What Is The Best Version Of "I Want It That Way" By Backstreet Boys?
So last night we had a BSB reunion as they performed "I Want It That Way" for the iHeart Living Room Concert on FOX. Now don't get me wrong, I hate coronavirus just as much as everybody else on the planet. But without corona coming in and fucking up pretty much everything right now, we never would have been able to get this performance. So I'll give it a pass just for the duration of this performance since that was awesome. Love to see middle aged Brian, Howie, AJ, Kevin and Nick still just dominating the classics out there, even if it's from each of their individual homes.
Now given the circumstances and the current situation we're all living in, does that push this performance past the original version of the song? I mean it feels like we need Backstreet Boys more than ever right now to help us get through these trying times, but could you imagine how much different the world we live in would be right now if not for the original version? I'm saying the apocalypse would have arrived a solid 15 years ago at this point.
It is without a doubt a perfect track. If aliens are studying our species right now and trying to determine what we--as human beings--can contribute to the universe, then I hope they start and finish their research with "I Want It That Way". It is the pinnacle achievement of all humankind. So as important as it was for us to get that performance last night from their living rooms, I think the original version of the song is still slightly more important to our survival as a species.
However, if there is one version of the track that is truly superior to all the others...well then it's the Brooklyn Nine-Nine version.
Chills. Literal chills.
If the Backstreet Boys had any ounce of integrity, they'd throw "now number fiiiiiive" into the official lyrics. Case closed. Almost insulted that Jake Peralta wasn't included in last night's concert.