"Got to Be Certain" is a song by Australian recording artist and songwriter Kylie Minogue from her debut studio albumKylie. It was written and produced by Stock, Aitken and Waterman, who also produced Minogue's first four albums. The song was released as the second single from Kylie in most territories outside Australia and was released on 2 May 1988 in the UK. "Got to Be Certain" was Minogue's third single release in Australia, on 20 June 1988.
Background and composition
With the success of her first two singles, "The Loco-Motion" in 1987 and "I Should Be So Lucky" in early 1988, Minogue along with Stock, Aitken and Waterman began work on her debut studio album Kylie. Throughout the production of the album, Minogue had travelled to London, England, to record the album, however "Got to Be Certain" was recorded in her native Melbourne, Australia, in February 1988, along with two other album tracks, and future international singles Turn It Into Love and It's No Secret. It is noted that in different countries, including the UK, "Got to Be Certain" is Kylie's second official single – "The Loco-Motion" was re-recorded in 1988 with Stock Aitken Waterman and it was then released as the third single from Kylie in most international territories. Unlike her previous single, "Got to Be Certain" was not written especially for Kylie. It was originally recorded by singer and PWL-stablemate Mandy Smith for her debut album Mandy which was also produced by Stock Aitken Waterman. However, for unknown reasons, her version was shelved and the song was given to Kylie to record instead. Smith's original recording of "Got to Be Certain" was denied by Mike Stock in his book The Hit Factory: The Stock Aitken Waterman Story, but it was eventually released in 2005 as a bonus track on the hits compilation Stock Aitken Waterman Gold. Smith's version was also added to the 2009 re-issue of her album. The song bears substantial similarities with Scotch's 1984 italo-disco hit "Take Me Up". Minogue's version peaked in the top ten in many countries, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The song, however, was not released in the United States where "It's No Secret" was released instead. A music video was shot in Melbourne. "Got to Be Certain" was also performed at many of Minogue's concert tours, including the Enjoy Yourself Tour, and. The song was just recently performed at her Anti Tour in 2012, at her Kiss Me Once Tour in 2014 and on Minogue's one-off show The Kylie Show.
Music video
The music video for "Got to Be Certain" was directed by Chris Langman and filmed in April 1988. The video was filmed around Melbourne in Australia. The video starts off with Minogue at a photoshoot, posing in different poses. It then shows her walking around Melbournes Yarra River. Then, it features Minogue on top of the T&G Building on Melbourne's Collins Street, where it featured her with "black boat-neck dress, white teeth gleaming, hair a perfect honey blonde and skin as gold as the coins that were piling in". It then eventually featured Minogue on a carousel that apparently "hadn't been oiled since Kylie was born". She was wearing a skin-tight red T-shirt dress with a pin bearing the work "amour". Additionally, Four different edits were made, combining shots of Kylie on a merry-go-round, in an artist's studio and dancing in a coffee-house, which is the official video. There are two other version of the music video. The "Original Version" features scenes of Minogue in an artist's studio rather than a photoshoot. The "Location Only" version is again a different edit with only the outdoor shots. These include Minogue with the Melbourne skyline in the background, walking through a park, on a Carousel and walking along the waterfront. Both versions were made available as extras on the 2002 Greatest Hits DVD.
Chart performance
On 2 May 1988, "Got to Be Certain" was released in the United Kingdom. The song became Minogue's second top five hit when it debuted at number fifteen on the singles chart before climbing the chart in the weeks that followed, peaking at number two and remaining there for three weeks. It eventually sold 315,000 copies. Outside of the UK, the song was also widely successful. It reached number one in seven countries, including Finland and Israel. The single sold 17,227 copies in Sweden at the time. In New Zealand, it peaked at number two and stayed in the charts for 14 weeks, making it her most successful single in the country at that time. In Australia, "Got to Be Certain" was released on 7" and 12" vinyl on 20 June 1988, cassette single on 11 July 1988, and the remix 12" was released on 25 July 1988. It became the second single ever to debut on the Australian singles chart at number one, remaining in the top spot for four weeks from July 4th, 1988.
Live performances
Minogue performed the song on the following concert tours:
