My sound wasn't exactly the lead-person sound for the group with these songs. "All I Have To Give" was me finally getting a chance to step to the plate and show the world who I am as a singer. I'll always be thankful for producers from the group Full Force for saying, "Dude, why don't you sing more on the leads?"
Critical reception
Chuck Taylor of Billboard noted that "All I Have to Give" contained "plush harmonies, a melody that seems altogether natural and familiar on the first listen, and clever production props", describing it as a "no-brainer ballad" that would treat the Backstreet Boys more seriously as men.[2] Scottish Daily Record described the song as a "classic slice of teen-pop", stating that the Backstreet Boys were "eclipsing Boyzone".[3] A reviewer from Music Week gave it three out of five, stating that the boy band "who currently cannot put a foot wrong are set for a third big hit" with the "radio-friendly Full Force-penned ballad which features all five members sharing lead vocals."[4]People magazine described "All I Have to Give" as a "peppy" ballad, stating that while the song contained "a tinge of melancholy in the group's harmonies, one can't help smiling".[5] Bob Waliszewski of Plugged In found that the song expresses a "willingness to do whatever it takes to forge a strong relationship".[6]
Commercial performance
"All I Have to Give" charted in the top ten in several countries, including a debut at number 2 on the UK Singles Chart, number 3 in Canada, number 4 in Australia, and number 8 in Germany in 1998. It reached number one in Spain and on the UK Indie Chart.
The song reached number 5 in the US on the Billboard Hot 100 on February 6, 1999. It has since been certified Platinum in the US and Australia, Gold in New Zealand and Sweden, and Silver in the UK.
Music video
Background
The music video was directed by Nigel Dick and released in 1998. It uses the song's radio edit, omitting the latter half of the song's bridge.[citation needed] As of April 2021, the video has over 51 million views on YouTube.[7] there are two versions of the music video.[8][9][10]
Synopsis
The Backstreet Boys perform in various interior locations throughout the music video while wearing different outfits. These include a circular wall, a brown stage, a bar in front of a steel structure, and a blue-lit room. During the verse, every band member is seen singing in front of a microphone while wearing urban clothing; Nick Carter and Brian Littrell sing the first two verses while Howie Dorough and AJ McLean perform the following two verses. During the chorus, they simultaneously perform a "hat dance" while wearing a fedora and multicolored-collar suits throughout the choreography.
^All I Have to Give (US maxi-CD single liner notes). Backstreet Boys. Jive Records. 1999. 01241-42563-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^All I Have to Give (UK & European CD1 liner notes). Backstreet Boys. Jive Records. 1998. JIVE CD 445, 0518222.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^All I Have to Give (UK & European CD2 liner notes). Backstreet Boys. Jive Records. 1998. JIVE RCD 445, 0518352, 705.1835.3.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^All I Have to Give (Japanese enhanced CD single liner notes). Backstreet Boys. Avex Group, Jive Records. 1998. AVCZ-95106.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)