Got to Be Certain

Background and composition

"Got to Be Certain" is a disco song. 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 April 1988. 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 (who did not produce the 1987 version) 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. Mandy'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. Mandy Smith's version was also added to the 2009 re-issue of her album.

For chart expectations, the song had success as it 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, Australia, where it is Minogue's birthplace. "Got to Be Certain" was also performed at many of Minogue's concert tours, including the Enjoy Yourself Tour, Showgirl: The Greatest Hits Tour and The Homecoming Tour. The song was just recently performed at her Anti Tour in 2012 and was performed 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 (now KPMG) Building in 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.

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" became the second single to debut on the singles chart at number one, remaining in the top spot for three weeks.

Live performances

Minogue performed the song on the following concert tours:

The song was also performed on the TV special The Kylie Show.

Formats and track listings

These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "Got to Be Certain".

1. "Got to Be Certain" (Extended Mix) – 6:36
2. "I Should Be So Lucky" (Extended Mix) – 6:08
3. "Got to Be Certain" (Out for a Duck, Bill, Platter Plus Dub Mix – Instrumental) – 3:17

1. "Got to Be Certain" – 3:17
2. "Got to Be Certain" (Out for a Duck, Bill, Platter Plus Dub Mix – Instrumental) – 3:17

1. "Got to Be Certain" (Extended Mix) – 6:36
2. "Got to Be Certain" (Out for a Duck, Bill, Platter Plus Dub Mix – Instrumental) – 3:17
3. "Got to Be Certain" – 3:17

1. "Got to Be Certain" (Ashes to Ashes – The Extra Beat Boys remix) – 6:52
2. "Got to Be Certain" (Out for a Duck, Bill, Platter Plus Dub Mix – Instrumental) – 3:17
3. "Got to Be Certain" – 3:17

(Not available at time of original release. Released for the first time as part of iTunes PWL archive release in 2009.)

1. "Got to Be Certain"
2. "Got to Be Certain" (Extended Mix)
3. "Got to Be Certain" (Ashes to Ashes – The Extra Beat Boys remix)
4. "Got to Be Certain" (Out for a Duck, Bill, Platter Plus Dub Mix - Instrumental)
5. "Got to Be Certain" (backing track)
6. "Love at First Sight" (1988 version) (instrumental)
7. "Love at First Sight" (1988 version) (backing track)

Cover Version

In 1988, Hong Kong singer Sarah Wong covered this song in Cantonese.