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Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)

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Format
  
CD single

Length
  
3:52

Genre
  
Pop

B-side
  
"Lay Down Beside Me" "Give Me Your Heart" "Christmas Time" "Anywhere for You" "Don't Leave Me" "Nobody But You" "Backstreet Boys Present... (Album Medley)"

Released
  
October 14, 1996 (1996-10-14) (UK) May 19, 1997 (1997-05-19) (US)

Recorded
  
June 22, 1995–September 1996 Cheiron Studios (Stockholm) Battery Studios (New York City)

"Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)" is the fourth single from the Backstreet Boys' international album. It was recorded in June 1995 in Stockholm, Sweden and released in 1996. It reached #1 in Germany, Switzerland and Austria, #2 in the United Kingdom, and #7 in the Netherlands. It was subsequently included on the band's debut US album, and was released as the first single in the summer of 1997. It reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, making it their most successful single on the chart (the #1 spot was occupied by "Mo Money Mo Problems" by The Notorious B.I.G. feat. Puff Daddy and Mase and "Honey" by Mariah Carey). It sold 2 million copies in the US.

Contents

Background

The single was not the label's first choice as single from the US debut. They initially wanted to release the Mutt Lange-produced "If You Want It to Be Good Girl (Get Yourself a Badboy)", but the band argued against it, claiming it to be one of their worst songs. Jive president Barry Weiss claims that the serious contenders as first single also included "Anywhere for You" and "All I Have to Give". The band wanted to redo the music video, but the label refused, arguing that they planned to market to radio, and not video. The song ultimately succeeded without MTV support. All of the background vocals on the song, other than McLean's singing harmony with himself on the bridge, are those of Littrell and Kevin Richardson, who decided to finish up the song while the other members were having lunch. The song was unexpectedly offered to the band while recording "We've Got It Goin' On" in June 1995 in Stockholm, Sweden. They accepted the offer when they completed that recording in only two days of their planned week-long session.

Original version

The original recording of the song features Brian Littrell singing both verses. This version was featured on the early release of their 1996 debut album and is featured on the 1997 debut US album.

Single version

A year after it was recorded, Max Martin was flown to London in September 1996 to re-record the second verse with Nick Carter at Battery Studios. This version was added to the later pressings of their 1996 international debut album and on the 1998 re-release of the US debut album. This is the version that was released as a single.

Italian version

There is also an Italian version of this song, titled "Non Puoi Lasciarmi Così", included in the Italian release of the international debut album. The lead vocals of the first two verses are sung by Kevin Richardson and Howie Dorough.

Track listing

  • America
    • CD1 (Old Version)
    1. "Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)" (Video Version) - 3:52
    2. "Backstreet Boys Present... (Album Medley)" - 6:57
    3. "Lay Down Beside Me" - 5:30
    4. "Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)" (LP Version) - 3:49
    CD2 (New Version)
    1. "Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)" (LP Version)
    2. "Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)" (E-SMOOVE Vocal Mix)
    3. "Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)" (Jazzy Jim's Mixxshoww Slamma)
    4. "Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)" (Maurice Joshua Club Mix)
  • Europe
    • CD1 (Classic Version)
    1. "Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)" (Video Version) - 3:52
    2. "Nobody But You" (Long Version) - 6:07
    3. "Give Me Your Heart" - 5:06
    4. "Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)" (Acoustic Version) - 3:56
    CD2 (Winter Version)
    1. "Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)" (Video Version) - 3:56
    2. "Christmas Time" - 4:20
    3. "Lay Down Beside Me" - 5:32
    4. "Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)" (Acoustic Version) - 3:57
  • UK
    1. "Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)" (Video Version) - 3:54
    2. "Nobody But You" (Long Version) - 6:08
    3. "Give Me Your Heart" - 5:08
    4. "Lay Down Beside Me" - 5:27
    Cassette
    1. "Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)" (Video Version) - 3:52
    2. "Lay Down Beside Me" - 5:30
  • Japan
    1. "Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)" (Video Version) - 3:52
    2. "Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)" (Acoustic Version) - 4:02
    3. "Anywhere for You" - 4:40
    4. "Don't Leave Me" - 4:18

    Music video

    The music video was filmed on October 17, 1996 at Howard Middle School in Orlando, Florida. It was directed by Kai Sehr, and shows the Boys dancing and singing on a deserted basketball court at night. Halfway through the video, it begins to rain. The boys dance in the rain, some of them have their shirts unbuttoned in the later half of the music video. The video premiered in the US in July 1997, almost a year later.

    References

    Quit Playing Games (with My Heart) Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA