Unlike most boy bands, they formed independently and were later picked up by a record label, rather than being assembled by a label or a producer. They have sold over 10 million records worldwide and achieved eight top 40 singles in the U.S. In the late 90s to the early 00s, the group reached top-five on the Billboard Hot 100 with the songs "Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche)", "Because of You", "The Hardest Thing" and "Thank God I Found You" (with Mariah Carey and Joe); the latter as featured artists, topping the chart also making it their first and only number-one song.
The group reunited for a one-time performance at Mixtape Festival in Hershey, PA in August 2012. After the performance, the reunion expanded into a new album and a spot on "The Package" tour in 2013.
The Hardest Thing
98º Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This is wrong
And baby it's killing me, it's killing you
Both of us trying to be strong
I've got somewhere else to be
Promises to keep
Someone else who loves me
And trusts me fast asleep
There is no turning back
She's been good to me
And she deserves better than that
[Chorus]
It's the hardest thing
I'll ever have to do
To look you in the eye
And tell you I don't love you
It's the hardest thing
I'll ever have to lie
To show no emotion
When you start to cry
I can't let you see
What you mean to me
When my hands are tied
And my hearts not free
We're not meant to be
It's the hardest thing
I'll ever had to do
To turn around and walk away
Pretending I don't love you
I know that we'll meet again
Fate has a place and time
So you can get on with your life
I've got to be cruel to be kind
Like Dr. Zhivago
All my love I'll be sending
And you will never know
There can be no happy ending
[Chorus]
Maybe another time, another day
As much as I want to, I can't stay
(Ooh)
I've made up my mind
There is no turning back
She's been good to me
And she deserves better than that
(Repeat Chorus)
I don't want to live a lie
What can I do
The lyrics to "The Hardest Thing" by 98º describe the emotional struggle of letting go of someone you love, even if it's for the better. The singer acknowledges that being with the person they are talking to is wrong, and they both know it. It's killing them both to try to be strong and hide their emotions, as they both know they have promises to keep to other people. The singer knows that they have made up their mind and that there is no turning back, as they have already hurt the person they are with by not loving them as they should. The chorus is the most powerful part of the song, as it talks about the difficulty of looking someone in the eye and telling them you don't love them, and how much it hurts to pretend not to have any emotions when they start to cry.
Line by Line Meaning
We both know that I shouldn't be here
I acknowledge that my presence here is inappropriate.
This is wrong
The situation we're in is not right.
And baby it's killing me, it's killing you
Both of us are in pain because of this.
Both of us trying to be strong
We're doing our best to cope with it.
I've got somewhere else to be
I have other obligations and responsibilities.
Promises to keep
I made commitments to others that I must keep.
Someone else who loves me
There is another person who cares for me.
And trusts me fast asleep
That person is not worried about me being unfaithful when they're asleep.
I've made up my mind
My decision is final.
There is no turning back
I cannot change my mind now.
She's been good to me
My partner has been kind and supportive.
And she deserves better than that
She deserves someone who truly loves and respects her.
It's the hardest thing
This is the most difficult decision I've ever had to make.
I'll ever have to do
I don't think I will face a tougher choice than this.
To look you in the eye
To confront you with the truth.
And tell you I don't love you
To express my feelings, even though they will cause pain.
I'll ever have to lie
To hide my true emotions.
To show no emotion
To keep a poker face even if it hurts me.
When you start to cry
To watch you suffer and not give in to my own sadness.
I can't let you see
I must conceal my feelings from you.
What you mean to me
How much I value and care for you.
When my hands are tied
When I can't do anything about it.
And my hearts not free
When I'm not emotionally available for you.
We're not meant to be
We're not the right match for each other.
To turn around and walk away
To put some distance between us.
Pretending I don't love you
Acting as if my feelings for you don't exist.
I know that we'll meet again
I sense that our paths will cross in the future.
Fate has a place and time
The universe has a plan for us.
So you can get on with your life
You can move on and find someone else.
I've got to be cruel to be kind
I have to hurt you now so that you can heal in the long run.
All my love I'll be sending
I still care for you, even if I can't be with you.
And you will never know
I won't reveal my true feelings to you.
There can be no happy ending
Our story doesn't have a fairy tale conclusion.
Maybe another time, another day
Perhaps we'll have a chance in the future.
As much as I want to, I can't stay
Leaving is the best option for both of us.
I don't want to live a lie
I don't want to deceive myself or others.
What can I do
I'm stuck in this difficult situation.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DAVID FRANK, DAVID MARTIN FRANK, STEPHEN KIPNER, STEPHEN ALAN KIPNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@pandainthehouse6945
We both know that I shouldn't be here
This is wrong
And baby it's killing me, it's killing you
Both of us trying to be strong
I've got somewhere else to be
Promises to keep
Someone else who loves me
And trusts me fast asleep
I've made up my mind
There is no turning back
She's been good to me
And she deserves better than that
It's the hardest thing I'll ever have to do
To look you in the eye
And tell you I don't love you
It's the hardest thing I'll ever have to lie
To show no emotion when you start to cry
I can't let you see what you mean to me
When my hands are tied and my hearts not free
We're not meant to be
It's the hardest thing
I'll ever had to do
To turn around and walk away pretending I don't love you
I know that we'll meet again
Fate has a place and time
So you can get on with your life
I've got to be cruel to be kind
Like Dr. Zhivago
All my love I'll be sending
And you will never know
There can be no happy ending
It's the hardest thing I'll ever have to do
To look you in the eye
And tell you I don't love you
It's the hardest thing I'll ever have to lie
To show no emotion
When you start to cry
I can't let you see what you mean to me
When my hands are tied
And my hearts not free
We're not meant to be
It's the hardest thing I'll ever had to do
To turn around and walk away pretending I don't love you
I've made up my mind
There is no turning back
She's been good to me
And she deserves better than that
It's the hardest thing I'll ever have to do
To look you in the eye
And tell you I don't love you
It's the hardest thing I'll ever have to lie
To show no emotion
When you start to cry
I can't let you see
What you mean to me
When my hands are tied
And my hearts not free
We're not meant to be
It's the hardest thing I'll ever had to do
To turn around and walk away pretending I don't love you
📞👽👌
@annamariapiotrowicz511
in 90's it was a battle of the boy bands
backstreet boys in 90's were not part a battle of the boys
stode the test of music did their own music
so battle of the boy bands end in early 2000's
all the 90's boy bands went nowhere
some just disapear from music all together and others just could not keep up with music changes just break up
but backstreet boys who were not part of battle of the boy bands
stode the test of music time and last known 90's boy band
stayed together and stright into 2000's music changes
and open doors for boy bands like one dirction and other 2000's unknown to come by do their own music
@infinitygauntlet101
I don't care what everyone says, this is a straight HOOD classic.
@jimbojones8208
"HOOD" yea sure kid. Go back home to your "cul de sac" and act like you're from "da hood"
@Gatorchick1991
I refuse to believe that I am the only one who as a kid LOVED this song then got older and listened to it again, realized what they're saying, and went "Now, wait a minute!!!"
@opulence_prime
Literally a song about cheating 😅
@jasonsong86
@@opulence_prime Not really about cheating. I mean there are many reasons people are not meant to be.
@mellobello8424
Lmfao! I came to the comments hoping I wasn’t the only one thinking this! They literally say “Someone else who loves me And trusts me fast asleep She's been good to me And she deserves better than that”
@dbongoloid9541
This song isn't about cheating. Unfortunately this song is about falling out of love with someone you genuinely thought you were in love with.
Sadly, sometimes. The only way to reasonably end a relationship like that is to cut all ties and don't turn back. It helps to get over something like that fast. That's why the video is him boxing, he's fighting the urge to stay to avoid the inevitable pain.
@robiapicca5967
@@dbongoloid9541 The song is about a guy who has a wife at home and a mistress on the side, and it's his struggle with breaking it off with his mistress even though he loves her more, mainly because he has somebody at home relying on him and he can't let them down.... so, it is 100% about a cheating asshole, but it's little bit deeper than that, as well..
@michaelc7866
Just dropped the homies off.....I can finally listen to what I want.
@Rue747
Lol