"Ain't No Doubt" is a song by English actor and singer-songwriter

Jimmy Nail James Michael Aloysius Bradford (born 16 March 1954), known as Jimmy Nail, is an English singer-songwriter, actor, film producer, and television writer. He played the role of Leonard "Oz" Osborne in the television show ''Auf Wiedersehen, Pet'' ( ...

, released on 29 June 1992 by EastWest as the first single from his second album, '' Growing Up in Public'' (1992). Composed by Nail with

Guy Pratt Guy Adam Pratt (born 3 January 1962) is a British bassist. He has worked with artists including Pink Floyd, Roxy Music, Gary Moore, Madonna, Peter Cetera, Michael Jackson, the Smiths, Robert Palmer (singer), Robert Palmer, Echo & the Bunnymen, T ...

, Danny Schogger, and

Charlie Dore Charlie Dore (born 1956) is an English singer-songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist, and actress. Although best known as a singer-songwriter, Dore has a multi-faceted career that includes acting in film, TV and radio, comedy-improvisatio ...

, 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.

Composition

Bassist and co-writer

stated that the song was conceived during a writing session between him,

and Danny Schogger. He said that the song was based around the

bassline Bassline (also known as a bass line or bass part) is the term used in many styles of music, such as blues, jazz, funk, Dub music, dub and electronic music, electronic, traditional music, traditional, and classical music, for the low-pitched P ...

, which he wrote to copy the

military cadence A military cadence or cadence call is a call-and-response work song sung by military personnel while running or marching. They are counterparts of the military march. Military cadences often take their rhythms from the work being done, much like ...

s he had recently seen in the film ''

Full Metal Jacket ''Full Metal Jacket'' is a 1987 war film directed and produced by Stanley Kubrick from a screenplay he co-wrote with Michael Herr and Gustav Hasford. The film is based on Hasford's 1979 autobiographical novel '' The Short-Timers''. It stars ...

''.

Critical reception

Larry Flick Larry Flick is an American journalist, former dance music columnist, single reviewer, and Senior Talent Editor for ''Billboard'' magazine, where he worked for 14 years. Now he produces and hosts Sirius XM radio shows. Flick started in the musi ...

from ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

'' 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." Randy Clark from ''

Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', is an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...

'' found that it "has its roots in seventies

soul The soul is the purported Mind–body dualism, immaterial aspect or essence of a Outline of life forms, living being. It is typically believed to be Immortality, immortal and to exist apart from the material world. The three main theories that ...

and

disco Disco is a music genre, genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the late 1960s from the United States' urban nightclub, nightlife, particularly in African Americans, African-American, Italian-Americans, Italian-American, LGBTQ ...

, 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." A reviewer from ''

Daily Mirror The ''Daily Mirror'' is a British national daily Tabloid journalism, tabloid newspaper. Founded in 1903, it is part of Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), which is owned by parent company Reach plc. From 1985 to 1987, and from 1997 to 2002, the tit ...

'' complimented Mason-James, stating that "it's her lung-busting voice that has made the song such a delight". Tom Ewing of

Freaky Trigger ''Freaky Trigger'' is an Internet publication and e-zine that focuses on popular culture with topics varying from music to cinema. It was founded by the music critic Tom Ewing in 1999 and features Pete Baran and Mark Sinker as editors. From 2 ...

felt it's a "one-of-a-kind meeting of pub rock and

swingbeat New jack swing, new jack, or swingbeat is a fusion genre of the rhythms and production techniques of hip hop and dance-pop, and the urban contemporary sound of R&B. Spearheaded by producers Teddy Riley, Bernard Belle, Jimmy Jam and Terry L ...

: ruminative, finger-pointing spoken passages broken up by a two-fisted

funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African-American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African-Americans in the ...

chorus that lunges at you like a closing time drunk." He remarked that "it's also an unintentionally funny record." Dave Sholin from the ''

Gavin Report The ''Gavin Report'' was a San Francisco-based radio industry trade publication. The publication was founded by radio performer Bill Gavin in 1958. Its Top 40 listings were used for many years by programmers to decide content of programs. The ...

'' 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". Paul Mathur from ''

Melody Maker ''Melody Maker'' was a British weekly music magazine, one of the world's earliest music weeklies; according to its publisher, IPC Media, the earliest. In January 2001, it was merged into "long-standing rival" (and IPC Media sister publicatio ...

'' 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." Pan-European magazine ''

Music & Media ''Music & Media'' was a pan-European magazine for radio, music and entertainment. It was published for the first time in 1984 as ''Eurotipsheet'', but in 1986 it changed name to ''Music & Media''. It was originally based in Amsterdam, but later m ...

'' noted that from

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

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 Jason Sean Donovan (born 1 June 1968) is an Australian actor and singer. He initially achieved fame in the Australian soap ''Neighbours'', playing Scott Robinson, before beginning a career in music in 1988. In the UK he has sold over 3 millio ...

and

Simply Red Simply Red are an English soul music, soul and pop band formed in Manchester in 1985. Band leader, singer and songwriter Mick Hucknall was the only original member left by the time Simply Red initially disbanded in 2010. They have released thir ...

." '' Newcastle Journal'' described it as a "mournful song herehe sings and talks".

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 The European Hot 100 Singles was compiled by ''Billboard'' and ''Music & Media'' magazine from March 1984 until December 2010. The chart was based on national singles sales charts in 17 European countries: Austria, Belgium (two charts separately f ...

, 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, reaching number 58 on the ''

RPM Revolutions per minute (abbreviated rpm, RPM, rev/min, r/min, or r⋅min−1) is a unit of rotational speed (or rotational frequency) for rotating machines. One revolution per minute is equivalent to hertz. Standards ISO 80000-3:2019 def ...

'' 100 Hit Tracks chart in Canada.

Track listings

* 7-inch single :A. "Ain't No Doubt" – 3:57 :B. "What Can I Say" – 4:29 * UK and European CD single # "Ain't No Doubt" (7-inch version) – 3:57 # "Ain't No Doubt" (Lies remix) – 6:11 # "Ain't No Doubt" (Damned Lies remix) – 4:45 # "What Can I Say" – 4:29

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

References

{{Authority control 1992 songs 1992 singles Jimmy Nail songs East West Records singles Male–female vocal duets Songs written by Charlie Dore Songs written by Guy Pratt UK singles chart number-one singles New jack swing songs Pub rock (United Kingdom) songs British contemporary R&B songs