Ruby (Kaiser Chiefs song)

From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia

"Ruby"
Single by Kaiser Chiefs
from the album Yours Truly, Angry Mob
B-side
  • "Admire You"
  • "From the Neck Down"
Released29 January 2007
GenrePower pop[1]
Length3:23
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Stephen Street
Kaiser Chiefs singles chronology
"Modern Way"
(2005) 		"Ruby"
(2007) 		"Everything Is Average Nowadays"
(2007)
Music video
"Ruby" on YouTube

"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]

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[edit]

Speaking 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[edit]

The 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[edit]

Charts[edit]

Certifications[edit]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[43] Gold 30,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[44] Gold 7,500^
United Kingdom (BPI)[45] 2× Platinum 1,200,000‡

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history[edit]

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States 29 January 2007 Modern rock radio Universal Motown [46]
United Kingdom 5 February 2007 Digital download
[citation needed]
19 February 2007
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • CD
 [47]
United States 22 May 2007 Contemporary hit radio Universal Motown [48]

Notable cover versions[edit]

As part of the BBC Electric Proms the song was performed by the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain.[49] 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.[50][better source needed]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Zaleski, Annie (28 February 2012). "Still an angry mob, Kaiser Chiefs get creative". The Boston Phoenix. Boston, Massachusetts. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  2. ^ BBC Music. "Top 40 Singles of the Year 2007 ". Retrieved 27 December 20097
  3. ^ "Hottest 100 2007". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Everything Is Average Nowadays [CD]". Best Buy.
  5. ^ "Ruby: Who's that girl?". The Independent. 9 February 2007. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  6. ^ "Kaiser Chiefs, Interview". Contactmusic.com. 27 February 2007. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  7. ^ Nick J.D. Hodgson on TikTok. [dead link]
  8. ^ 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)
  9. ^ 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)
  10. ^ "Ruby – Single". Apple Music. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  11. ^ 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)
  12. ^ "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.
  13. ^ "Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  14. ^ "Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  15. ^ "Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  16. ^ "Kaiser Chiefs Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  17. ^ "Kaiser Chiefs Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  18. ^ Kaiser Chiefs — Ruby. TopHit. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  19. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – RADIO – TOP 100 and insert 200720 into search. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  20. ^ "Hits of the World – Eurocharts" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 119, no. 10. 10 March 2007. p. 63. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  21. ^ "Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  22. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Ruby". Irish Singles Chart.
  23. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 12, 2007" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  24. ^ "Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  25. ^ "Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby". Top 40 Singles.
  26. ^ "Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby". VG-lista.
  27. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  28. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 200722 into search. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  29. ^ "Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby". Swiss Singles Chart.
  30. ^ Turkish Airplay Chart Archived 5 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  31. ^ "Kaiser Chiefs: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
  32. ^ "Kaiser Chiefs Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  33. ^ "Kaiser Chiefs Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  34. ^ "Jahreshitparade Singles 2007". austriancharts.at (in German). Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  35. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 2007" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  36. ^ "European Hot 100 Singles". Billboard. Archived from the original on 13 May 2009. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  37. ^ "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 2007" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  38. ^ "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 2007". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  39. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 2007" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  40. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2007". hitparade.ch (in German). Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  41. ^ "End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 – 2007". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
  42. ^ "Official Singles Chart 2008" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  43. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  44. ^ "Guld og platin i september" (in Danish). IFPI Danmark. Archived from the original on 8 October 2011. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  45. ^ "British single certifications – Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  46. ^ "FMQB Airplay Archive: Modern Rock". FMQB. Archived from the original on 22 March 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  47. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 17 February 2007. p. 31.
  48. ^ "FMQB: CHR". FMQB. Archived from the original on 2 June 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  49. ^ "Kaiser Chiefs At The BBC Electric Proms: Orchestral Overdrive?". UNCUT. 26 October 2007. phenomenal, improving the song an infinite amount
  50. ^ YouTube. www.youtube.com. Archived from the original on 16 September 2016.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ruby_(Kaiser_Chiefs_song)&oldid=1218492626"