Ain't No Doubt

"Ain't No Doubt" is a song by English actor and singer-songwriter Jimmy Nail, released on 29 June 1992 as the first single from his second album, Growing Up in Public (1992). Composed by Nail with Guy Pratt, Danny Schogger, and Charlie Dore, the song features additional vocals from Sylvia Mason-James. Six years after his debut album, Nail revived his singing career during the success of his television drama series Spender. The single reached number one in both Ireland and the UK.

"Ain't No Doubt"
Single by Jimmy Nail
from the album Growing Up in Public
B-side"What Can I Say"
Released29 June 1992 (1992-06-29)[1]
Genre
Length3:57
LabelEastWest
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Guy Pratt
  • Danny Schogger
  • Jimmy Nail
Jimmy Nail singles chronology
"Love Don't Live Here Anymore"
(1985)		 "Ain't No Doubt"
(1992)		 "Laura"
(1992)
Audio sample
  • file
  • help

Composition

Bassist and co-writer Guy Pratt stated that the song was conceived during a writing session between him, Jimmy Nail and Danny Schogger. He said that the song was based around the bassline, which he wrote to copy the military cadences he had recently seen in the film Full Metal Jacket.[2]

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard called the song a "slick, R&B/pop shuffler", noting that "storytelling verses are offset by hummable chorus that sticks in your brain after the first listen. Overall relaxed vibe of track will easily open AC doors."[3] Randy Clark from Cash Box found that it "has its roots in seventies soul and disco, which is enjoying a club popularity in the UK right now." He added, "Jimmy talks a little on the verses, borrows a girl voice for the bridge then sings the almost military-march sounding chorus."[4] A reviewer from Daily Mirror complimented Mason-James, stating that "it's her lung-busting voice that has made the song such a delight".[5] Tom Ewing of Freaky Trigger felt it's a "one-of-a-kind meeting of pub rock and swingbeat: ruminative, finger-pointing spoken passages broken up by a two-fisted funk chorus that lunges at you like a closing time drunk." He remarked that "it's also an unintentionally funny record."[6]

Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report commented, "A full-blown pop production with a rhythmic groove provides this artist, voted England's "sexiest man", with dynamic material. He complimented its "bright instrumentation" and "a superb vocal arrangement" that gives the song a "fresh appeal".[7] Paul Mathur from Melody Maker wrote, "Nail is about an inch away from brilliance and is therefore a failure. Life's tough. It starts with spoken bit that echoes Kevin Rowland of all people and there's a bit where the girl says she loves him and he mumbles, "she's lying" with a throwaway magnificence. Then it all goes horribly wrong and the bargain bins rumble menacingly. The video stars the most beautiful girl in Britain though so set your timers."[8] Pan-European magazine Music & Media noted that from BBC detective series Spender actor Nail "has now started spending time on the top slot in the UK singles chart. The spoken verses and sung chorus together make a nice pop/dance tune in the no man's land between Jason Donovan and Simply Red."[9] Newcastle Journal described it as a "mournful song [where] he sings and talks".[10]

Chart performance

"Ain't No Doubt" is Nail's most successful hit worldwide, peaking at number one in Ireland and the United Kingdom, as well as reaching the top 10 in Australia, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Sweden. On the Eurochart Hot 100, it peaked at number eight in August 1992, as well as topping the European Adult Contemporary Radio Chart. The song became Nail's only hit in North America,[11][12] reaching number 58 on the RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart in Canada.

Track listings
A. "Ain't No Doubt" – 3:57
B. "What Can I Say" – 4:29
  • UK and European CD single[14]
  1. "Ain't No Doubt" (7-inch version) – 3:57
  2. "Ain't No Doubt" (Lies remix) – 6:11
  3. "Ain't No Doubt" (Damned Lies remix) – 4:45
  4. "What Can I Say" – 4:29

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[31] Gold 35,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[36] Gold 400,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 27 June 1998. p. 21. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  2. Pratt, Guy (29 March 2020). "Guy Pratt's LockDown Licks 01 'Ain't no doubt'". Archived from the original on 19 December 2021. Retrieved 24 September 2020 – via YouTube.
  3. Flick, Larry, ed. (6 February 1993). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 6. p. 70. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  4. Clark, Randy (5 September 1992). "Music Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. p. 5. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  5. Daily Mirror. 28 July 1992. p. 11.
  6. Ewing, Tom (30 August 2011). "Jimmy Nail – "Ain't No Doubt"". Freaky Trigger. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  7. Sholin, Dave (21 August 1992). "Gavin Picks: Singles" (PDF). Gavin Report. p. 56. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  8. Mathur, Paul (4 July 1992). "Singles". Melody Maker. p. 29. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
  9. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 31. 1 August 1992. p. 27. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  10. Newcastle Journal. 14 July 1992. p. 17.
  11. "Results : RPM Weekly – "jimmy nail"". RPM. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  12. "Jimmy Nail". Billboard. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  13. Ain't No Doubt (UK 7-inch single sleeve). Jimmy Nail. EastWest Records. 1992. YZ 686, 4509-90225-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. Ain't No Doubt (UK & European CD single liner notes). Jimmy Nail. EastWest Records. 1992. YZ686CD, 4509-90227-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. "Jimmy Nail – Ain't No Doubt". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  16. "Jimmy Nail – Ain't No Doubt" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  17. "Jimmy Nail – Ain't No Doubt" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  18. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1863." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  19. "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 38. 19 September 1992. p. 20. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  20. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 31. 1 August 1992. p. 33. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  21. "Adult Contemporary Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. 26 September 1992. p. 20. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  22. "Jimmy Nail – Ain't No Doubt" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  23. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Ain't No Doubt". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  24. "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 7 June 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Jimmy Nail".
  25. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 37, 1992" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  26. "Jimmy Nail – Ain't No Doubt" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  27. "Jimmy Nail – Ain't No Doubt". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  28. "Jimmy Nail – Ain't No Doubt". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  29. "Jimmy Nail – Ain't No Doubt". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  30. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  31. "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 1992". ARIA. Archived from the original on 15 October 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  32. "Jaaroverzichten 1992" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  33. "1992 Year-End Sales Charts" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 51/52. 19 December 1992. p. 17. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  34. "Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1992" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  35. "Year End Charts: Top Singles". Music Week. 16 January 1993. p. 8.
  36. "British single certifications – Jimmy Nail – Ain't No Doubt". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
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