Released: April 12, 1999
Songwriter: Andreas Carlsson Max Martin
Producer: Kristian Lundin Max Martin
[Intro: AJ]
Yeah-eh-eh
[Verse 1: Brian & Nick]
You are my fire
The one desire
Believe when I say
I want it that way
But we are two worlds apart
Can't reach to your heart
When you say
That I want it that way
[Chorus: Nick & All]
Tell me why
Ain't nothing but a heartache
Tell me why
Ain't nothing but a mistake
Tell me why
I never wanna hear you say
I want it that way
[Verse 2: AJ with Brian]
Am I your fire?
Your one desire
Yes, I know it's too late
But I want it that way
[Chorus: AJ, All & Brian]
Tell me why
Ain't nothing but a heartache
Tell me why
Ain't nothing but a mistake
Tell me why
I never wanna hear you say
I want it that way
[Bridge: Kevin with AJ]
Now I can see that we're falling apart
From the way that it used to be, yeah
No matter the distance
I want you to know
That deep down inside of me
[Reprise: Howie & All]
You are my fire
The one desire
You are (you are, you are, you are)
[Interlude: Nick & All]
Don't wanna hear you say
Ain't nothin' but a heartache
Ain't nothin' but a mistake
(Don't wanna hear you say)
I never wanna hear you say (oh, yeah)
I want it that way
[Chorus: Brian, All, (Nick) & AJ]
Tell me why
Ain't nothing but a heartache
Tell me why
Ain't nothing but a mistake
Tell me why
I never wanna hear you say (don't wanna hear you say)
I want it that way
Tell me why
Ain't nothin' but a heartache
Ain't nothin' but a mistake
Tell me why
I never wanna hear you say (never wanna hear you say, yeah)
I want it that way
[Outro: AJ]
'Cause I want it that way
Yeah-eh-eh
[Verse 1: Brian & Nick]
You are my fire
The one desire
Believe when I say
I want it that way
But we are two worlds apart
Can't reach to your heart
When you say
That I want it that way
[Chorus: Nick & All]
Tell me why
Ain't nothing but a heartache
Tell me why
Ain't nothing but a mistake
Tell me why
I never wanna hear you say
I want it that way
[Verse 2: AJ with Brian]
Am I your fire?
Your one desire
Yes, I know it's too late
But I want it that way
[Chorus: AJ, All & Brian]
Tell me why
Ain't nothing but a heartache
Tell me why
Ain't nothing but a mistake
Tell me why
I never wanna hear you say
I want it that way
[Bridge: Kevin with AJ]
Now I can see that we're falling apart
From the way that it used to be, yeah
No matter the distance
I want you to know
That deep down inside of me
[Reprise: Howie & All]
You are my fire
The one desire
You are (you are, you are, you are)
[Interlude: Nick & All]
Don't wanna hear you say
Ain't nothin' but a heartache
Ain't nothin' but a mistake
(Don't wanna hear you say)
I never wanna hear you say (oh, yeah)
I want it that way
[Chorus: Brian, All, (Nick) & AJ]
Tell me why
Ain't nothing but a heartache
Tell me why
Ain't nothing but a mistake
Tell me why
I never wanna hear you say (don't wanna hear you say)
I want it that way
Tell me why
Ain't nothin' but a heartache
Ain't nothin' but a mistake
Tell me why
I never wanna hear you say (never wanna hear you say, yeah)
I want it that way
[Outro: AJ]
'Cause I want it that way
Playlist: The Very Best of Backstreet Boys
- I Want It That Way
- Drowning
- Inconsolable
- More Than That
- Just Want You To Know
- Incomplete
- Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely
- Shape of My Heart
- Larger Than Life
- All I Have To Give
- Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)
- I’ll Never Break Your Heart
- As Long As You Love Me
- Everybody (Backstreet’s Back) (Extended Version)
- Greatest Hits 1999 [SWE]
- Hits For Kids 2 [NOR] (1999)
- Hit I Trafikken (Ren Nytelse) (1999)
- McMusic Hits ’99 [NOR] (1999)
- Absolute Music 28 [NOR] (1999)
- Millennium (1999)
- Drive Me Crazy (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (1999)
- Grammy Nominees 2000 (2000)
- The Hits - Chapter One (2001)
- Absolute 90's (2008 compilation) (2008)
- Playlist: The Very Best of Backstreet Boys (2010)
- NKOTBSB (2011)
- Non-Stop Pop [GTA V] (2013)
- The Essential Backstreet Boys (2013)
- Magic Mike XXL (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2015)
- The Millennial Mixtape (2019)
- NOW That’s What I Call Music 20th Anniversary, Vol. 2 [US] (2019)
- NOW 100 Hits 90s No.1s [UK] (2020)
- I Want It That Way
- Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)
- As Long As You Love Me
- Don’t Go Breaking My Heart
- Chances
- Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely
- No Place
- Shape of My Heart
- Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)
- Drowning
- Incomplete
- Larger Than Life
- The Call
- I Want It That Way (Alternate Version)
- Breathe (DNA)
- All I Have To Give
- New Love
- I’ll Never Break Your Heart
- Nobody Else
- We’ve Got It Goin’ On
- Passionate
- Chateau
- Don’t Wanna Lose You Now
- More Than That