Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)
"Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)" is a song by American boy band Backstreet Boys. Released as the fourth single from their international debut album in October 1996, it reached No. 1 in Czech Republic, Germany, Switzerland and Austria, No. 2 in the United Kingdom, and No. 7 in the Netherlands. It was later included on the band's debut US album, and was released as the second single in June 1997, where it reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, making it their most successful single on the chart (the No. 1 spot was occupied by "Mo Money Mo Problems" by The Notorious B.I.G. and "Honey" by Mariah Carey). It sold 2 million copies in the US.[3]
"Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)" | ||||
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Single by Backstreet Boys | ||||
from the album Backstreet Boys (int'l), Backstreet Boys (US) | ||||
B-side |
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Released | October 14, 1996 | |||
Recorded | June 1995[1] August 1996 (re-recording) | |||
Studio | Cheiron Studios (Stockholm, Sweden) Battery Studios (London, UK)[2] | |||
Genre | Pop, R&B | |||
Length | 3:52 | |||
Label | Jive Records | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) |
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Backstreet Boys singles chronology | ||||
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Backstreet Boys US singles chronology | ||||
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Alternate cover | ||||
UK cover | ||||
Audio sample | ||||
A sample from Backstreet Boys' "Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)"
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Music video | ||||
"Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)" on YouTube |
Rolling Stone ranked the song at number 26 in their list of 75 Greatest Boy Band Songs of All Time in 2020.[4]
Background
Initially, Nick Carter, aged 15 at the time, was unable to sing on the recording of the song as he was undergoing puberty. The remaining band members were brought over to Stockholm for a week to record "We've Got It Goin' On" in late June 1995. They unexpectedly finished the song in just two days and decided to record "Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)" immediately afterwards.[5] The single was not the label's first choice to release for the group's US return, as they initially wanted to release the Mutt Lange-produced "If You Want It to Be Good Girl (Get Yourself a Bad Boy)", but the band argued against it, claiming that it was one of their worst songs.[5] Jive president Barry Weiss claimed that the other serious contenders included "Anywhere for You" and "All I Have to Give".[5] The group also wanted to reshoot the music video, but the label refused, arguing that they only planned to market towards radio, not video. The song ultimately succeeded without MTV support.[5] The background vocals in the song, besides McLean's self-harmonization on the bridge, consisted of Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson, who decided to finish the song while the remaining members were having lunch.[5]
Critical reception
AllMusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote that the "slick production adds luster to the singles "Quit Playin' Games (With My Heart)" and "As Long as You Love Me", making them as irresistible as teen pop can be."[6] Larry Flick from Billboard wrote that the song "cruises at a sweet jeep/funk pace, leaving plenty of room for a romantic lead vocal and layers of smooth harmonies."[7] The Day said that on "Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)" and "As Long As You Love Me", "the boys embodied teen-dream vulnerability."[8] People Magazine described it as a "peppy" ballad and noted that "despite a tinge of melancholy in the group's harmonies, one can't help smiling."[9] Bob Waliszewski of Plugged In noted that on the song, "the singer longs to return to days before insensitivity and manipulation threatened to destroy the friendship."[10] Porcys listed it at number 96 in their ranking of "100 Singles 1990-1999", noting it as a "clever" ballad.[11]
Variations
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 and half after it was recorded, Max Martin was flown to London in August 1996 to re-record the second verse with Nick Carter at Battery Studios.[5] 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.
Modern Talking
"Don't Play with My Heart", a song from Modern Talking's 1998 album Back for Good closely resembles this song.
Music video
The music video was filmed in Orlando, Florida on July 1, 1996.[12] It was directed by Kai Sehr, and shows the group dancing and singing on a deserted basketball court at night. Halfway in the video, it begins to rain. As of February 2020, the video has over 88 million views on YouTube.[13]
During the video shoot, Nick Carter lip-synced over Brian Littrell's vocals, as he didn't record his vocals until August that year.[14] Initially, MTV was hesitant to air the video due to the boys taking their shirts off in the rain, but reluctantly embraced it after TRL viewership caught on with audiences.[14] The music video premiered in October 1996 in Germany and in July 1997 in the U.S..
Track listing
CD1 (Old version)
CD2 (New version)
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CD1 (Classic version)
CD2 (Winter version)
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Cassette
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Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
All-time charts
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Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Australia (ARIA)[55] | Gold | 35,000 |
Austria (IFPI Austria)[56] | Gold | 25,000* |
Germany (BVMI)[57] | Platinum | 500,000^ |
Poland (ZPAV)[58] | Gold | 50,000* |
United Kingdom (BPI)[59] | Silver | 200,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[60] | Platinum | 1,200,000[61] |
*sales figures based on certification alone |
Release history
Country | Release date | Format |
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Europe | October 14, 1996 | Radio |
Europe | October 29, 1996 | CD single |
United States | May 19, 1997 | Radio |
United States | June 10, 1997[62] | CD single |
References
- Golden, Anna Louise (2015-09-15). Backstreet Boys: They've Got It Goin' On!. ISBN 9781250098207.
- https://www.discogs.com/Backstreet-Boys-Quit-Playing-Games-With-My-Heart/release/1503751
- "Backstreet Boys - Biography". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2018-06-24. Retrieved 2019-07-13.
- "75 Greatest Boy Band Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. July 24, 2020. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
- Interview with Backstreet Boys, management, and others from Entertainment Weekly 10th Anniversary Issue.
- "Backstreet Boys - Backstreet's Back". AllMusic. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
- "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. June 14, 1997. p. 74. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
- "Backstreet Boys pick up where ABBA left off". The Day. May 21, 1999. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
- "Picks and Pans Review: Backstreet Boys". People. September 15, 1997. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
- Waliszewski, Bob. "Backstreet Boys". Plugged In. Focus on the Family. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
- "100 Singli 1990-1999". Porcys (in Polish). August 20, 2012. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
- https://www.alamy.com/search.html?qt=backstreet%20boys%2001.07%2C1996&imgt=0
- "Backstreet Boys - Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)". Retrieved May 26, 2014 – via YouTube.
- Weatherby, Taylor (August 10, 2017). "'It's What America Needed at That Time': Backstreet Boys Look Back on Their U.S. Debut, 20 Years Later". Billboard. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
- "Australian-charts.com – Backstreet Boys – Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
- "Austriancharts.at – Backstreet Boys – Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
- "Ultratop.be – Backstreet Boys – Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
- "Ultratop.be – Backstreet Boys – Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
- "Top RPM Singles: Issue 3355." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
- "Top 10 Czech Republic" (PDF). Music & Media. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
- "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14 no. 1–3. January 18, 1997. p. 23. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
- Billboard - Google Books. December 7, 1996. Retrieved May 26, 2014 – via Google Books.
- "Offiziellecharts.de – Backstreet Boys – Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
- "Íslenski Listinn NR. 208 Vikuna 13.2. '97 - 19.2. '97" (PDF). Dagblaðið Vísir. 1997-02-14. p. 16. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
- "Nederlandse Top 40 – Backstreet Boys" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
- "Charts.nz – Backstreet Boys – Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
- "Norwegiancharts.com – Backstreet Boys – Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)". VG-lista. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
- "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
- "Swedishcharts.com – Backstreet Boys – Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)". Singles Top 100. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
- "Swisscharts.com – Backstreet Boys – Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
- "Backstreet Boys: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
- "Backstreet Boys Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
- "Backstreet Boys Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
- "Backstreet Boys Chart History (Hot Latin Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 24, 2017.
- "Backstreet Boys Chart History (Latin Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 24, 2017.
- "Backstreet Boys Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
- "Backstreet Boys Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved April 24, 2017.
- 1996 Austrian Singles Chart Austriancharts.at (Retrieved April 20, 2010)
- 1996 Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart Ultratop.be Archived October 11, 2014, at the Wayback Machine (Retrieved April 20, 2010)
- 1996 Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart Ultratop.be Archived June 26, 2009, at the Wayback Machine (Retrieved April 20, 2010)
- Billboard - Google Books. 2000-01-01. Retrieved 2014-05-26 – via Google Books.
- "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved August 7, 2015.
- "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1996". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
- Steffen Hung. "Dutch charts portal". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 2014-05-26.
- "Årslista Singlar, 1996" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
- 1997 Austrian Singles Chart Austriancharts.at (Retrieved April 20, 2010)
- 1997 Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart Ultratop.be Archived June 26, 2009, at the Wayback Machine (Retrieved April 20, 2010)
- "1997 Year-End Sales Charts: Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Retrieved December 20, 2019.
- "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
- 1997 UK Singles Chart [www.officialcharts.com] (Retrieved April 20, 2010)
- "Billboard Top 100 - 1997". Archived from the original on 2009-06-11. Retrieved 2010-08-28.
- "Billboard Top 100 - 1998". Archived from the original on March 9, 2009. Retrieved 2010-08-28.
- Geoff Mayfield (December 25, 1999). 1999 The Year in Music Totally '90s: Diary of a Decade - The listing of Top Pop Albums of the '90s & Hot 100 Singles of the '90s. Billboard. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
- "Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
- "ARIA Charts - Accreditations - 2020 Singles". ARIA. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
- "Austrian single certifications – Backstreet Boys – Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)" (in German). IFPI Austria.
- "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Backstreet Boys; 'Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
- "Polish single certifications – Backstreet Boys – Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry.
- "British single certifications – Backstreet Boys – Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)". British Phonographic Industry. Select singles in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Quit Playing Games (with My Heart) in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
- "American single certifications – Backstreet Boys – Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH.
- "Best-Selling Records of 1997". Billboard. BPI Communications Inc. 110 (5): 76. January 31, 1998. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 29, 2015.
- "Backstreet Boys – Quit Playing Games (With My Heart) – Amazon.com Music". Retrieved November 9, 2015.