Music Review: Backstreet Boys "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)"

Backstreet Boys

Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)

Album: Backstreet Boys

Year: 1997

           The Backstreet Boys make their presence known in the  explosive   “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back).”

            Rising synths open the single, setting an expectant tone.    In the chorus, they ask everyone to dance along. They are here to entertain. (“Everybody, yeah/Rock your body, yeah/Everybody, yeah/Rock your body right/Backstreet's back, alright.”)

           AJ McLean has the first verse. They have another single out for everyone to enjoy. They have the newest, modern sound that producers in the music industry will be scrambling around to duplicate. He then says he needs to know if they are meeting the current standards for pop music. (“Hey, yeah/Oh my God, we're back again/Brothers, sisters, everybody sing/Gonna bring the flavor, show you how/Gotta question for you better answer now, yeah.”)

          In the pre-chorus, Nick Carter asks if they offer something new and if there is any pop group out there like them. He also wonders if young women will have crushes on them and have a favorite. (“Am I original?/Yeah/Am I the only one?/Yeah/Am I sexual?/Yeah/Am I everything you need?/You better rock your body now.”)

            The chorus is sung again.

            McLean wants people to get into the song and join in with him, as he waves his hands encouraging others to do the same. (“Now throw your hands up in the air/Wave them around like you just don't care/If you wanna party let me hear you yell/Cuz we got it goin' on again/Yeah.”)

         The pre-chorus and chorus is sung again.  

          In the bridge, McLean knows they won’t be everyone. However, for the people who do like them, they are in it for the long haul. They like what they do and hope to be able to do it after they are no longer playing on the radio every five minutes. (“So everybody, everywhere/Don't be afraid, don't have no fear/I'm gonna tell the world, make you understand/As long as there'll be music, we'll be comin' back again.”)

              The crowd erupts, jumping up and down with the robust drum solo.

            The chorus is sung twice to end the single.

           The Backstreet Boys’ spry,  levelheaded vocals are diligent, maintaining the frenetic amount of energy needed for the concert atmosphere of the single.  They are also self-aware, commenting on the boy band formula (the bad boy, the nice one, the innocent one) and short shelf life. They also followed through on the question portion. They indeed prove to have the charisma necessary for a long career with a strong fanbase.

            The exciting “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)” provides screams and shouts for many years to come.