Ain't No Doubt


"Ain't No Doubt" is a 1992 song by English actor and singer-songwriter Jimmy Nail. Composed by Nail with Guy Pratt, Danny Schogger and Charlie Dore, the song features additional vocals by Sylvia Mason-James. Six years after his debut album, Nail revived his singing career during the success of his television drama series Spender.
"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. It also became Nail's only hit in North America, reaching number 58 in Canada.

Critical reception

Billboard wrote, "Atlantic is ready to put a big push behind this slick, R&B/pop shuffler. 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." Music & Media commented 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." Tom Ewing from Freaky Trigger said the song "is 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 added that "it's also an unintentionally funny record."

Subject matter

The lyrics discuss a failing relationship, and the difference between her words and what he believes she means. In the first verse, like in the second, Jimmy Nail provides the female's line, by saying; "She says 'it's not you, it's me'", a statement which is cliched in break ups, and is usually considered to be a white lie.
During the lyrics sung by Sylvia Mason-James, in the first part of the chorus, phrases such as "I don't want nobody else, I love you", and "there won't be somebody else, and that's true", Jimmy Nail interjects with "she's lying". This line, like many others is simply spoken, not sung. The second part of the chorus claims that there "Ain't no doubt" that a "woman like you is no good for me".
The second verse has Jimmy Nail speaking the lines of the female character once more; "she says 'it's like in the song, remember? / If you love somebody, set them free?'"
After he describes her speech, he says "and then she kisses me, and somewhere I hear a door slam. So I say 'fine', and just hope that I'm a better liar than she is," exploring the idea that while she lies to try to keep from hurting him, he does so in order to 'prove' he doesn't care and to hopefully hurt her in return.

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications