Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely
Encyclopedia
"Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely" is the third single off Backstreet Boys
' 1999 album, Millennium
. It is a significant hit, second only to the first single I Want It That Way
from the same album, becoming one of the most successful singles of the boy band
. It was released on December 10, 1999, the video was released on New Year's Eve 1999 and peaked at #3 on the UK Singles Chart
, and #6 on the Billboard Hot 100
. It also reached #2 in Switzerland
, the Netherlands
, Sweden
and New Zealand
, and #3 in Finland
and Norway
. The song also earned a Grammy award
nomination during the 43rd Grammy Awards for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.
Double 12" Vinyl
watches doctors try to save a patient, also portrayed by Littrell. A. J. McLean's scenes take place on a coach bus
, mourning the loss of a girl whose photo he carries. He sees her appear on the bus, but she fades away. Kevin Richardson
watches an old-age film of himself and his father in an apartment. Nick Carter
walks down a city street in the rain and saves a girl from almost being hit by the bus McLean is on. Howie Dorough
drinks from a teacup at an old-style bar as a girl in red runs towards him, but fades away before she reaches him. Richardson arrives to meet Dorough and the two leave the building together. McLean's bus arrives, and Littrell exits the hospital. The five band members congregate and begin walking down the street together. Most of the video is shot in a desaturated scheme in which only certain red elements were brightly colored, until the very end of the video when the band walks out of the city into a brightly coloured field. Whereas each band member has a lead vocal part in the song, each of their separate scenes is introduced at or just before their verse begins. The video, somewhat darker in tone than any of the band's previous releases, touches on several of the band's real-life issues. Littrell had undergone open heart surgery
the previous year for a defect he'd had since birth. The video used actual footage of Richardson and his deceased father. The girl Dorough sees represents his sister, who died a year earlier. Additionally, the bus McLean rides is marked for "Denniz St.", and is driven by an actor who resembles Denniz PoP
; PoP had died in 1998. A second cut of the video was released some time after the first. The video added a dedication before the video: "This video is dedicated to Denniz POP [sic], and to all those who have lost a loved one". The second cut also altered the special effect used when the girls disappear from a fade in which the girls' shape distorts in a "ripple" effect to just fading away.
Backstreet Boys
The Backstreet Boys are an American vocal group, formed in Orlando, Florida in 1993. The band originally consisted of A. J. McLean, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter and Kevin Richardson. They rose to fame with their debut international album, Backstreet Boys...
' 1999 album, Millennium
Millennium (Backstreet Boys album)
Millennium is the third album by American boyband Backstreet Boys. It was a highly anticipated follow-up to both their United States debut album, and their second internationally released album. It was their first album to be released in both the U.S...
. It is a significant hit, second only to the first single I Want It That Way
I Want It That Way
"I Want It That Way" is a song by the Backstreet Boys, and their first single from their 1999 album Millennium. It was written by Max Martin and Andreas Carlsson along with other producers. The song was highly played on the radio and the video, directed by Wayne Isham, was well played on television...
from the same album, becoming one of the most successful singles of the boy band
Boy band
A boy band is loosely defined as a popular music act consisting of only male singers. The members are expected to dance as well as sing, usually giving highly choreographed performances. More often than not, boy band members do not play musical instruments, either in recording sessions or on...
. It was released on December 10, 1999, the video was released on New Year's Eve 1999 and peaked at #3 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, and #6 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. It also reached #2 in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, and #3 in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
and Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. The song also earned a Grammy award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
nomination during the 43rd Grammy Awards for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.
Track listing
- UK
- "Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely" - 3:54
- "I'll Be There For You" - 4:34
- "You Wrote The Book On Love" - 4:38
- America
Double 12" Vinyl
- "Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely" (Soul Solution House Of Loneliness Vocal)
- "Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely" (Jason Nevins Crossover Instrumental)
- "Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely" (Soul Solution Mix Show Version)
- "Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely" (LP Version)
- "Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely" (Jason Nevins Crossover Remix)
- "Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely" (Remix Acapella)
- "Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely" (Soul Solution House Of Loneliness Dub)
- "Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely" (Bonus Beats)
Music video
The music video for "Show Me The Meaning of Being Lonely" was directed by Stuart Gosling from December 11-12, 1999 in Los Angeles, CA. It follows each of the band members separately until the instrumental break and final choruses. The video begins at a hospital, in which Brian LittrellBrian Littrell
Brian Thomas Littrell is an American singer-songwriter, best known as a member of the Backstreet Boys. He is also a contemporary Christian recording artist and released a solo album, Welcome Home, in 2006...
watches doctors try to save a patient, also portrayed by Littrell. A. J. McLean's scenes take place on a coach bus
Coach (vehicle)
A coach is a large motor vehicle, a type of bus, used for conveying passengers on excursions and on longer distance express coach scheduled transport between cities - or even between countries...
, mourning the loss of a girl whose photo he carries. He sees her appear on the bus, but she fades away. Kevin Richardson
Kevin Richardson (musician)
Kevin Scott Richardson is an American singer and a former member of the Backstreet Boys, model, actor, and composer. He was the oldest member of the band during his tenure.- Early years :...
watches an old-age film of himself and his father in an apartment. Nick Carter
Nick Carter (musician)
Nickolas Gene "Nick" Carter is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, musician, entertainer and actor. He is best known as a member of the pop group, Backstreet Boys. He went on to release a solo album called Now Or Never during their hiatus. He has made occasional television appearances and...
walks down a city street in the rain and saves a girl from almost being hit by the bus McLean is on. Howie Dorough
Howie Dorough
Howard Dwaine "Howie D." Dorough is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, musician, entertainer, actor and member of American music group Backstreet Boys-Biography:...
drinks from a teacup at an old-style bar as a girl in red runs towards him, but fades away before she reaches him. Richardson arrives to meet Dorough and the two leave the building together. McLean's bus arrives, and Littrell exits the hospital. The five band members congregate and begin walking down the street together. Most of the video is shot in a desaturated scheme in which only certain red elements were brightly colored, until the very end of the video when the band walks out of the city into a brightly coloured field. Whereas each band member has a lead vocal part in the song, each of their separate scenes is introduced at or just before their verse begins. The video, somewhat darker in tone than any of the band's previous releases, touches on several of the band's real-life issues. Littrell had undergone open heart surgery
Cardiac surgery
Cardiovascular surgery is surgery on the heart or great vessels performed by cardiac surgeons. Frequently, it is done to treat complications of ischemic heart disease , correct congenital heart disease, or treat valvular heart disease from various causes including endocarditis, rheumatic heart...
the previous year for a defect he'd had since birth. The video used actual footage of Richardson and his deceased father. The girl Dorough sees represents his sister, who died a year earlier. Additionally, the bus McLean rides is marked for "Denniz St.", and is driven by an actor who resembles Denniz PoP
Denniz Pop
Dag Krister Volle , better known under the artistic name Denniz Pop , was a Swedish DJ, music producer and songwriter....
; PoP had died in 1998. A second cut of the video was released some time after the first. The video added a dedication before the video: "This video is dedicated to Denniz POP [sic], and to all those who have lost a loved one". The second cut also altered the special effect used when the girls disappear from a fade in which the girls' shape distorts in a "ripple" effect to just fading away.
Peak positions
| Chart (2000) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956... Singles Chart |
19 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 8 |
| Begium (Flanders) Singles Chart | 4 |
| Belgium (Walonia) Singles Chart | 14 |
| Canadian Singles Chart | 8 |
| Canadian RPM Singles Chart | 1 |
| Dutch Singles Chart | 2 |
| Finnish Singles Chart | 3 |
| German Singles Chart | 3 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 5 |
| Italian Singles Chart | 4 |
| New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart | 2 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 3 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 2 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 2 |
| UK Singles Chart | 3 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 6 |
| U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States... |
2 |
End of year charts
| End of year chart (2000) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 31 |