Nothing Fails

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“Nothing Fails”
“Nothing Fails” cover
Single by Madonna
from the album American Life
B-side "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 (Album Version)
3:46 (Radio Edit)
Label Maverick, Warner Bros.
Writer(s) Madonna
Guy Sigsworth
Jem Griffiths
Producer Madonna
Mirwais Ahmadzaï
Mark "Spike" Stent
Madonna singles chronology
"Me Against The Music"
(2003)
"Nothing Fails"
(2003)
"Love Profusion"
(2004)
Alternate cover
UK CD 1 cover
UK CD 1 cover
American Life track listing
"Nobody Knows Me"
(5)
"Nothing Fails"
(6)
"Intervention"
(7)

"Nothing Fails" is the third single by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her 9th studio album American Life. It was released by Maverick Records on November 21, 2003. The single was released only in Australia, North America and some European countries. There was very little promotion to accompany it, no music video was filmed and this resulting in a laclustre performance on the charts. The song was released as the B-side to the fourth and final single "Love Profusion" in some territories such as the UK.

Contents

[edit] Song information

The song was extremely well received by critics, unlike most of the album, which was panned. The song started as a collaboration between Guy Sigsworth and singer Jem 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.

No music video was made to support the single's release, although rumours spread about a video being made. Several well-known directors (including photographer Steven Klein) showed interest in filming a video.[citation needed] Early rumours suggested that Madonna was going to shoot a religious video for "Nothing Fails" in Israel.[citation needed]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 singles 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" (considered an album by ARIA, due to its playing time), 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 (again, considered an album by ARIA due to the number of different tracks) all on the same day in November 2003. While "Love Profusion" peaked on the ARIA singles chart at #25, both "Nothing Fails" and "Remixed & Revisited" failed to chart on the ARIA albums chart. However they did appear on the ARIA Dance Album chart at #5 for "Remixed & Revisited" and #6 for the "Nothing Fails" EP.

[edit] Track listings and formats

US 12" promo vinyl (PRO-A-101232)[1]
  • A1 "Nothing Fails" (Peter Rauhofer's Classic House Mix) — 8:24
  • B1 "Nothing Fails" (Nevins Big Room Rock Mix) — 6:44
  • B2 "Nothing Fails" (Nevins Global Dub) — 7:45
US 12" promo vinyl (PRO-A-101245)[2]
  1. "Nothing Fails" (Peter Rauhofer's Lost In Space Mix) — 8:36
US promo CD single (PRO-CDR-101230)[3]
GR promo CD single (PR 04322)[4]
  1. "Nothing Fails" (Radio Edit) — 3:46
  2. "Nothing Fails" (Radio Remix) — 3:59
US 2 x vinyl (0-42682)[5]
  • A1 "Nothing Fails" (Peter Rauhofer's Classic House Mix) — 8:24
  • A2 "Nothing Fails" (Nevins Big Room Rock Mix) — 6:44
  • B1 "Nothing Fails" (Tracy Young's Underground Mix) — 7:29
  • B2 "Nothing Fails" (Jackie's In Love In The Club Mix) — 7:28
  • C1 "Nothing Fails" (Nevins Global Dub) — 7:45
  • C2 "Nobody Knows Me" (Mount Sims Italo Kiss Mix) — 5:26
  • D1 "Nobody Knows Me" (Mount Sims Old School Mix) — 4:44
  • D2 "Nothing Fails" (Tracy Young's Underground Dub) — 8:36
EU CD single (5439 16500 2)[6]
  1. "Nothing Fails" (Radio Edit) — 3:46
  2. "Nothing Fails" (Peter Rauhofer's Classic House Mix) — 8:24
EU Maxi-CD (9362 42690 2)[7]
  1. "Nothing Fails" (Radio Edit) — 3:46
  2. "Nothing Fails" (Peter Rauhofer's Classic House Mix) — 8:24
  3. "Nothing Fails" (Tracy Young's Underground Mix) — 7:29
  4. "Nothing Fails" (Nevins Big Room Rock Mix) — 6:44
EU Maxi-CD single (9362 42682 2)[8]
AU Maxi-CD single (9362 42682-2)[9]
  1. "Nothing Fails" (Peter Rauhofer's Classic House Mix) — 8:24
  2. "Nothing Fails" (Nevins Big Room Rock Mix) — 6:44
  3. "Nothing Fails" (Tracy Young's Underground Mix) — 7:29
  4. "Nothing Fails" (Nevins Global Dub) - 7:45
  5. "Nothing Fails" (Jackie's In Love In The Club Mix) — 7:28
  6. "Nobody Knows Me" (Peter Rauhofer's Private Life Part 1) — 8:07
  7. "Nobody Knows Me" (Above & Beyond 12" Mix) — 8:45
  8. "Nobody Knows Me" (Mount Sims Italo Kiss Mix) — 5:26

[edit] Nothing Fails/Love Profusion

EU Maxi-CD (9362 42697 2)[10]
  1. "Nothing Fails" (Radio Edit) — 3:46
  2. "Love Profusion" (Album Version) — 3:48
  3. "Love Profusion" (The Passengerz Club) — 7:01

[edit] Nothing Fails/Nobody Knows Me

US Maxi-CD (42682-2)[11]
  1. "Nothing Fails" (Peter Rauhofer's Classic House Mix) — 8:24
  2. "Nothing Fails" (Nevins Big Room Rock Mix) — 6:44
  3. "Nothing Fails" (Tracy Young's Underground Mix) — 7:29
  4. "Nothing Fails" (Nevins Global Dub) — 7:45
  5. "Nothing Fails" (Jackie's In Love In The Club Mix) — 7:28
  6. "Nobody Knows Me" (Peter Rauhofer's Private Life Part 1) — 8:07
  7. "Nobody Knows Me" (Above & Beyond 12" Mix) — 8:45
  8. "Nobody Knows Me" (Mount Sims Italo Kiss Mix) — 5:26

[edit] Official versions

  • Album Version (4:48)
  • Radio Edit (3:46)
  • Radio Remix (3:59)
  • Peter Rauhofer's Classic House Mix (8:24)
  • Nevins Big Room Rock Mix (6:44)
  • Nevins Global Dub (7:45)
  • Tracy Young's Underground Mix (7:29)
  • Tracy Young's Underground Dub (8:36)
  • Jackie's In Love In The Club Mix (7:28)

[edit] Charts

Chart (2003) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA Dance Album Chart) 6
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
Romanian Singles Chart 49
Spain 1
Spain Los 40 Principales 35
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 1
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] References

  1. ^ Madonna - Nothing Fails
  2. ^ Madonna - Nothing Fails
  3. ^ Madonna - Nothing Fails
  4. ^ Madonna - Nothing Fails
  5. ^ Madonna - Nothing Fails
  6. ^ Madonna - Nothing Fails
  7. ^ Madonna - Nothing Fails
  8. ^ Madonna - Nothing Fails
  9. ^ Madonna - Nothing Fails
  10. ^ Madonna - Nothing Fails / Love Profusion
  11. ^ Madonna - Nothing Fails / Nobody Knows Me