"The Hardest Thing" is the third single released from American boy band
98 Degrees
98 Degrees (stylized as 98°) is an American pop and R&B vocal group consisting of four vocalists: the group's founding member Jeff Timmons, brothers Nick and Drew Lachey, and Justin Jeffre. The group was formed by Timmons in Los Angeles, C ...
's second studio album, ''
98 Degrees and Rising'' (1998). "The Hardest Thing" peaked at number five in the United States, number 10 in Canada, number 29 in the United Kingdom, and number 31 in Ireland. It also experienced moderate success in
Oceania
Oceania (, , ) is a geographical region that includes Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Spanning the Eastern and Western hemispheres, Oceania is estimated to have a land area of and a population of around 44.5 million ...
, peaking at number 24 in Australia and number five in New Zealand. The single was certified Gold by the
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of 500,000 units.
Song meaning
The song is about a man who is torn between two women that he loves: one being his significant other and the other being his mistress. This is apparent when ''
Doctor Zhivago
''Doctor Zhivago'' is the title of a novel by Boris Pasternak and its various adaptations.
Description
The story, in all of its forms, describes the life of the fictional Russian physician and poet Yuri Zhivago
Yuri Andreievich Zhivago is the ...
'' is referenced in the second verse of the song. In the end, the man chooses to say goodbye to his mistress because it is only fair to his significant other, who has always trusted him. This becomes clear in the first verse of the song when he says, "''I've got somewhere else to be, promises to keep/Someone else who loves me and trusts me fast asleep.''" However, as he is saying goodbye to the mistress, he has to hide his true feelings (love) from her; hence, the title of the song: "The Hardest Thing". As he says goodbye to his mistress, he thinks, "''It's the hardest thing I'll ever have to do to look you in the eye and tell you I don't love you.''" However, he knows that their love is real and that they will (hopefully) meet again when the time is right: "''I know that we'll meet again/Fate has a place and time/So you can get on with your life.''"
Music video
The music video takes place inside a boxing arena.
Nick Lachey
Nicholas Scott Lachey ( ; born November 9, 1973) is an American singer, actor, television personality, and host. He rose to fame as the lead singer of the multi-platinum-selling boyband 98 Degrees, and later starred in the reality series '' Newl ...
, the protagonist in the video, is the gentleman who is torn between two ladies. Nick is a boxer in the video, and his mistress is a show girl. His significant other is not in the video.
Track listings
US CD single
# "The Hardest Thing" (radio version) – 3:47
# "Because of You" (Hex Hector Dance Mix) – 3:07
# "Invisible Man" – 4:42
UK 12-inch vinyl
:A1. "The Hardest Thing" (Love to Infinity Master Mix) – 6:35
:B1. "The Hardest Thing" (album version) – 4:34
UK maxi-CD
# "The Hardest Thing" (radio version) – 3:47
# "The Hardest Thing" (album version) – 4:34
# "The Hardest Thing" (Love to Infinity Master Mix) – 6:35
# "The Hardest Thing" (music video) – 3:31
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
Release history
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hardest Thing, The
1990s ballads
1998 songs
1999 singles
98 Degrees songs
Songs about infidelity
Songs written by David Frank (musician)
Songs written by Steve Kipner
Universal Records singles