Nothing Like the Rain

"Nothing Like the Rain"
Artwork for continental European and Australian releases
Single by 2 Unlimited
from the album Real Things
Released	June 1995
Genre	Pop
Length	4:39 3:59 (single version)
Label	Byte
Songwriters	Phil Wilde Peter Bauwens Michael Leahy
Producers	Phil Wilde Jean-Paul De Coster Peter Bauwens
2 Unlimited singles chronology
"Here I Go" (1995) "Nothing Like the Rain" (1995) "Do What's Good for Me" (1995)
Music video
"Nothing Like the Rain" on YouTube

"Nothing Like the Rain" is a song recorded by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance band 2 Unlimited. It was released in June 1995, by Byte Records, as the fourth and final single from their third album, Real Things (1994). ^[1] The song was written by co-producers Phil Wilde and Peter Bauwens with Michael Leahy. In the US, it was released as a double A-side with the European hit single "Here I Go". It peaked within the top 20 in at least four countries, and was also the first single by 2 Unlimited that was a pop ballad. The single was not released in the UK. Its accompanying music video was directed by Nigel Simpkiss, who had previously directed several videos for the group.

Critical reception

Simon Price from Melody Maker viewed the song as "one uncharacteristic tear-soaked slowie". ^[2] Mark Sutherland from Smash Hits wrote that "the slow smoochy ballad (yes ballad!)" is "a potential top ten record". ^[3] In a retrospective review, Pop Rescue complimented it as "brilliant", describing it as "a slow, gentle, beautiful ballad, and it really gives Anita the room to show off her vocals." ^[4]

Chart performance

"Nothing Like the Rain" was a moderate success on the charts in Europe, entering the top 10 in the band's native Netherlands, peaking at number six. Additionally, it entered the top 20 in Finland (18), Norway (17) and Spain (14), while it reached the top 30 in Belgium (23). On the Eurochart Hot 100, the single peaked at number 68. It was the first 2 Unlimited single to not receive a UK release, and did not chart on the UK Singles Chart. Outside Europe, "Nothing Like the Rain" peaked at number 134 in Australia.

Music video

The music video for "Nothing Like the Rain" was directed by Nigel Simpkiss and released in the UK in June 1995. The water-themed video features band members Anita Dels and Ray Slijngaard performing in front of or behind raining water. There are shots made in a swimming pool, with a couple embracing each other in the water. Other shots shows flowers, umbrellas, fishes and a frog appearing in the rain. Simpkiss also directed the music videos for "Let the Beat Control Your Body", "The Real Thing" and "Here I Go". "Nothing Like the Rain" was A-listed on Dutch music television channel TMF in July 1995. ^[5] MTV Europe put the video on prime break out rotation. ^[6] It was later made available on 2 Unlimited's official YouTube channel in 2014.

Ballads

2 Unlimited included ballads at the end of their three first studio albums:

• "Desire" and "Eternally Yours" on Get Ready!
• "Where Are You Now" and "Shelter for a Rainy Day" on No Limits
• "Nothing Like the Rain" on Real Things (the only ballad the band released as a single)

Track listings

7" single "Nothing Like the Rain" (Airplay Edit) (3:59) "Nothing Like the Rain" (Rainy Edit) (3:43) 12" single maxi "Nothing Like the Rain" (Rainy Remix) (5:49) "Nothing Like the Rain" (Rainy Edit) (3:43) "No Limit" (X-Out '95) (5:59) CD single "Nothing Like the Rain" (Airplay Edit) (3:59) "Nothing Like the Rain" (Rainy Edit) (3:43)

CD maxi "Nothing Like the Rain" (Airplay Edit) (3:59) "Nothing Like the Rain" (Rainy Edit) (3:43) "Nothing Like the Rain" (Rainy Remix) (5:49) "No Limit" (X-Out '95) (5:59)

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1995) Peak position Australia (ARIA) [7] 134 Belgium (Ultratop Flanders) [8] 23 Belgium (Ultratop Wallonia) [9] 29 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) 68 Europe (European Dance Radio) [10] 4 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) [11] 18 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [12] 6 Netherlands (MegaCharts) [13] 8 Norway (VG-lista) [14] 17 Spain (AFYVE) [15] 14

Year-end charts Chart (1995) Position Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [16] 61 Netherlands (Single Top 100) [17] 83

References

1. "AllMusic: 2 Unlimited (Biography)". AllMusic . Retrieved 6 May 2012.
2. Price, Simon (4 June 1994). "Albums". Melody Maker . p. 36. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
3. Sutherland, Mark (8 June 1994). "New Albums". Smash Hits . p. 56. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
4. "Review: "Real Things" by 2 Unlimited (CD, 1994)". Pop Rescue. 7 November 2014. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
5. "M&M Airplay Station Reports: The Music Factory" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 12, no. 28. 15 July 1995. p. 19. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
6. "M&M Airplay Station Reports: MTV Europe" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 12, no. 25. 24 June 1995. p. 27. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
7. "Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry, received 24 May 2016". Imgur.com. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
8. "Ultratop Vlaanderen > 2 Unlimited – Nothing Like the Rain" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
9. "Ultratop Belgique Francophone > 2 Unlimited – Nothing Like the Rain" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
10. "European Dance Radio" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 12, no. 30. 29 July 1995. p. 15. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
11. Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN   978-951-1-21053-5.
12. "Nederlandse Top 40 – 2 Unlimited" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
13. "dutchcharts.nl > 2 Unlimited – Nothing Like the Rain" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
14. "norwegiancharts.com > 2 Unlimited – Nothing Like the Rain (song)". Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
15. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN   84-8048-639-2.
16. "Jaarlijsten 1995" (in Dutch). Stichting Nederlandse Top 40. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
17. "Jaaroverzichten - Single 1995". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 4 December 2019.

External links

• A-Lyric: an explanation of "Nothing Like the Rain" lyrics by the lyricist.