"Ruby" is a song by English indie rock band Kaiser Chiefs. It was released in the United Kingdom on 5 February 2007 as the lead single from their second studio album, Yours Truly, Angry Mob (2007). It became the band's first British number-one single on 25 February 2007 and ended 2007 as the year's 10th-biggest-selling single in the UK, with total sales of 313,765.[2] As of September 2016, it has sold over 600,000 copies in the UK as stated by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). "Ruby" was voted number 13 on the Triple J Hottest 100 of 2007, Australia's largest annual music poll.[3]
"Ruby" | ||||
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Single by Kaiser Chiefs | ||||
from the album Yours Truly, Angry Mob | ||||
B-side |
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Released | 29 January 2007 | |||
Genre | Power pop[1] | |||
Length | 3:23 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Stephen Street | |||
Kaiser Chiefs singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Ruby" on YouTube |
A video single of the song was released in the United States at Best Buy stores on 13 March 2007, two weeks before the album was released there, and featured a live version of "Everything Is Average Nowadays" and the B-side "Admire You" (released on the UK 7-inch version).[4]
Content
editSpeaking about the song lead singer Ricky Wilson said that Ruby "is super cool, totally unapproachable" and that "there was a girl like that at school".[5] Andrew White said, "[I]t's not really about anyone" and "if you know someone called Ruby, it's about them".[6] In a 2022 TikTok video, Nick Hodgson revealed that Ruby was his family pet, a black Labrador.[7]
Music video
editThe promo for "Ruby" was directed by Swedish production company Stylewar, who also produced the 2005 video for "I Predict a Riot", and features the band performing in a desert landscape whilst a CGI metropolis-like miniature city builds around them. The video was scheduled to be shown on Channel 4 at 11:35 p.m. on 15 January 2007 but was pulled from the schedules for unknown reasons. The video finally premiered on the official Kaiser Chiefs website four days later.
Track listings
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Charts
edit
Weekly chartsedit
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Year-end chartsedit
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Certifications
editRegion | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[44] | Gold | 30,000‡ |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[45] | Gold | 7,500^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[46] | 2× Platinum | 1,200,000‡ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Release history
editRegion | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
United States | 29 January 2007 | Modern rock radio | Universal Motown | [47] |
United Kingdom | 5 February 2007 | Digital download | [citation needed] | |
19 February 2007 |
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[48] | ||
United States | 22 May 2007 | Contemporary hit radio | Universal Motown | [49] |
Notable cover versions
editAs part of the BBC Electric Proms the song was performed by the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain.[50] On 19 January 2011, Italian band Elio e le Storie Tese played a cover version of the song at the nationwide TV-show Parla con Me, with lyrics changed into a satiric reference to the Rubygate sex scandal, which then Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi had just been involved with.[51][better source needed]
References
edit- ^ Zaleski, Annie (28 February 2012). "Still an angry mob, Kaiser Chiefs get creative". The Boston Phoenix. Boston, Massachusetts. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
- ^ BBC Music. "Top 40 Singles of the Year 2007 ". Retrieved 27 December 20097
- ^ "Hottest 100 2007". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
- ^ a b "Everything Is Average Nowadays [CD]". Best Buy.
- ^ "Ruby: Who's that girl?". The Independent. 9 February 2007. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
- ^ "Kaiser Chiefs, Interview". Contactmusic.com. 27 February 2007. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
- ^ Nick J.D. Hodgson on TikTok. [dead link]
- ^ Ruby (UK 7-inch single vinyl disc). Kaiser Chiefs. B-Unique Records, Polydor Records. 2007. BUN119-7.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Ruby (UK & Irish CD single liner notes). Kaiser Chiefs. B-Unique Records, Polydor Records. 2007. BUN 119CD, 06025-1724058-2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "Ruby – Single". Apple Music. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
- ^ Ruby (European enhanced CD single liner notes). Kaiser Chiefs. B-Unique Records, Polydor Records. 2007. 1724059, 0-06025-1724059-9.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "ARIA Report: Week Commencing 12 March 2007" (PDF). Australian Web Archive. 12 March 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 February 2008. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
- ^ "Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
- ^ "Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
- ^ "Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby" (in French). Ultratop 50.
- ^ "Kaiser Chiefs Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
- ^ "Kaiser Chiefs Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- ^ a b c Kaiser Chiefs — Ruby. TopHit. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
- ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 20. týden 2007 in the date selector. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
- ^ "Hits of the World – Eurocharts" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 119, no. 10. 10 March 2007. p. 63. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
- ^ "Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Ruby". Irish Singles Chart.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 12, 2007" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
- ^ "Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
- ^ "Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby". Top 40 Singles.
- ^ "Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby". VG-lista.
- ^ "Lista Przebojów Trójki - Polskie Radio Online". Archived from the original on 12 January 2018. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 200722 into search. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
- ^ "Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby". Swiss Singles Chart.
- ^ Turkish Airplay Chart Archived 5 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Kaiser Chiefs: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
- ^ "Kaiser Chiefs Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
- ^ "Kaiser Chiefs Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
- ^ "Jahreshitparade Singles 2007". austriancharts.at (in German). Retrieved 2 April 2020.
- ^ "Jaaroverzichten 2007" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
- ^ "European Hot 100 Singles". Billboard. Archived from the original on 13 May 2009. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
- ^ "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 2007" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
- ^ "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 2007". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
- ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 2007" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
- ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2007". hitparade.ch (in German). Retrieved 2 April 2020.
- ^ "End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 – 2007". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart 2008" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
- ^ "Brazilian single certifications – Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
- ^ "Guld og platin i september" (in Danish). IFPI Danmark. Archived from the original on 8 October 2011. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
- ^ "British single certifications – Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
- ^ "FMQB Airplay Archive: Modern Rock". FMQB. Archived from the original on 22 March 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
- ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 17 February 2007. p. 31.
- ^ "FMQB: CHR". FMQB. Archived from the original on 2 June 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
- ^ "Kaiser Chiefs At The BBC Electric Proms: Orchestral Overdrive?". UNCUT. 26 October 2007.
phenomenal, improving the song an infinite amount
- ^ YouTube. www.youtube.com. Archived from the original on 16 September 2016.