Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)

"Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)"
Single by Backstreet Boys
from the album Backstreet Boys
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
Format	CD single
Recorded	June 22, 1995 Cheiron Studios (Stockholm, Sweden) September 1996; Battery Studios (New York City)
Genre	Pop
Length	3:52
Label	Jive Records
Writer(s)	Max Martin, Herbie Crichlow
Producer(s)	Max Martin, Kristian Lundin
Certification	Platinum (RIAA)
Backstreet Boys int'l singles chronology "Get Down (You're the One for Me)" (1996) "Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)" (1996) "Anywhere for You" (1997) Backstreet Boys US singles chronology "We've Got It Goin' On" (1995) "Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)" (1997) "As Long as You Love Me" (1997) Music sample "Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)" A sample from Backstreet Boys' "Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)"

"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.^[1]

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)", but the band argued against it, claiming it to be one of their worst songs.^[2] Jive president Barry Weiss claims that the serious contenders as first single also included "Anywhere for You" and "All I Have to Give".^[2] 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.^[2] 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.^[2] 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.^[2]

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 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.^[2] 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.^[3] The video premiered in the U.S. in July 1997, almost a year later.

Release history

Country	Release Date	Format
Europe	October 14, 1996	Radio
Europe	October 29, 1996	CD Single
United States	May 19, 1997	Radio
United States	June 10, 1997[4]	CD Single

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1996–99) Peak position Austrian Singles Chart 1 Belgium (Flanders) Singles chart 8 Belgium (Wallonia) Singles chart 5 Dutch Singles Chart 7 European Hot 100 Singles[5] 1 German Singles Chart 1 Swedish Singles Chart 15 Swiss Singles Chart 1 Australian ARIA Singles Chart 27 Canadian Singles Chart 3 Canadian RPM Singles Chart 18 Irish Singles Chart 5 New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart 27 Norwegian Singles Chart 10 UK Singles Chart 2 US Billboard Hot 100[6] 2 US Billboard Hot Latin Songs[6] 12 US Billboard Top 40 Mainstream[6] 2 US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks[6] 2

Year-end charts Chart (1996) Position Austrian Singles Chart[7] 27 Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart[8] 99 Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart[9] 80 Dutch Singles Chart[10] 49 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[11] 65 German Singles Chart[12] 14 Chart (1997) Position Austrian Singles Chart[13] 37 Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart[14] 100 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[15] 69 German Singles Chart[16] 66 UK Singles Chart[17] 56 US Billboard Hot 100[18] 11 Chart (1998) Position US Billboard Hot 100[19] 62 Decade-end charts Chart (1990–1999) Position US Billboard Hot 100[20] 86

Certifications

Region	Certification	Sales/shipments
Austria (IFPI Austria)[21]	Gold	25,000
Germany (BVMI)[22]	Platinum	500,000
Poland (ZPAV)[23]	Gold	50,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[24]	Silver	200,000
United States (RIAA)[25]	Platinum	1,200,000[26]
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone ^xunspecified figures based on certification alone

References

1. "Backstreet Boys - Biography". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2011-01-16.
2. Interview with Backstreet Boys, management, and others from Entertainment Weekly 10th Anniversary Issue.
3. "Backstreet Boys - Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)". YouTube. Retrieved 2014-05-26.
4. "Backstreet Boys – Quit Playing Games (With My Heart) – Amazon.com Music". Retrieved November 9, 2015.
5. Billboard - Google Books. Books.google.ca. 1996-12-07. Retrieved 2014-05-26.
6. "Backstreet Boys - Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2009-11-22.
7. 1996 Austrian Singles Chart Austriancharts.at (Retrieved April 20, 2010)
8. 1996 Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart Ultratop.be (Retrieved April 20, 2010)
9. 1996 Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart Ultratop.be (Retrieved April 20, 2010)
10. Steffen Hung. "Dutch charts portal". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 2014-05-26.
11. Billboard - Google Books. Books.google.ca. 2000-01-01. Retrieved 2014-05-26.
12. 1996 German Singles Chart . Retrieved August 27, 2010.
13. 1997 Austrian Singles Chart Austriancharts.at (Retrieved April 20, 2010)
14. 1997 Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart Ultratop.be (Retrieved April 20, 2010)
15. Billboard - Google Books. Books.google.ca. 2000-01-01. Retrieved 2014-05-26.
16. 1997 German Singles Chart . Retrieved August 27, 2010.
17. 1997 UK Singles Chart [www.officialcharts.com] (Retrieved April 20, 2010)
18. "Billboard Top 100 - 1997". Retrieved 2010-08-28.
19. "Billboard Top 100 - 1998". Retrieved 2010-08-28.
20. 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.
21. "Austrian single certifications – Backstreet Boys – Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)" (in German). IFPI Austria. Enter Backstreet Boys in the field Interpret. Enter Quit Playing Games (with My Heart) in the field Titel. Select single in the field Format. Click Suchen
22. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Backstreet Boys; 'Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
23. "Polish single certifications – Backstreet Boys – Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry.
24. "British single certifications – Backstreet Boys – Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Quit Playing Games (with My Heart) in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Silver in the field By Award. Click Search
25. "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
26. "Best-Selling Records of 1997". Billboard (BPI Communications Inc.) 110 (5): 76. January 31, 1998. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 29, 2015.