"I Don't Believe in You" is a song by English band

Talk Talk Talk Talk were an English band formed in 1981, led by Mark Hollis (vocals, guitar, piano), Lee Harris (drummer), Lee Harris (drums), and Paul Webb (bass). The group achieved early chart success with the synth-pop singles "Talk Talk (Talk Talk s ...

, released by

Parlophone Parlophone Records Limited (also known as Parlophone Records and Parlophone) is a German–British record label founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch of the label was founded on 8 August 192 ...

in 1986 as the fourth and final single from their third studio album ''

The Colour of Spring ''The Colour of Spring'' is the third studio album by English band Talk Talk, released on 17 February 1986. Written by Mark Hollis and producer Tim Friese-Greene, the album combines elements of jazz and art pop in an effort by Hollis to embrac ...

''. The song was written by Mark Hollis and

Tim Friese-Greene Timothy Alan Friese-Greene is an English musician and producer. He worked with the band Talk Talk from 1983 to their breakup in 1991. He currently releases solo albums under the name "Heligoland". He is the grandson of filmmaker Claude Friese-Gre ...

, and produced by Friese-Greene. "I Don't Believe in You" peaked at number 96 in the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

Release

The B-side, "Does Caroline Know", was recorded live at the

Montreux Jazz Festival The Montreux Jazz Festival (formerly Festival de Jazz Montreux and Festival International de Jazz Montreux) is a music festival in Switzerland, held annually in early July in Montreux on the Lake Geneva shoreline. It is the second-largest annual ...

in the summer of 1986. The original studio version of the track was featured on Talk Talk's 1984 album '' It's My Life''.

Critical reception

Upon its release as a single, Andy Strickland of ''

Record Mirror ''Record Mirror'' was a British weekly music newspaper between 1954 and 1991 for pop fans and record collectors. Launched two years after the ''NME'', it never attained the circulation of its rival. The first UK album chart was published in ''Re ...

'' described the song as "yet another measured piece of acoustic, heart-rending pop from the most subtle of the British pop giants". He noted the melody "will sound familiar" and added that the dangerously

Dire Straits Dire Straits were a British rock band formed in London in 1977 by Mark Knopfler (lead vocals and lead guitar), David Knopfler (rhythm guitar and backing vocals), John Illsley (bass guitar and backing vocals) and Pick Withers (drums and percuss ...

-ish guitar solo means it's a cut below, say, ' Life's What You Make It'". Max Bell of ''

Number One Number One most commonly refers to: * 1 (number) Number One, No. 1, or #1 may also refer to: Music Albums * ''Number 1'' (Big Bang album), and the title song * ''No. 1'' (BoA album), and the title song * ''No.1'' (EP), by CLC * ''n.1 ...

'' commented, "Talk Talk fans may disagree but when I hear Hollis's brooding adenoidal dramas I feel like giving him a handkerchief. The band's textures are as haunting as ever and I don't mind the old fashioned echoes of

Procol Harum Procol Harum () were an English rock music, rock band formed in Southend-on-Sea, Essex in 1967. Their best-known recording is the 1967 hit single "A Whiter Shade of Pale", one of the few singles to have List of best-selling singles, sold over ...

and

Traffic Traffic comprises pedestrians, vehicles, ridden or herded animals, trains, and other conveyances that use public ways (roads) for travel and transportation. Traffic laws govern and regulate traffic, while rules of the road include traffic ...

. I just wish he'd blow his nose." ''

Music & Media ''Music & Media'' was a pan-European magazine for radio, music and entertainment. It was published for the first time in 1984 as ''Eurotipsheet'', but in 1986 it changed name to ''Music & Media''. It was originally based in Amsterdam, but later ...

'' selected it as one of their "records of the week" in their 22 November 1986 issue and described the song as "bluesy".

Track listing

7–inch single (UK, Europe and Canada) #"I Don't Believe in You" – 5:02 #"Does Caroline Know" (Live version) – 8:09 12–inch single (UK and Europe) #"I Don't Believe in You" – 5:02 #"Does Caroline Know" (Live version) – 8:09 #"Happiness Is Easy" (12" mix) – 7:02

Personnel

Credits are adapted from ''The Colour of Spring'' CD liner notes and the 12-inch single sleeve notes. "I Don't Believe in You" * Mark Hollis – vocals *

Paul Webb Paul may refer to: *Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) *Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity *Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chris ...

– bass * Lee Harris – drums *

Robbie McIntosh Robbie McIntosh (born 25 October 1957) is an English guitarist. McIntosh is well known as a session guitarist and member of The Pretenders from 1982 until 1987. In 1988 he began doing session guitar work for Paul McCartney joining his band fu ...

– guitar *

– piano *

Steve Winwood Stephen Lawrence Winwood (born 12 May 1948) is an English musician, singer, and songwriter whose genres include blue-eyed soul, rhythm and blues, blues rock, and pop rock. Though primarily a keyboard player and vocalist prominent for his disti ...

– organ * Gaynor Sadler – harp *

Morris Pert Morris David Brough Pert (8 September 1947 – 27 April 2010) was a Scottish composer, drummer/percussionist, and pianist who composed in the fields of both contemporary classical and jazz-rock music. His compositions include three symphonies, p ...

– percussion *

David Roach David Roach may refer to: *David Roach (American football) (born 1985), American football safety *David Roach (saxophonist) (born 1955), British classical saxophonist *David Roach (comics), British comics artist * David Roach (athletic director) (b ...

– soprano saxophone * Ian Curnow – instrumental "Does Caroline Know" * Mark Hollis – vocals * Paul Webb – bass * Lee Harris – drums * John Turnbull – guitar * Rupert Black, Ian Curnow – keyboards * Phil Reis,

Leroy Williams Leroy Williams (February 3, 1941 – June 1, 2022) was an American drummer, mostly known for his work in jazz. Williams first began playing drums as a teenager in the 1950s. From 1959 to the middle of the 1960s he played with singer Judy Roberts, ...

– percussion Production * Tim Friese-Greene – producer ("I Don't Believe in You", "Happiness Is Easy"), mixing ("Does Caroline Know") * Paul Webb, Lee Harris – mixing ("Happiness Is Easy") Other * James Marsh – illustration

Charts

References

{{authority control 1986 songs 1986 singles Parlophone singles Talk Talk songs Songs written by Mark Hollis (musician) Songs written by Tim Friese-Greene Song recordings produced by Tim Friese-Greene