It’s surprising to learn that the song that made Britney Spears a star was never intended for her. “…Baby One More Time,” her first single off her debut album of the same name, was originally written for TLC, but when they turned it down, Spears stepped in, and the rest is history. Currently, it still stands as Britney’s most successful single, hitting the top of the charts in over 10 countries including the U.S., Canada and U.K., and becoming one of the most successful overall singles of all time.
 

Swedish producer and songwriter Max Martin wrote the track for R&B girl group TLC, but they turned it down because they had already finalized their 1999 album FanMail. The single, about a girl who regrets her decision to break up with her boyfriend and is pleading with him to take her back, was handed off to the then-unknown Spears and her management team, solidifying her place in pop history. On top of its commercial success, the song landed her a Teen Choice Award for Single of the Year, an MTV Europe Music Award for Best Song and a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

But it was the music video that drove the single over the edge. The director Nigel Dick’s original concept had her in a cartoon setting, but Spears said she wanted it to take place in a school so it was more accessible to her teenage fans. Her original wardrobe consisted of jeans and a T-shirt, but Britney suggested a Catholic schoolgirl uniform. It was also her idea to spice up the costumes by tying the shirts up to reveal their midriffs.
 

The video immediately became a cultural phenomenon and drew criticism from parents for its suggestive styling choices. But its positives far outweighed its negatives, launching her into immediate stardom and becoming a fixture in 90s pop culture. The original costume is currently on display at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
 

 
How was I supposed to know
That something wasn't right here
Oh baby baby
I shouldn't have let you go
And now you're out of sight, yeah
Show me, how you want it to be
Tell me baby
'Cause I need to know now what we've got

[Chorus]
My loneliness is killing me
I must confess, I still believe
When I'm not with you I lose my mind
Give me a sign
Hit me baby one more time

Oh baby, baby
The reason I breathe is you
Boy you got me blinded
Oh baby, baby
There's nothing that I wouldn't do
That's not the way I planned it
Show me, how you want it to be
Tell me baby
'Cause I need to know now what we've got

(Chorus)

Oh baby, baby
Oh baby, baby
Ah, yeah, yeah
Oh baby, baby
How was I supposed to know
Oh pretty baby
I shouldn't have let you go
I must confess, that my loneliness
Is killing me now
Don't you know I still believe
That you will be here
And give me a sign
Hit me baby one more time

(Chorus)

I must confess that my loneliness
Is killing me now
Don't you know I still believe
That you will be here
And give me a sign
Hit me baby one more time