Ain't Nothin' Goin' On but the Rent

Last updated
"Ain't Nothin' Goin' On but the Rent"
Ain't Nothin' Gwen Guthrie.jpg
Single by Gwen Guthrie
from the album Good to Go Lover
Released1986
Genre Dance-R&B [1]
Label Polydor
Songwriter(s) Gwen Guthrie
Producer(s) Gwen Guthrie
Gwen Guthrie singles chronology
"Just for You"
(1985)
"Ain't Nothin' Goin' On but the Rent"
(1986)
"Seventh Heaven"
(1986)

"Ain't Nothin' Goin' On but the Rent" is a song by American singer-songwriter Gwen Guthrie. It was released in 1986 as the lead single from her fourth album, Good to Go Lover (1986), on Polydor Records. It was both written and produced by Guthrie, becoming the biggest hit of her career, and the song's title became a semi-popular catchphrase among many women throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s. [2] The single peaked at number five in the UK, but hit number one in New Zealand, Zimbabwe and on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play. In 1993, it was remixed and again charted in the UK, peaking at number 42. In 2005, Blender listed "Ain't Nothin' Goin' On but the Rent" at number 339 on its list of "Greatest Songs Since You Were Born". [3]

Contents

Critical reception

Alan Jones from Music Week gave the 1993 remix three out of five. He wrote, "A disappointing seven-inch remix by Nigel Wright is stale and one-dimensional, but the original, still sounding fresh, and a radical E-Lustrious remix are more than enough to score a hit." [4] James Hamilton from the Record Mirror Dance Update noted, "1986 garage anthem's radical blippily thundering E-Lusirious, breezily soulful Nigel Wright Remixes, ponderously lurching Original". [5]

Chart performance

The song was a major hit on both sides of the Atlantic, [6] mostly in dance clubs and on the radio, charting moderately on the US pop chart (reaching number 42 on the Billboard Hot 100), but faring better on the Billboard R&B chart where it spent one week at number-one and on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart where it spent two weeks at the top. [7] The song peaked at number one in New Zealand and Zimbabwe, and was also successful in parts of Europe, reaching number five on the UK Singles Chart. [8] The 1993 remix reached number eight on the UK Dance Singles Chart.

Charts

References to other songs

The song contains apparent references to at least three other songs:

The line "Ain't nothing goin' on now, but the rent-uh" appears in the 1972 James Brown hit "Get on the Good Foot — Pt. 1".

The line "You got to have a J-O-B if you want to be-with-me" is set to a melody line that recurs throughout "Doctor Love", a 1977 disco hit by First Choice.

The line "Nothing from nothing leaves nothing" is taken from Billy Preston's 1974 hit song of the same name.

Covers and pop culture references

See also

Related Research Articles

Gwendolyn Guthrie was an American singer-songwriter and pianist who also sang backing vocals for Aretha Franklin, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, Peter Tosh, The Limit and Madonna, among others, and who wrote songs made famous by Ben E. King, Angela Bofill and Roberta Flack. Guthrie is well known for her 1986 anthem "Ain't Nothin' Goin' On but the Rent," and for her 1986 cover of the song "(They Long to Be) Close to You."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jump Around</span> 1992 single by House of Pain

"Jump Around" is a song by American hip hop group House of Pain, produced by DJ Muggs of Cypress Hill, who has also covered the song, and was released in May 1992 by Tommy Boy and XL as the first single from their debut album, House of Pain (1992). The song became a hit, reaching number three in the United States. A 1993 re-release of the song in the United Kingdom, where the initial release had been a minor hit, peaked at number eight. Its music video was filmed in New York City, featuring footage from the 1992 Saint Patrick's Day parade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rich Girl (Gwen Stefani song)</span> 2004 single by Gwen Stefani

"Rich Girl" is a song by American singer and songwriter Gwen Stefani from her debut solo studio album, Love. Angel. Music. Baby. (2004). Produced by Dr. Dre, the track features American rapper Eve, and is a remake of Louchie Lou & Michie One's 1993 song of the same name, which in turn interpolates the Fiddler on the Roof song "If I Were a Rich Man". The song discusses Stefani's dreams of fame and riches from the perspective of "when she was just an Orange County girl".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">End of the Road (Boyz II Men song)</span> 1992 single by Boyz II Men

"End of the Road" is a song by American R&B group Boyz II Men for the Boomerang soundtrack. It was released in June 1992 by LaFace, Arista and Motown, and is written by Babyface, Antonio L.A. Reid and Daryl Simmons. It is written and composed in the key of E-flat major and is set in time signature of 6/8 with a tempo of 150 beats per minute. The song achieved domestic and international success. In the United States, it spent a then record breaking 13 weeks at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, a record broken later in the year by Whitney Houston's 14-week number one hit "I Will Always Love You"; Boyz II Men would later match Houston's record with "I'll Make Love to You", which spent 14 weeks at number one in 1994, and then reclaim the record with "One Sweet Day", which spent 16 weeks at number one from 1995 to 1996.

The Adventures of Stevie V was a British dance music act from Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, England. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, it scored several hits on the UK Singles Chart and the US Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, most notably with the song "Dirty Cash ".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Another Night (song)</span> 1993 single by Real McCoy

"Another Night" is a song by German Eurodance and pop music project Real McCoy. The single is featured on their hit album Another Night (1995), which was the American release of the project's second album, Space Invaders. The song was written and produced in Germany by Juergen Wind and Frank Hassas (Quickmix) in 1993 under the producer team name Freshline. It was released in Europe on 12 July 1993 by Hansa Records and two music videos were produced, directed by Nigel Dick and Angel Garcia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet (Bachman–Turner Overdrive song)</span> Song by Bachman-Turner Overdrive

"You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" is a song by Canadian rock band Bachman–Turner Overdrive (BTO). The song was written by Randy Bachman for the band's third studio album Not Fragile (1974). It was released as a single in 1974, with an instrumental track "Free Wheelin'" as the B-side. It reached the number one position on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and the Canadian RPM chart the week of November 9, 1974, as well as earning the band their only major hit single in the United Kingdom, peaking at number 2 on the UK Singles Chart. The follow-up single, "Roll on Down the Highway", was also a minor UK hit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">(They Long to Be) Close to You</span> 1970 single by The Carpenters

"(They Long to Be) Close to You" is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David with sections of the early version written by Cathy Steeves. The best-known version is that recorded by American duo The Carpenters for their second studio album Close to You (1970) and produced by Jack Daugherty. Released on May 14, 1970, the single topped both the US Billboard Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary charts. It also reached the top of the Canadian and Australian charts and peaked at number six on the charts of both the UK and Ireland. The record was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in August 1970.

<i>Utah Saints</i> (album) 1992 studio album by Utah Saints

Utah Saints is the debut album by British electronic band Utah Saints. It was released in the United States in 1992 on London Records, and in 1993 the album was released in the United Kingdom on FFRR, featuring a different track listing, cover, and two additional songs. The album reached number 10 on the UK Albums Chart; singles released from this album include "Something Good", "I Want You", and "What Can You Do for Me".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Informer (song)</span> 1992 single by Snow

"Informer" is a song by Canadian reggae musician Snow, released in August 1992 by East West Records as the first single from his debut album, 12 Inches of Snow (1993). The song is well known for the line "a licky boom boom down" and for Snow's fast toasting and often unintelligible lyrics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ain't Nobody</span> 1983 single by Rufus and Chaka Khan

"Ain't Nobody" is a song by American funk band Rufus and American singer Chaka Khan. It was released on November 4, 1983 by Warner Bros., as one of four studio tracks included on their live album, Stompin' at the Savoy (1983). "Ain't Nobody" quickly gathered popularity, and reached number one on the US Billboard R&B chart and number 22 on the US Billboard Hot 100. In 1984 at the 26th Annual Grammy Awards, "Ain't Nobody" won for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. It has become one of Khan's signature songs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wind It Up (Gwen Stefani song)</span> 2006 single by Gwen Stefani

"Wind It Up" is a song by American singer and songwriter Gwen Stefani, released as the lead single from her second solo studio album, The Sweet Escape (2006). Originally written for inclusion on Stefani's Harajuku Lovers Tour, the song was later recorded for the album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race</span> 2006 single by Fall Out Boy

"This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race" is a song by American rock band Fall Out Boy and the second single from their commercially successful third studio album Infinity on High (2007). The song officially debuted on November 21 at the American Music Awards and impacted US radio on December 5. The music was composed by vocalist and guitarist Patrick Stump and the lyrics were penned by bassist Pete Wentz, following the band's songwriting approach which first began with some songs on their 2003 album Take This to Your Grave. Production was handled by Neal Avron, who also produced the band's previous From Under the Cork Tree album. Commenting on the band's decision to pick the track as the first single, Wentz said "There may be other songs on the record that would be bigger radio hits, but this one had the right message."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">4 in the Morning</span> 2007 single by Gwen Stefani

"4 in the Morning" is a song by American singer Gwen Stefani from her second studio album, The Sweet Escape (2006). It was written by Stefani and co-written and produced by Tony Kanal, with additional production by Mark "Spike" Stent. Interscope Records serviced the song to US contemporary hit radio on May 8, 2007, as the album's third single; elsewhere it was released in June 2007. Described as one of her favorite songs on the album, Stefani began writing the song while pregnant and finished with Kanal, drawing inspiration from Roberta Flack and Billy Idol records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Love Music (The O'Jays song)</span>

"I Love Music" is a song by American R&B group The O'Jays. It was written by production team Gamble and Huff. The song appeared on The O'Jays 1975 album, Family Reunion. The single reached number five on the US US Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the soul singles chart. In the UK, the song peaked at number 13 in the Top 40 singles charts in March 1976. The single spent eight weeks at number one on the US Disco File Top 20 chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Right Here (SWV song)</span> 1992 single by SWV

"Right Here" is the debut single of American R&B girl group SWV, released on August 20, 1992 by RCA Records, as the lead single from their debut album, It's About Time (1992). The song was written by Brian Alexander Morgan, who also produced it. A remixed version, referred to as "Right Here (Human Nature Remix)" and based around a feature of Michael Jackson's 1982 song "Human Nature", was released in July 1993, and charted on the US Billboard charts as a double-A-side with "Downtown". This version, produced by Teddy Riley, became a number-one R&B single, selling 1,000,000 copies and earning a platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It was also a number-one hit in Zimbabwe. The music video for the song was directed by Lionel C. Martin, featuring SWV riding horses and fishing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">What Can You Do for Me</span>

"What Can You Do for Me" is a song by English electronic group Utah Saints. It was released on 12 August 1991 as the first single from their debut album, Utah Saints (1992). The song reached number 10 on the UK Singles Chart and number three on the UK Dance Singles Chart. It uses samples from "There Must Be an Angel " by Eurythmics and "Ain't Nothin' Goin' on But the Rent" by Gwen Guthrie. The title "What Can You Do for Me" is taken from lyrics of "Ain't Nothin' Goin' on But the Rent". A music video was also produced to promote the single.

<i>Good to Go Lover</i> Album by Gwen Guthrie

Good to Go Lover is a 1986 studio album by American singer Gwen Guthrie. The album was produced by Guthrie, with musicians performing on the album including Larry Levan, two Surface members and Bernie Worrell, a Parliament-Funkadelic keyboardist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luv 4 Luv</span> 1993 single by Robin S.

"Luv 4 Luv" is a song by American singer Robin S., released on 19 July 1993 by Champion, Big Beat and ZYX as the second single from the singer's debut album, Show Me Love (1993). The song was written by Allen George and Fred McFarlane, and was Robin S.'s second number one on the US dance chart, where it spent one week at the top. On other US charts, the song peaked at number 53 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 54 on the Cash Box Top 100. Overseas, "Luv 4 Luv" reached number 11 on the UK Singles Chart and number 24 in Ireland. A black-and-white music video was produced to promote the single, featuring Robin S. performing at a self-service laundry. "Luv 4 Luv" was re-released in the UK in 2003 but only lasted one week on the chart, peaking at number 78.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whitney Houston singles discography</span>

American singer Whitney Houston, known as "The Voice", released 57 singles as a leading artist and 4 as a featured artist. Houston is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with over 220 million records sold worldwide. In the United States, Houston amassed 11 Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles, all of whom have been certified either gold, platinum, multi-platinum or diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America and was one of a selected group of artists to have a top ten single in the Billboard Hot 100 in four different decades. She is currently ranked in seventh place of the artists with the most number one singles in the history of the Billboard Hot 100. Prior to the introduction of digital singles, Houston sold 16.5 million physical singles in the country, the most ever by a female recording artist. In October 2012, the Official Charts Company claimed Houston was the fourth biggest-selling female singles artist of all time with a sales total of 8.5 million singles in that country.

References

  1. Whaley, Natelegé. "Review: City Girls' Girl Code". Pitchfork. Conde Nast. Retrieved January 6, 2023. It's no wonder City Girls want men to pay up for their time. The mindset isn't new. Gwen Guthrie sang, "No romance without finance," on her 1986 dance-R&B hit "Ain't Nothin' Goin' on But the Rent."
  2. "Hard 'Rain' Falls On Women". Los Angeles Times . September 28, 1986. Retrieved March 22, 2012.
  3. "Blender Magazine: Greatest Songs Since You Were Born". April 1, 2009. Archived from the original on January 7, 2010. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
  4. Jones, Alan (August 14, 1993). "Market Preview: Mainstream – Singles – Pick of the Week" (PDF). Music Week . p. 14. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
  5. Hamilton, James (August 21, 1993). "Dj directory" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 7. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  6. "Ain't Nothin' Goin' on But the Rent was a major hit on both sides". AllMusic . Retrieved October 8, 2016.
  7. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco 1974-2003, (Record Research Inc.)
  8. Official Charts Company info from Official Charts Company
  9. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 131. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  10. "Gwen Guthrie – Ain't Nothin' Goin' On but the Rent" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  11. "European Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 3, no. 34. August 30, 1986. p. 12. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  12. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Ain't Nothin' Goin' On but the Rent". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  13. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 40, 1986" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  14. "Gwen Guthrie – Ain't Nothin' Goin' On but the Rent" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  15. "Gwen Guthrie – Ain't Nothin' Goin' On but the Rent". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  16. "Gwen Guthrie – Ain't Nothin' Goin' On but the Rent". Singles Top 100. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  17. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  18. "Gwen Guthrie Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  19. "Gwen Guthrie Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  20. "Gwen Guthrie Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  21. "Gwen Guthrie Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  22. "Offiziellecharts.de – Gwen Guthrie – Ain't Nothin' Goin' On but the Rent" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
    • Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: singles chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
  23. "Airplay 100" (PDF). Hit Music . September 11, 1993. p. 19. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  24. "Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week . September 4, 1993. p. 26. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  25. "The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). August 14, 1993. p. 4. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
  26. "Top 100 Singles". Music Week . January 24, 1987. p. 24.
  27. "End of Year Charts 1987". Recorded Music NZ . Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  28. Eddie Murphy: Raw (1987) – Full Transcript a Scraps from the Loft. 16 May 2019. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  29. Sava, Oliver (2013-03-19). "RuPaul's Drag Race: "Scent Of A Drag Queen"". The A.V. Club . Retrieved 2021-06-29.