Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely

Critical

The song received acclaim from most music critics. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic picked the song as a standout track on the album.^[4] While reviewing their compilation, The Hits: Chapter One (2001), Erlewine wrote that "the rest of the singles that fill out the compilation aren't quite as good as "I Want It That Way", "As Long as You Love Me", "Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)", "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" and "Larger than Life" (although "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely" is)."^[5] Arion Berger of Rolling Stone commented that the song "digs its melodic claws into your skull on the first listen—it's the swooniest blending of the five vocalists' timbres to date, and mighty pretty besides."^[6]

Chuck Taylor of Billboard named it a "keepsake ballad that will have the quintet's loyal legions panting over their loss and loneliness." Taylor also called it "a beautifully produced anthem," and praised its melody, writing that, "it will instantly lock itself into the pop culture consciousness." Taylor finished his review, writing that the single is "the best ballad of the season and a sure-fine way to return the Boys to full glory."^[2]

Commercial

"Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely" was a success on the charts, reaching the top-ten in most countries it charted. In the United States, the song debuted at number 74 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart^[7] while on the issue of March 18, 2000, the song peaked at number 6,^[8] remaining at the peak position for two further weeks.^[9] In other Billboard component charts, the song also succeeded, topping the Top 40 Mainstream chart and reaching number 2 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks.^[10] In Canada, the song topped the RPM chart,^[11] while reaching number 8 on the Canadian Hot 100 chart.^[10]

In the United Kingdom, "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely" peaked at number 3, becoming their last single to reach the top-three and seventeenth top-ten single.^[12] The song became a success in countries like the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden and Switzerland, reaching number 2.^[13] It also reached the top-ten in Austria, Belgium, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Italy and Norway.^[14] It only performed moderately in Australia, where it reached number 19, becoming their lowest charting-single since "Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)" (1997).^[15]

Background and development

The music video for "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely" was directed by Stuart Gosling in Los Angeles. It follows each of the band members separately in a sad story, until they unite during the instrumental break and final choruses. 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 has 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 of the disease Lupus. Additionally, the bus McLean rides is marked for "Denniz St.", and is driven by an actor who resembles Denniz PoP (who died in 1998 and produced some Backstreet Boys tracks, besides being the mentor of the song's producer Max Martin).^[19] An alternate version of the video was dedicated in his honor.

Synopsis

The video begins at a hospital, in which Brian Littrell watches doctors try to save a patient, also portrayed by Littrell, alluding to his open heart surgery he had. A. J. McLean's scenes take place on a coach bus, which is driven by an actor who looks like Denniz Pop, while 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. While the girl lights the memorial candles for the deceased, 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.^[20]