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Ruby (Kaiser Chiefs song)

{{Short description|2007 single by Kaiser Chiefs}}

{{Use British English|date=June 2015}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Ruby

| cover = Ruby single.jpg

| alt =

| border = yes

| type = single

| artist = Kaiser Chiefs

| album = Yours Truly, Angry Mob

| B-side =

  • "Admire You"
  • "From the Neck Down"

| released = 29 January 2007

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre =

  • Power pop{{cite news |last=Zaleski |first=Annie |date=28 February 2012 |title=Still an angry mob, Kaiser Chiefs get creative|url=https://thephoenix.com/boston/music/134710-still-an-angry-mob-kaiser-chiefs-get-creative/ |work=The Boston Phoenix |location=Boston, Massachusetts|access-date= 1 April 2021}}
  • indie rock{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/master/95666-Kaiser-Chiefs-Ruby?srsltid=AfmBOooGUYLjx2MR1tg4vJiv8WGTDWlLdRAu_th8eMLMNKEi5ANjaHif|title=Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby|publisher=Discogs|access-date=25 January 2025}}

| length = 3:23

| label =

| writer =

| producer = Stephen Street

| prev_title = Modern Way

| prev_year = 2005

| next_title = Everything Is Average Nowadays

| next_year = 2007

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|qObzgUfCl28|"Ruby"}}}}

}}

"Ruby" is a song by English indie rock band Kaiser Chiefs. It was released in the United States on 29 January 2007 and in the United Kingdom on 5 February 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.BBC Music. [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/chart/singles2007.shtml "Top 40 Singles of the Year 2007 "]. Retrieved 27 December 20097 As of September 2016, it has sold over 600,000 copies in the UK as stated by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). In the US, it charted at number seven the Billboard Adult Alternative Airplay chart, becoming the band's highest-charting hit in the US. "Ruby" was voted number 13 on the Triple J Hottest 100 of 2007, Australia's largest annual music poll.{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hottest100_08/history/2007.htm|title=Hottest 100 2007|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=14 February 2021}}

A video single of the song was released in the US 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).{{cite web|url=https://www.bestbuy.com/site/everything-is-average-nowadays-cd/8258565.p?skuId=8258565|title=Everything Is Average Nowadays [CD]|website=Best Buy}}

Content

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".{{Cite web|date=9 February 2007|title=Ruby: Who's that girl?|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/ruby-who-s-that-girl-435574.html|access-date=3 February 2022|website=The Independent|language=en}} Andrew White said, "[I]t's not really about anyone" and "if you know someone called Ruby, it's about them".{{Cite web|date=27 February 2007|title=Kaiser Chiefs, Interview|url=https://www.contactmusic.com/interview/kaiserchiefsx27x02x07|access-date=3 February 2022|website=Contactmusic.com}} In a 2022 TikTok video, Nick Hodgson revealed that Ruby was his family pet, a black Labrador.{{Cite web|url=https://uk.news.yahoo.com/people-only-just-realising-kaiser-125538332.html|title=People Are Only Just Realising Who Kaiser Chiefs' Hit Song Ruby Was Actually About|date=23 November 2023|website=Yahoo News}}{{Cite web|url=https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMFrVHSA2/|title=TikTok - Make Your Day}} He also revealed that the song was originally written on a piano.

Music video

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

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

:A. "Ruby"

:B. "Admire You"

  • UK and Irish CD single; digital download {{small|(BUN 119CD)}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Ruby|others=Kaiser Chiefs|year=2007|type=UK & Irish CD single liner notes|publisher=B-Unique Records, Polydor Records|id=BUN 119CD, 06025-1724058-2}}{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/gb/album/ruby-single/1444589377|title=Ruby – Single|publisher=Apple Music|access-date=14 March 2021}}
  1. "Ruby" – 3:24
  2. "From the Neck Down" – 2:29
  • Best Buy video single {{small|(UNIR 21804-2)}}
  1. "Everything Is Average Nowadays" (live)
  2. "Admire You"
  3. "Ruby" (video)

{{col-2}}

  • European CD single {{small|(1724059)}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Ruby|others=Kaiser Chiefs|year=2007|type=European CD single liner notes|publisher=B-Unique Records, Polydor Records|id=1724059, 0-06025-1724059-9}}
  1. "Ruby"
  2. "From the Neck Down"
  3. "Admire You"
  4. "Ruby" (video)

{{col-end}}

Charts

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (2007)

!Peak
position

scope="row"|Australian Digital Tracks (ARIA){{cite web|url=http://www.aria.com.au/issue888.pdf|title=ARIA Report: Week Commencing 12 March 2007|publisher=Australian Web Archive|issue=888|date=12 March 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20080222222431/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20070320-0000/issue888.pdf|archive-date=22 February 2008|access-date=17 July 2023}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

|35

{{single chart|Austria|14|artist=Kaiser Chiefs|song=Ruby|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Flanders|5|artist=Kaiser Chiefs|song=Ruby|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Wallonia|28|artist=Kaiser Chiefs|song=Ruby|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Billboardcanadianhot100|79|artist=Kaiser Chiefs|rowheader=true|access-date=28 July 2020}}
{{single chart|Billboardcanadarock|26|artist=Kaiser Chiefs|rowheader=true|access-date=15 January 2022}}
{{single chart|CIS|124|artist=Kaiser Chiefs|song=Ruby|songid=7399|access-date=4 March 2024|refname="CIS"|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Czech Republic|1|year=2007|week=20|rowheader=true|access-date=28 July 2020}}
scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/00s/2007/BB-2007-03-10.pdf|title=Hits of the World – Eurocharts|magazine=Billboard|volume=119|issue=10|page=63|date=10 March 2007|access-date=28 July 2020}}

|1

{{single chart|Germany|11|artist=Kaiser Chiefs|song=Ruby|songid=281071|rowheader=true|access-date=28 July 2020}}
scope="row"| Hungary (Editors' Choice Top 40){{cite web |title=2007/35. heti Editors' Choice Top 40 slágerlista |url=https://slagerlistak.hu/editors-choice-radios-jatszasi-lista/2007/35 |publisher=MAHASZ|language=hu|access-date=14 May 2025}}

| 31

{{single chart|Ireland2|5|artist=Kaiser Chiefs|song=Ruby|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Dutch40|7|year=2007|week=12|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Dutch100|7|artist=Kaiser Chiefs|song=Ruby|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|New Zealand|29|artist=Kaiser Chiefs|song=Ruby|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Norway|16|artist=Kaiser Chiefs|song=Ruby|rowheader=true}}
scope="row"| Russia Airplay (TopHit)

| 178

{{single chart|Scotland|1|date=20070303|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Slovakia|15|year=2007|week=22|rowheader=true|access-date=28 July 2020}}
{{single chart|Switzerland|13|artist=Kaiser Chiefs|song=Ruby|rowheader=true}}
scope="row"|Turkey (Billboard Türkiye)[http://www.billboard.com.tr/pages/Turkiye_top20.aspx/ Turkish Airplay Chart] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090305044916/http://www.billboard.com.tr/pages/Turkiye_top20.aspx/|date=5 March 2009}}

|18

{{single chart|UKsinglesbyname|1|artist=Kaiser Chiefs|artistid=15414|rowheader=true|access-date=14 February 2021}}
scope="row"| Ukraine Airplay (TopHit)

| 120

{{single chart|Billboardadultalternativesongs|7|artist=Kaiser Chiefs|rowheader=true|access-date=28 July 2020}}
{{single chart|Billboardalternativesongs|14|artist=Kaiser Chiefs|rowheader=true|access-date=28 July 2020}}

{{col-2}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (2007)

!Position

scope="row"|Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40){{cite web|url=https://austriancharts.at/year.asp?cat=s&id=2007|title=Jahreshitparade Singles 2007|website=austriancharts.at|language=de|access-date=2 April 2020}}

|45

scope="row"|Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders){{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=2007|title=Jaaroverzichten 2007|publisher=Ultratop|language=nl|access-date=2 April 2020}}

|10

scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/charts/yearendcharts/european_hot_singles.jsp|title=European Hot 100 Singles|magazine=Billboard|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090513023130/http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/charts/yearendcharts/european_hot_singles.jsp|archive-date=13 May 2009|access-date=9 January 2022}}

|25

scope="row"|Germany (Official German Charts){{cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/single-jahr/for-date-2007|title=Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 2007|publisher=GfK Entertainment|language=de|access-date=9 July 2018}}

|46

scope="row"|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40){{cite web|url=https://www.top40.nl/bijzondere-lijsten/top-100-jaaroverzichten/2007|title=Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 2007|publisher=Dutch Top 40|access-date=2 April 2020}}

|26

scope="row"|Netherlands (Single Top 100){{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=2007&cat=s|title=Jaaroverzichten – Single 2007|publisher=MegaCharts|language=nl|access-date=2 April 2020}}

|51

scope="row"|Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade){{cite web|url=https://hitparade.ch/charts/jahreshitparade/2007|title=Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2007|website=hitparade.ch|language=de|access-date=2 April 2020}}

|28

scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC){{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/end-of-year-singles-chart/20070107/37501/|title=End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 – 2007|publisher=Official Charts Company|access-date=8 July 2018}}

|10

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (2008)

!Position

scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC){{cite web|url=https://www.ukchartsplus.co.uk/ChartsPlusYE2008.pdf|title=Official Singles Chart 2008|work=UKChartsPlus|access-date=28 July 2020}}

|189

{{col-end}}

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Brazil|artist=Kaiser Chiefs|title=Ruby|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2007|certyear=2024|access-date=19 February 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Denmark|type=single|artist=Kaiser Chiefs|title=Ruby|relyear=2007|relmonth=2|certyear=2008|award=Gold|certref={{cite web|url=http://ifpi.dk/?q=content/guld-og-platin-i-september-1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008132033/http://ifpi.dk/?q=content/guld-og-platin-i-september-1 |archive-date=8 October 2011 |title=Guld og platin i september |language=da |access-date=12 July 2022 |publisher=IFPI Danmark |url-status=dead }}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Kaiser Chiefs|title=Ruby|relyear=2007|certyear=2022|award=Platinum|number=2|id=10042-1099-1|access-date=23 July 2022}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|streaming=true}}

Release history

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

! scope="col"| Region

! scope="col"| Date

! scope="col"| Format(s)

! scope="col"| Label(s)

! scope="col"| {{Ref heading}}

scope="row"|United States

|29 January 2007

|Modern rock radio

|Universal Motown

|{{cite web|url=http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=16771|title=FMQB Airplay Archive: Modern Rock|website=FMQB|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130322142732/http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=16771|archive-date=22 March 2013|access-date=6 June 2023}}

scope="row" rowspan="2"|United Kingdom

|5 February 2007

|Digital download

|rowspan="2"|{{hlist|B-Unique|Polydor}}

|{{citation needed|date=June 2023}}

19 February 2007

|{{hlist|7-inch vinyl|CD}}

|{{cite magazine|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=31|date=17 February 2007}}

scope="row"|United States

|22 May 2007

|Contemporary hit radio

|Universal Motown

|{{cite web|url=http://www.fmqb.com/article.asp?id=69239#2005|title=FMQB: CHR|website=FMQB|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130602195200/http://fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=69239#2005|archive-date=2 June 2013|access-date=6 June 2023}}

Notable cover versions

As part of the BBC Electric Proms the song was performed by the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain.{{cite web |date=26 October 2007 |title=Kaiser Chiefs At The BBC Electric Proms: Orchestral Overdrive? |url=https://www.uncut.co.uk/features/kaiser-chiefs-at-the-bbc-electric-proms-orchestral-overdrive-40433/ |website=UNCUT |quote=phenomenal, improving the song an infinite amount }}

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.{{cite video |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIBr7qOthQc |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916125649/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIBr7qOthQc|url-status=dead|archive-date=16 September 2016 |title=YouTube |website=www.youtube.com}}{{Better source needed|date=February 2024}}

References

{{Reflist}}

{{Kaiser Chiefs}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Kaiser Chiefs songs

Category:2006 songs

Category:2007 singles

Category:B-Unique Records singles

Category:British power pop songs

Category:European Hot 100 Singles number-one singles

Category:Number-one singles in the Czech Republic

Category:Number-one singles in Scotland

Category:Polydor Records singles

Category:Song recordings produced by Stephen Street

Category:Songs written by Andrew White (musician)

Category:Songs written by Nick "Peanut" Baines

Category:Songs written by Nick Hodgson

Category:Songs written by Ricky Wilson (singer)

Category:Songs written by Simon Rix

Category:UK singles chart number-one singles

Category:Universal Motown Records singles