“I Want It That Way”—the 1999 megahit by the Backstreet Boys—is a bop, no doubt. It’s difficult to not feel good after listening to it. But its lyrics? They make absolutely no sense.
At least we’re not alone in this assessment: Backstreet Boy AJ McClean agrees and told Us Weekly on the latest episode of “Anatomy of a Song” that the group fought their record label to keep the version we know and love today, confusing lyrics included. (Maybe it’s because many of us were too young to comprehend or really care at the time of the song’s release 24 years ago (!), but, as an adult listening to it with a fresh set of ears—and really listening to the words—it really doesn’t make a doggone bit of sense.)
