Nothing Fails

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"Nothing Fails"
Single by Madonna
from the album American Life
B-side(s)	"Nobody Knows Me" "Love Profusion" (Europe)
Released	November 21, 2003 (Europe)
Format	CD maxi single 12" maxi single
Recorded	2003
Genre	Pop
Length	4:48
Label	Maverick Records Warner Bros. Records WEA International
Writer(s)	Madonna Guy Sigsworth Jem Griffiths
Producer(s)	Madonna Mirwais Ahmadzaï Mark "Spike" Stent
Madonna singles chronology
"Me Against The Music" (2003)	"Nothing Fails" (2003)	"Love Profusion" (2004)
American Life track listing
"Nobody Knows Me" (5)	"Nothing Fails" (6)	"Intervention" (7)

"Nothing Fails" is a pop-folk ballad written by American singer-songwriter Madonna , Guy Sigsworth and Jem for Madonna's sixteenth album American Life (2003). It was produced by Madonna and Mirwais Ahmadzai and received a mixed reception from pop-music critics. The song was released as a double A-side along with "Love Profusion", as third and final single in the winter of 2003 (see 2003 in music) in North America and was released alone in most European territories with Love Profusion following as single four. The song failed to match the chart success of its predecessors from American Life, performing moderately in most countries, peaking in the top ten in Canada, Italy and Spain, but became Madonna's second consecutive single to fail to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US.

Contents 1 Composition and inspiration 2 Chart performance 2.1 Charts 3 Formats and track listings 4 Other official versions 5 Notes 6 References

[edit] Composition and inspiration

"Nothing Fails" is a love song, which features the use of acoustic guitars. The lyrics of the song are about someone who is in love and no matter what happens, good or bad, nothing can go wrong because they are in love. The song is essentially a love song to Madonna's husband, director Guy Ritchie. In it she sings about how their love is meant to be because when they met "it was not a chance meeting" later saying that Ricthie is "the one".

The song started as a collaboration between Sigsworth and Griffiths as she was beginning work on her debut album. After two days of working in the studio the song "Silly Thing" was written, which later became "Nothing Fails". The song was later played for Madonna, who with Sigsworth added to and changed parts of the song. On the song Griffiths said: "When I finally heard the finished song it was the strangest experience. It's not everyday you hear Madonna singing words and melodies you sang into your dictaphone at two in the morning! I really admire her for being so involved in everything she does. The song sounds beautiful."^[1]

The London Community Gospel Choir, led by Nicki Brown, recorded backing vocals for the song, giving it a gospel and religious feel.

After Madonna performed the song with a choir during her MTV American Life Special, comparisons were made to her 1989 hit single "Like a Prayer." The two songs are alike in many ways; they both share reflective and uplifting lyrics, simplistic melodies, and religion-infused undertones. Critics praised the track as being the standout song from the American Life album, but when it was released as a single it failed to deliver. Originally planned as a double A-side single with "Love Profusion", it was released in the United States and in some European territories in the winter of 2003.

Fans blame the chart failure of the song on Madonna's record label, Warner, for its poor handling of the single. The cover for the maxi-single was seen as one of Madonna's worst by fans and a music video was not made to support the single's release, although rumours spread about a video being made. Several well-known directors (including photographer Steven Klein who said himself in an interview that he will direct the video) showed interest in filming a video. Early rumours suggested that Madonna was going to shoot a religious video for "Nothing Fails" in Israel. This was soon denied by her spokesperson. A few months later, her manager at the time, Caresse Henry, announced that Warner Bros. had no intention to shoot a video to support the single.

[edit] Chart performance

"Nothing Fails" was a minor chart success, but did not match the success of previous single from American Life in Europe, charting outside the top twenty in some countries. In Canada the song charted in the top ten, but in the US it failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. It was a dance hit in the US though, charting at number one on the Billboard Hot Dance/Club play chart.

In the UK, curiously, it remained unreleased as a single and was included as a radio edit on the "Love Profusion" single.

In Australia, Warner made the bizarre move of releasing a maxi CD single of "Nothing Fails", a two part CD single of "Love Profusion" (which, like the UK single, featured a radio edit of "Nothing Fails") and the "Remixed & Revisited" EP all on the same day in November 2003. While "Love Profusion" peaked on the ARIA chart at #25, both "Nothing Fails" and "Remixed & Revisited" failed to chart.

[edit] Charts

Chart (2003)	Peak position
Austria	51
Argentina Top 40 Singles	4
Canada Top 50 Singles Sales	7
Denmark	11
Euro Hot 100 Single Sales	42
France IFOP Top 100 Singles	34
Germany Media Control Sales	36
Greece	19
Ireland	10
Italy	7
Spain	1
Spain Los 40 Principales	35
US Billboard Hot 100 Singles Sales	1
US Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play	1
US Billboard Dance Singles Sales	1
United World Chart	21

[edit] Formats and track listings

These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "Nothing Fails".

Nothing Fails Maxi-CD single

1. "Nothing Fails" (Peter Rauhofer's Classic House Mix)
2. "Nothing Fails" (Nevins Big Room Rock Mix)
3. "Nothing Fails" (Tracy Young's Underground Mix)
4. "Nothing Fails" (Nevins Global Dub)
5. "Nothing Fails" (Jackie's In Love In The Club Mix)
6. "Nobody Knows Me" (Peter Rauhofer's Private Life Part 1)
7. "Nobody Knows Me" (Above & Beyond 12" Mix)
8. "Nobody Knows Me" (Mount Sims Italo Kiss Mix)

Nothing Fails CD single #1

1. "Nothing Fails" (Radio Edit)
2. "Nothing Fails" (Peter Rauhofer's Classic House Mix)
3. "Nothing Fails" (Nevins Big Room Rock Mix)
4. "Nothing Fails" (Tracy Young's Underground Mix)

Nothing Fails CD single #2

1. "Nothing Fails" (Radio Edit)
2. "Love Profusion" (Album Version)
3. "Love Profusion" (The Passengerz Club)

[edit] Other official versions

1. "Nothing Fails" (Nevins Mix) on the Remixed & Revisited EP
2. "Nothing Fails" (Radio Remix) Slightly different from the Nevins Mix. Promotional release.
3. "Nothing Fails" (Peter Rauhofer's Classic House Mix - longer version) from USA promo vinyl PRO-A-101232
4. "Nothing Fails" (Peter Rauhofer's Classic House Mix - shorter version) from European commercial 12" (9362-42862-0)
5. "Nothing Fails" (Peter's Lost In Space Mix) on the Love Profusion maxi single.
6. "Nothing Fails" (Tracy Young's Underground Dub) Promotional release

[edit] Notes

1. ^  Nothing Fails 1. Arjan Writes Music Blog. Nov. 9, 2003. Retrieved Jan. 18, 2006.

[edit] References

• (2006). MoCaW:Chart History. Retrieved from http://justzheng.com/Madonna/CHThist.htm on January 18, 2006. International charting information.
• (2003). Eil.com. Retrieved from http://eil.com/shop/extsearch.asp?refresh=18648953 on January 18, 2006. Tracklistings and formats.