For the last 12 months, AJ has been in the studio writing with One Republic’s Ryan Tedder, *NSYNC’s JC Chasez, as well as industry legends, Mark Hudson and Kristin Lundin to create his debut. The album, which he sees as ‘pushing the envelope’, is a departure stylistically and musically from his Backstreet Boys material, and has seen him rediscover an inner sense of himself.
A personal record, the record draws inspiration from his own experiences, including exorcising the alcohol addiction he once suffered.
Says AJ of his new material ‘This record for me has allowed me to rediscover a sense of who I really am. I’ve been writing with some amazing people like Ryan Tedder and Mark Hudson; to be able to finally create this body of work, I really do think I’m going to surprise people with the direction of this album.’
Talking further about the sounds of the album – ‘We recorded partly in Nashville so we’ve got this whole Southern Rock vibe going, as well as in San Francisco and Los Angeles. The record really allows me to unwrap another side to me’.
On first hear of the material, you get a sense that AJ really is, in his words, ‘a sponge in terms of musical influence’. You can sense some early Lenny Kravitz, a bit of Jamiroquai, dripping into Daft Punk and rounded off with some Lynyrd Skynyrd. If you had to use one verb to describe this record, it would be funky.
Having had massive success with the world’s biggest boy band, AJ is no stranger to global chart success. However, he understands that with this record, it is more about discovery as opposed to ‘ticking the boxes to fit in with what gets played on radio’. The album, currently without name, but AJ admits ‘he has a few ideas’, is his vision, and won’t be compromised.
Having already teased fans on the Backstreet Boys World tour, as each of the boys performed one solo track, the record will be released toward the end 2008. The intimate European tour will allow AJ to reconnect with new and all fans, on a level not experienced since his early tenure with the Backstreet Boys. AJ’s tour kicks off in London on May 15th, taking in multiple dates in Germany (Frankfurt, Hamburg, Koln), Sweden, Netherlands, Denmark, finishing in Paris on the 3rd of June.
Substance abuse issues
Rising to fame in his early teens, McLean became known as the "bad boy" of the musical group known as the Backstreet Boys. In 2001, the other band members reportedly became distressed by A.J.'s self-destructive behavior. Following an intervention, McLean entered rehab for alcoholism and cocaine abuse. His mother, Denise McLean, later authored the book Backstreet Mom, describing A.J.'s life before, during, and after rehab.
In December 2003, McLean and his mother appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show to talk about his recovery from clinical depression, alcoholism, and drug use. Kevin Richardson, Brian Littrell, Howie Dorough, and Nick Carter surprised McLean by appearing on the show to talk about their experiences with his addictions and to offer their support for his rehabilitation. This was the first time all five Backstreet Boys had appeared together in public in almost two years.
What If
AJ McLean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What if the sky turn from blue to red
What if the love we once had was never there
What if you told me you loved me but you didn't really care
I'll be missing the long walks with you in the rain
Until I remember all the pain
There's nothing to live for with you anyway
But what if I'm wrong
There won't be anyone, not anyone
Won't be anyone's lips to kiss good night
I'll be wishing I was there to hear you cry
But what if I'm wrong
There won't be anyone, not anyone
I'll be left all alone to wonder why
I'll be wishing that I never said goodbye
What if
What if I knew what could have bee
What if you said you were sorry, then
Would it make a difference
'Cause you don't change you keep blowing all your chances
And if I left would you come to your senses
'Cause I'm gonna turn and walk away
I'll be missing the long walks with you in the rain
Until I remember all the pain
There's nothing to live for with you anyway
I couldn't take another day
But what if I'm wrong
There won't be anyone, not anyone
Won't be anyone's lips to kiss good night
I'll be wishing I was there to hear you cry
But what if I'm wrong
There won't be anyone, not anyone
I'll be left all alone to wonder why
I'll be wishing that I never said goodbye
What if
What if
What if
What
I'll be missing the long walks with you in the rain
Until I remember all the pain
There is nothing to live for with you anyway
But what if I'm wrong
What if I'm wrong
But what if I'm wrong
There won't be anyone, not anyone
Won't be anyone's lips to kiss good night
I'll be wishing I was there to hear you cry
But what if I'm wrong
There won't be anyone, not anyone
I'll be left all alone to wonder why
I'll be wishing that I never said goodbye
What if
The song What If by AJ McLean is about the painful realization that a relationship is not what it seemed, and the fear and uncertainty that comes with the decision to walk away. McLean sings about the hypothetical scenarios that plague the mind when trying to make sense of the situation, such as what if the love was never there to begin with, or what if there is no one else to turn to once the relationship ends. The lyrics express the struggle between longing for what was, but also wanting to move on and not look back.
Throughout the song, McLean reminisces about the good times he once shared with his partner, but this nostalgia is soon overshadowed by the pain he experienced in the relationship. He realizes that there is nothing left for him in the relationship, and that he cannot take another day of the hurt. However, he also recognizes that leaving the relationship means facing a future where he is alone and wondering if he made the right choice. The chorus is a plea for clarity and certainty in a situation that is filled with doubt and regret.
Overall, the song captures the complexities of ending a relationship and the emotional toll it can take on an individual. It highlights the importance of reflecting on the past, but not dwelling on it, and moving on towards a future that is uncertain but filled with new possibilities.
Line by Line Meaning
What if the sun never rose again
What if everything that we took for granted was taken away from us? What would we do?
What if the sky turn from blue to red
What if things that we thought were constant, like the color of the sky, were to suddenly change?
What if the love we once had was never there
Did we truly have love, or did we just imagine it? What if it was all just an illusion?
What if you told me you loved me but you didn't really care
What if the person I loved never truly loved me back? What if it was all just a lie?
I'll be missing the long walks with you in the rain
I used to love spending time with you, but now that you're gone, I miss it.
Until I remember all the pain
But then I remember all the hurt that you caused me, and I feel better off without you.
There's nothing to live for with you anyway
You were my only reason for living, but now that you're gone, there's nothing left for me.
I couldn't take another day
The pain of being without you is too much for me to handle.
But what if I'm wrong
But what if I'm mistaken about everything I believe?
There won't be anyone, not anyone
If I'm wrong, then there's no one left for me. I'm completely alone.
Won't be anyone's lips to kiss good night
No one to share my life with, no one to love me. Just me and my lonely bed.
I'll be wishing I was there to hear you cry
Even though you hurt me, I still care about you. I'll miss being there for you, even if you weren't there for me.
I'll be left all alone to wonder why
Why did everything go wrong? Why was I left with nothing? Why did you hurt me?
I'll be wishing that I never said goodbye
Even though things didn't work out, I'll still miss you. I'll always wonder what could have been.
What if I knew what could have bee
If I only knew what could have happened, maybe things would have been different. Maybe we could have been happy.
What if you said you were sorry, then
Maybe if you just apologized for hurting me, things could have been different. Maybe we could still be together.
Would it make a difference
But would an apology really change anything? Would it fix the hurt that you caused me?
'Cause you don't change you keep blowing all your chances
I've given you so many chances, but you never change. You keep hurting me, and I can't take it anymore.
And if I left would you come to your senses
I wonder if leaving you would finally make you realize how much you've hurt me. Would you finally understand?
'Cause I'm gonna turn and walk away
I can't keep living like this. I need to walk away from you and find happiness on my own.
There is nothing to live for with you anyway
You were the only thing that made me happy, but now that you're gone, there's nothing left for me to live for.
What
Just wondering what could have been, what went wrong, and what the future holds.
What if
Asking the tough questions, wondering about the unknown, and trying to make sense of a complicated situation.
Contributed by Claire K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
塵非塵
如果太陽永不再上升
如果從藍色的天空變成紅色
如果我們的愛曾經從未有
如果你告訴我你愛我
但你沒有真正關心
我會想念你的常在雨中散步
直到我記得所有的痛苦
有與你無關的片甲不留
我不能帶另一天
如果我錯了
比任何人
沒有人
將不需要任何人的嘴唇吻晚安
我會希望我是來聽你哭泣
如果我錯了
比任何人
沒有人
我會在那裡獨自一人想知道為什麼
我會希望，我從來不說再見
如果
如果我知道能夠做什麼
如果你說你對不起
原因看你不改變你繼續破壞'所有的機會
如果我離開你會來你的感官
因為我要轉身走開
我會想念你的長在雨中散步
直到我記得所有的痛苦
有與你無關的片甲不留
我不能帶另一天
如果我錯了
比任何人
沒有人
將不需要任何人的嘴唇吻晚安
我會希望我是來聽你哭泣
如果我錯了
比任何人
沒有人
我會在那裡獨自一人想知道為什麼
我會希望，我從來不說再見
如果
如果，如果，如果，
我會想念你的常在雨中散步
直到我記得所有的痛苦
有與你無關的片甲不留
那麼，如果我錯了。如果我錯了。
如果我錯了
比任何人
沒有人
將不需要任何人的嘴唇吻晚安
我會希望我是來聽你哭泣
如果我錯了
比任何人
沒有人
我會在那裡獨自一人想知道為什麼
我會希望，我從來不說再見
如果
Helen B
I am addicted to this song. I can't believe how underrated this album is!!
07Strawberry08
AJ's voice is just flawless..... I LOVE it and I love him....
Rodoula Kapsiocha
He is the only one Backstreet boy that when you here his songs you don't miss the others..When i listen to Nicks songs I keep waiting for the other boys to "come" from the backround,but that doesn't happen whith AJ...HE IS JUST AMAZING...I love his voice....
Felipe Cruz
2023 and im still listening this awesome track. Its a shame this album is not on Spotify
Fhujami
I love this song. I listen it all day.♥ So beautiful.. AJ's voice is amazing. Just... He has taken my life and feelings to this song!
seaside973
Love you AJ and love your voice... This song is amazing
sarayalla
I spent the whole day listening to this! Addicted to his voice here!.
Un long fleuve... pas tranquille du tout !
Oh my god ! Me tooooooo !!
Laura Llobet
I’m addicted too 😌❤️
Saima Ismail
Love his voice. He is amazing!