
Trivia That Happened: Revealing Hidden Stories Behind The Songs
Guys, I'm kind of a music nerd. I know, I know. It's a shocker. You can't really believe it.
But no, I remember silly things about music all the time, and for some reason those stories stick with me for ever and a day. So today, I'm gonna tell ya a story about a song we play here on Mix:
Yes, a pre-2000's classic. I bet I know what you're wondering about this one.
Well, it's a classic, it's a hit record, obviously. It's stood the test of time and most people I know still love it. But we can all pretty much agree... those lyrics don't make sense.
Is it a break up song? Is it a love song? Is it something else?
Tell me why
Ain't nothin' but a heartache
Tell me why
Ain't nothin' but a mistake
Tell me why
I never wanna hear you say
I want it that way
Well, to really understand, we have to look at the songwriting process. One of the main songwriters of "I Want It That Way" is a guy named Max Martin. You've probably heard his name before, but it's easy to forget just how big he is. Quick list of songs he's written or co-written:
- Britney Spears - Criminal
- Coldplay with BTS - My Universe
- The Weekend - Can't Feel My Face
- N Sync - It's Gonna Be Me
- Ariana Grande - Yes, And?
- Taylor Swift - Shake It Off
- Katy Perry - Teenage Dream
- Usher - DJ Got Us Falling in Love
- Pink - So What
- Kelly Clarkson - Since U Been Gone
And just trust me when I say there's a ton more. This dude is one of those considered to have a "magic touch" when it comes to making hit songs. And part of his reputation was solidified by his work with Britney Spears and The Backstreet Boys in the nineties. in fact, our buddy MM was responsible for 7 out of 12 tracks on Millennium.
So, dude has put in the work. But..... frankly, dude is Swedish. And back in the late nineties...he didn't speak English super great. So the lyrics to some of the songs... were a little nonsensical.

At the time, MM was not very powerful - he had a few hit records, but he didn't have the pull to make final decisions. BB's record label, Jive, heard the song and loved it, but did NOT love the lyrics. They, like a lot of us, thought they didn't make sense. However, Backstreet were one of the biggest groups in the world at the time (the boyband bubble wouldn't burst for another couple of years), and they were fresh out of their stifling contract with Lou Perlman. So they weren't gonna just throw away a hit song. The label asked for a rewrite, to make the lyrics make sense. The group recorded one, and it was called, "No Goodbyes".
So yea, the lyrics do make more sense in that one, at least in English.
No goodbyes
(ain't nothing but a heartache)
No more lies
(ain't nothing but a mistake)
That is why
I love it when I hear you say
I want it that way
But, when presented with both versions to make a choice, the Backstreet Boys preferred the original. nonsensical version. And they were influential enough at the time to be deferred to, and that's what the label went with.
Which version do you prefer? What other stories behind the songs would you like to hear?
Trivially yours,
Behka
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