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I Want It That Way

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[Intro]
   EmyCeahG  
Em  C  G
[Verse]
You are    Emmy fCireG  
The one    EmdesiCreG  
Believe   Emwhen CI sGay
EmI want it thDat wGay
But we   Emare tCwo wGorlds aEmpart
Can't rCeach Gto your hEmeart
When yCou sGay
That EmI want it tDhat wGay
[Chorus]
Tell me wChy
(Ain't nothin' but a DheartaEmche)
Tell me wChy
(Ain't nothin' but a DmistEmake) 
(Tell me wChy)
I never wanna hDear you sGay
(EmI want it tDhat wGay)
[Verse]
Am I   Emyour CfiGre
Your one    EmdesCirGe
Yes I Emknow, it's Ctoo lGate
But EmI want it tDhat wGay
[Chorus]
Tell me wChy
(Ain't nothin' but a DheartaEmche)
Tell me wChy
(Ain't nothin' but a DmistaEmke) 
(Tell me wChy)
I never wanna hDear you sGay
(EmI want it tBhat way)
[Bridge]
EmNow I can see that we're faG/Dlling apart
From the wCay that it used to Ambe, yeDah
No maEmtter the distance I wG/Dant you to know
That dCeep down inside of Dme...
[Verse]
You are    Cmy DfiEmre
The one    CdesDirEme
You aCre
You are, you Dare, you Gare  (EmI want itD...)
[Chorus]
  DDon't wanna hear you (say)
DAin't nothin' but a hEeartF#mache
DAin't nothin' but a mEistF#make
DI never wanna hEear you sAay
   F#mI want it tEhat wAay
[Chorus]
Tell me wDhy
Ain't nothin' but a EheartF#mache
Tell me wDhy
Ain't nothin' but a EmisF#mtake
Tell me wDhy
I never wanna hEear you sAay
F#mI want it tEhat wAay
Tell me wDhy
Ain't nothin' but a EheartF#mache
  DAin't nothin' but a EmisF#mtake
Tell me wDhy
I never wanna hEear you sAay
F#mI want it tEhat wAay
Cause, F#mI want it tEhat wAay

All chords in this song (10)

The story behind the song

This pop ballad explores the emotional and physical distance that can strain a romantic relationship. Written by Max Martin and Andreas Carlsson, the song became a signature track for the Backstreet Boys, appearing on their 1999 album Millennium. The acoustic guitar arpeggio that opens the song was inspired by Metallica's "Nothing Else Matters." It plays like a heartfelt plea for understanding in the face of relational challenges.

AI-written from these sources:I Want It That Way — Wikipedia ↗Backstreet Boys — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

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Chord Book

670,000+ free guitar chords · free-chords.com

I Want It That Way

by Backstreet Boys

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

G/D

F#m

[Intro]

Em C G

yeah

Em C G

[Verse]

Em C G

You are my fire

Em C G

The one desire

Em C G

Believe when I say

Em D G

I want it that way

Em C G Em

But we are two worlds apart

C G Em

Can't reach to your heart

C G

When you say

Em D G

That I want it that way

[Chorus]

Tell me why

D Em

(Ain't nothin' but a heartache)

Tell me why

D Em

(Ain't nothin' but a mistake)

(Tell me why)

D G

I never wanna hear you say

Em D G

(I want it that way)

[Verse]

Em C G

Am I your fire

Em C G

Your one desire

Em C G

Yes I know, it's too late

Em D G

But I want it that way

[Chorus]

Tell me why

D Em

(Ain't nothin' but a heartache)

Tell me why

D Em

(Ain't nothin' but a mistake)

(Tell me why)

D G

I never wanna hear you say

Em B

(I want it that way)

[Bridge]

Em G/D

Now I can see that we're falling apart

C Am D

From the way that it used to be, yeah

Em G/D

No matter the distance I want you to know

C D

That deep down inside of me...

[Verse]

C D Em

You are my fire

C D Em

The one desire

You are

D G Em D

You are, you are, you are (I want it...)

[Chorus]

Don't wanna hear you (say)

D E F#m

Ain't nothin' but a heartache

D E F#m

Ain't nothin' but a mistake

D E A

I never wanna hear you say

F#m E A

I want it that way

[Chorus]

Tell me why

E F#m

Ain't nothin' but a heartache

Tell me why

E F#m

Ain't nothin' but a mistake

Tell me why

E A

I never wanna hear you say

F#m E A

I want it that way

Tell me why

E F#m

Ain't nothin' but a heartache

D E F#m

Ain't nothin' but a mistake

Tell me why

E A

I never wanna hear you say

F#m E A

I want it that way

F#m E A

Cause, I want it that way

About I Want It That Way Chords by Backstreet Boys

Learn how to play I Want It That Way by Backstreet Boys with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “I Want It That Way chords”, “I Want It That Way guitar chords”, or “Backstreet Boys I Want It That Way chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy I Want It That Way chords and for experienced players who want accurate I Want It That Way lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include Em, C, G, D, Am, B.

FAQ — I Want It That Way by Backstreet Boys

How do I play "I Want It That Way" by Backstreet Boys on guitar?

Open the free chords for "I Want It That Way" by Backstreet Boys on Free Chord Book. Tap any chord to see its diagram, use transpose to change the key, and turn on auto-scroll to play hands-free.

Are the chords for "I Want It That Way" by Backstreet Boys free?

Yes. The chords for "I Want It That Way" by Backstreet Boys are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "I Want It That Way" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "I Want It That Way" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "I Want It That Way"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "I Want It That Way" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "I Want It That Way" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "I Want It That Way" by Backstreet Boys with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Backstreet Boys below.

What key is "I Want It That Way" in?

The chords for "I Want It That Way" show the original chord names (including Em, C, G, D, Am, B). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.