It's Gonna Be Me

Composition and lyrics

The lyrics are addressed to a woman who apparently had bad experiences in previous relationships. The man who shows interest in her assures the woman that he is nothing like her past lovers, and that he is prepared to wait for her. When she is ready to love someone again, he maintains that "It's gonna be me". It is written in the key of C minor.

Music video

The music video was directed by Wayne Isham. It was shot from April 27–28, 2000. The video debuted on MTV's TRL on May 23, 2000. It was released on MTV's "Making the Video". Joji Tani, known by Screaming Mad George, provided make-up work for the video.

The video begins in a large toy store, with "Bye Bye Bye" playing in the background. Each group member is an animated plastic doll version of themselves in a box similar to their album cover. They punch through the plastic front of their boxes and try to attract the attention of the girl shopping (Kim Smith, who also appears as the puppeteer in "Bye Bye Bye") so that they can be bought. Army men abseil down from a higher shelf, destroy their boxes, and laugh at them when they are purchased. Next, the boys spot a set of Barbie-like dolls and go hang out with them. The Barbies drop a net on them, and again tease them when they are bought and NSYNC is not. Finally, the group gets back to their shelf and does a dance for the shopping girl. She buys them, and upon scanning, each doll becomes the real-life version of each group member. All of this is interspersed with the band in a color-lit room singing and dancing with the lights changing colors. The video was released on October 25, 2009. As of January 2017, the video has received over 51 million views.

In popular culture

Following the release of the video, dolls like those portrayed by the band were created, with strings attached as a reference to the group's smash hit video "Bye Bye Bye".

Throughout the song, Justin Timberlake pronounces the word "me" such that it sounds more like "May." This oddity has led to an internet craze in which memes of Timberlake's face above the inscription "It's Gonna Be May!" are shared on the internet by numerous users every 30 April (including President Barack Obama). When asked about why he pronounced "me" in that manner, he replied producer Martin had asked him to sing the word in that way, as he probably wanted Timberlake to sound like he was from Tennessee.

In 2016, Fall Out Boy created a follow-up music video for their song "Irresistible" featuring Demi Lovato, which is also directed by Isham and featured cameos from Chris Kirkpatrick as a toy factory worker and Joey Fatone as a toy store employee.

Track listings and formats

U.S. single 1 limited edition

1. "It's Gonna Be Me" (Single Version) – 3:11
2. "It's Gonna Be Me" (Maurice Joshua Radio Mix) – 4:11

U.S. single 2

1. "It's Gonna Be Me" (Single Version) – 3:11
2. "It's Gonna Be Me" (Jack D. Elliot Remix Radio Edit) – 3:49
3. "It's Gonna Be Me" (Digital Black-N-Groove Club Mix) – 8:07
4. "It's Gonna Be Me" (Jazzy Jim's Remix) – 3:49
5. "It's Gonna Be Me" (Azza's Groove Mix) – 3:46
6. "It's Gonna Be Me" (Jack D. Elliot Club Mix) – 6:04
7. "It's Gonna Be Me" (Digital Black-N-Dub) – 5:15

U.S. vinyl

1. "It's Gonna Be Me" (Digital Black-N-Groove Club Mix) – 8:05
2. "It's Gonna Be Me" (Radio Edit) – 3:11
3. "Bye Bye Bye" (Riprock & Alex G Club Remix) – 4:53

International single

1. "It's Gonna Be Me" (Single Version) – 3:11
2. "It's Gonna Be Me" (Instrumental) – 3:13
3. "This Is Where the Party's At" (previously unreleased version) – 3:42
4. "Bye Bye Bye" (Teddy Riley Mix) – 3:40