we make it or not.”
Misheard lyric: “It doesn’t make a difference if we’re naked or not.”
Getty Images
19/23 “Baby Got Back” – Sir Mix-A-Lot
Correct lyric: “I like big butts and I cannot lie.”
Misheard lyric: “I like big butts in a can of limes.”
20/23 “Seven Seas of Rhye” – Queen
Correct lyric: “I challenge the mighty titan and his troubadours.”
Misheard lyric: “I challenge the mighty titan and his stupid horse.”
Getty Images
21/23 “Bad Moon Rising” – Creedence Clearwater Revival
Correct lyric: “There’s a bad moon on the rise.”
Misheard lyric: “There’s a bathroom on the right.”
AFP/Getty Images
22/23 “Like a G6” – Far East Movement
Correct lyric: “Now I’m feelin’ so fly like a G6.”
Misheard lyric: “Now I’m feelin’ so fly like a cheese stick.”
23/23 “The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite” – REM
Correct lyric: “Call me when you try to wake her.”
Misheard lyric: “Calling Jamaica.”
Getty Images
1/23 “thank u, next” – Ariana Grande
Correct lyric: “Thank you, next. Thank you, next. Thank you, next. I’m so f***in’ grateful for my ex.”
Misheard lyric: “Bacon, eggs. Bacon, eggs. Bacon, eggs. I’m so f***in’ grateful for my eggs.”
2/23 “I Try” – Macy Gray
Correct lyric: “My world crumbles when you are not near.”
Misheard lyric: “I wear goggles when you are not near.”
3/23 “Sex on Fire” – Kings of Leon
Correct lyric: “Oooh, this sex is on fire.”
Misheard lyric: “Oooh, dyslexics on fire.”
4/23 “Erase and Rewind” – The Cardigans
Correct lyric: “Erase and rewind, ’cause I’ve been changing my mind.”
Misheard lyric: “Raisins and wine, ‘cause I’ve been changing my mind.”
5/23 “Dancing Queen” – ABBA
Correct lyric: “Dancing queen, feel the beat from the tambourine.”
Misheard lyric: “Dancing queen, feel the beat from the tangerine.”
6/23 “I’m a Believer” – The Monkees
Correct lyric: “Then I saw her face, now I’m a believer.”
Misheard lyric: “Then I saw her face, now I’m gonna leave her.”
7/23 “Jeremy” – Pearl Jam
Correct lyric: “Jeremy spoke in class today.”
Misheard lyric: “Jeremy’s smoking grass today.”
8/23 “Africa” – Toto
Correct lyric: “There’s nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do.”
Misheard lyric: “There’s nothing that a hundred men on mars could ever do.”
9/23 “Blank Space” by Taylor Swift
Correct lyric: “Got a long list of ex-lovers, they’ll tell you I’m insane.”
Misheard lyric: “Got a lot of Starbucks lovers, they’ll tell you I’m insane.”
10/23 “The Pretender” – Foo Fighters
Correct lyric: “What if I say I’m not like the others?”
Misheard lyric: “One of these things is not like the others.”
11/23 “Feel Good Inc” by The Gorillaz
Correct lyric: “Feel good.”
Misheard lyric: “Milk dud.”
12/23 “Blue” – Eiffel 65
Correct lyric: “I’m blue da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa.”
Misheard lyric: “I’m blue da ba dee da ba daa, in Aberdeen I will die, da ba dee da ba daa.”
13/23 “Blinded By the Light” – Manfred Mann’s Earth Band
Correct lyric: “Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night.”
Misheard lyric: “Wrapped up like a douche when you’re rollin’ in the night.”
14/23 “Purple Haze” – Jimi Hendrix
Correct lyric: “Scuse me, while I kiss the sky.”
Misheard lyric: “Scuse me, while I kiss this guy.”
15/23 “Tiny Dancer” – Elton John
Correct lyric: “Hold me closer tiny dancer.”
Misheard lyric: “Hold me closer Tony Danza.”
16/23 “Say You Love Me” – Fleetwood Mac
Correct lyric: “I’m begging you for a little sympathy.”
Misheard lyric: “I’m begging you for a little sip of tea.”
17/23 “Chasing Pavements” – Adele
Correct lyric: “Should I give up, or should I just keep chasing pavements?”
Misheard lyric: “Should I give up, or should I just keep chasing penguins?”
18/23 “Livin’ On A Prayer” – Bon Jovi
Correct lyric: “It doesn’t make a difference if we make it or not.”
Misheard lyric: “It doesn’t make a difference if we’re naked or not.”
Getty Images
19/23 “Baby Got Back” – Sir Mix-A-Lot
Correct lyric: “I like big butts and I cannot lie.”
Misheard lyric: “I like big butts in a can of limes.”
20/23 “Seven Seas of Rhye” – Queen
Correct lyric: “I challenge the mighty titan and his troubadours.”
Misheard lyric: “I challenge the mighty titan and his stupid horse.”
Getty Images
21/23 “Bad Moon Rising” – Creedence Clearwater Revival
Correct lyric: “There’s a bad moon on the rise.”
Misheard lyric: “There’s a bathroom on the right.”
AFP/Getty Images
22/23 “Like a G6” – Far East Movement
Correct lyric: “Now I’m feelin’ so fly like a G6.”
Misheard lyric: “Now I’m feelin’ so fly like a cheese stick.”
23/23 “The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite” – REM
Correct lyric: “Call me when you try to wake her.”
Misheard lyric: “Calling Jamaica.”
Getty Images
“I don’t think it would’ve been as big as it was, had it made sense.”
“I Want It That Way” was the lead single from the band’s third record, Millennium , which was released in 1999. It was written by Max Martin and Andreas Carlsson.
The song is considered Backstreet Boys’ signature track and topped the charts in more than 25 countries worldwide.
Backstreet Boys will embark on their DNA World Tour, which starts 20 February and runs right through to 9 October.
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