" Do n't Let Me Be the Last to Know " is a pop ballad that lasts for three minutes and 51 seconds . The song is composed in the key of E major and is set in time signature of common time with a tempo of 76 beats per minute , and Spears ' vocal range spans from the low-note of F3 to the high-key of D5 . A '' NME '' staff reviewer said that the song takes the riff of David Bowie and Iggy Pop 's " China Girl " ( 1983 ) and " puts it over schmaltzy cocktail-hour bass and love film strings . " Tom Terrell of MTV , however , compared the riff to the one of A Taste of Honey 's cover of " Sukiyaki " ( 1981 ) . Terrell further commented that the " Eagles-esque chorus " features " an '80s hair band power ballad groove " where " Britney soul-maxes with a vocal that channels both Stevie Wonder ( via " Knocks Me Off My Feet " ) and Shania herself . " Stephanie McGrath of Jam ! said the song is " a nice break from the ' baby babys ' , ' yeah yeahs ' and insistent drum beats that pepper the other songs " of Oops ! . David Veitch of the '' Calgary Sun '' compared the backing vocals to " nicely old-fashioned shoo-be-doo-doos " . Lyrically , " Do n't Let Me Be the Last to Know " alludes to how Spears wants to hear her boyfriend say he needs her all the way and that he loves her . Spears considered it a " pure and delicate " song . " It 's just one of those songs that pull you in . That 's why I like it , and I like singing it as well " , she continued . " I think they wrote it ' specially for me , because the lyrics of the song , if you really listen ... they 're more of what I can relate to , 'cause they 're kind of young lyrics , I think . I do n't think Shania would probably sing some of the words that I 'm saying . " " Do n't Let Me Be the Last to Know " received mostly positive reviews from contemporary critics . Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic deemed it " sweetly sentimental " and akin to the other ballads on '' Oops ! ... I Did It Again '' , while a Rhapsody review considered them " perfectly constructed ballads " . Stephanie McGrath of Jam ! called the song " the best showcase of Spears ' talents . " A '' NME '' staff reviewer considered the track " absolutely frightening " , with Tracy E. Hopkins of '' Barnes & Noble '' deeming " Do n't Let Me Be the Last to Know " a " polished ballad " , and praising Shania Twain for the songwriting . '' Billboard '' journalist Michael Paoletta noted that Spears may not have the vocal range of " colleagues Jessica Simpson and Christina Aguilera , but she does have an instantly recognizable style-and Oops ! ... indicates that she 's developing a soulful edge and emotional depth that ca n't be conjured with a glass-shattering not " , further commenting that this can be confirmed " on the hitworthy , Shania Twain-penned ballad ' Do n't Let Me Be the Last to Know ' . " While reviewing 2011 's Femme Fatale Tour , Jocelyn Vena of MTV considered the song , along with " Toxic " , " old-school jams " . The song was nominated at Nickelodeon Kids ' Choice Awards in the category of " Best Song " in 2002
Nickelodeon Kids ' Choice Awards
2002 Kids' Choice Awards
Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know