In the mid-nineties, the all-male band, The Backstreet Boys took the music world by storm. Singles from their self-titled debut album Backstreet Boys were released to massive success in Europe, where songs like “Quit Playing Games” started climbing the music charts. The fact is, Backstreet Boys had already been an international success before gaining popularity in the United States. Backstreet Boys released nine total studio albums and were catapulted to superstardom in the 1990s. Today, the band still tours to sold-out stadiums across the world. 

Fun Facts About Backstreet Boys

• The Backstreet Boys played their first show on May 8, 1993, in Orlando, Florida.
• U.S. record labels turned them down, but Jive Records in Germany didn’t, which explains their debut in Germany.
• “Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)” was released on October 14, 1996, in Germany, Europe, and England.
• The song peaked at number one on the German pop singles charts and number two on the U.K. charts.
• “Quit Playing Games” was the band’s fourth internationally released single and their most successful, selling more than 2 million copies in the U.S.
• Their debut album wasn’t released in the United States.
• The Backstreet Boys released a U.S. version of Backstreet Boys on August 17, 1997.
• “Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)” reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 music chart.
• The band formed from an audition call in a Florida newspaper.
• The band was explicitly created as a teen pop boy band that auditioned hundreds of singers to arrive at the original lineup.
• Original band member Nick Carter had trouble recording vocals for the song because his voice was changing due to puberty. He was 15 at the time of its release. 

Lyrics 

Baby, oh

Even in my heart I see

You’re not bein’ true to me

Deep within my soul I feel

Nothing’s like it used to be

Sometimes I wish I could turn back time

Impossible as it may seem

But I wish I could so bad, baby

Quit playin’ games with my heart

Quit playin’ games with my heart

Before you tear us apart (my heart)

Quit playin’ games with my heart

I should’ve known from the start

You know you got to stop (from my heart)

You’re tearing us apart (my heart)

Quit playin’ games with my heart

I live my life the way

To keep you comin’ back to me

Everything I do is for you

So what is it that you can’t see?

Sometimes I wish I could turn back time

Impossible as it may seem

But I wish I could so bad, baby

You better quit playin’ games with my heart

Quit playin’ games with my heart

Before you tear us apart (my heart)

Quit playin’ games with my heart

I should’ve known from the start

You know you got to stop (from my heart)

You’re tearing us apart (my heart)

Quit playin’ games

Baby, baby the love that we had was so strong

Don’t leave me hangin’ here forever

Oh baby, baby this is not right

Let’s stop this tonight

Baby, oh, quit playin’ games

Na, na, na, na, na, na, na

Na, na, na, na, na, baby

Na, na, na, na, na-ah

Sometimes I wish I could

Turn back time, impossible as it may seem

But I wish I could so bad, baby

Quit playin’ games with my heart

Quit playin’ games with my heart

Before you tear us apart (my heart)

Quit playin’ games with my heart

I should’ve known from the start

You know you got to stop (from my heart)

You’re tearing us apart (my heart)

Quit playin’ games with my heart

Quit playin’ games with my heart

Na, na, na, na, na, na, na

Na, na, na, na, na, baby

Na, na, na, na, na-ah

Quit playin’ games with my heart

Na, na, na, na, na, na, na (with my heart)

Na, na, na, na, na, baby (my heart)

My heart