Ruby (Kaiser Chiefs song)

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"Ruby"
Single by Kaiser Chiefs
from the album Yours Truly, Angry Mob
B-side
  • "Admire You"
  • "From the Neck Down"
Released29 January 2007 (2007-01-29)
RecordedAutumn 2006
StudioHook End Studio, Oxfordshire[1]
GenrePower pop[2]
Length3:23
Label
Songwriters
ProducerStephen Street
Kaiser Chiefs singles chronology
"You Can Have It All"
(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 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.[3] 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 Triple A 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.[4]

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).[5]

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".[6] Guitarist Andrew White said, "[I]t's not really about anyone" and "if you know someone called Ruby, it's about them".[7] In a 2022 TikTok video, former drummer and the song's backing vocalist and co-writer Nick Hodgson revealed that the song was about his family pet, a black Labrador named Ruby.[8] 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 later the video for its follow-up "Everything Is Average Nowadays", 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

  • UK 7-inch ruby-red vinyl single[9]
A. "Ruby"
B. "Admire You"
  • UK and Irish CD single; digital download[10][11]
  1. "Ruby" – 3:24
  2. "From the Neck Down" – 2:29
  • Best Buy video single[5]
  1. "Everything Is Average Nowadays" (live)
  2. "Admire You"
  3. "Ruby" (video)
  • European CD single[12]
  1. "Ruby"
  2. "From the Neck Down"
  3. "Admire You"
  4. "Ruby" (video)

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2007) Peak
position
Australian Digital Tracks (ARIA)[13] 35
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[14] 14
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[15] 5
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[16] 28
Canada Hot 100 (Billboard)[17] 79
Canada Rock (Billboard)[18] 26
CIS Airplay (TopHit)[19] 124
Czech Republic Airplay (ČNS IFPI)[20] 1
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[21] 1
Germany (GfK)[22] 11
Hungary (Editors' Choice Top 40)[23] 31
Ireland (IRMA)[24] 5
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[25] 7
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[26] 7
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[27] 29
Norway (VG-lista)[28] 16
Russia Airplay (TopHit)[19] 178
Scotland Singles (OCC)[29] 1
Slovakia Airplay (ČNS IFPI)[30] 15
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[31] 13
Turkey (Billboard Türkiye)[32] 18
UK Singles (OCC)[33] 1
Ukraine Airplay (TopHit)[19] 120
US Adult Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[34] 7
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[35] 14

Year-end charts

Chart (2007) Position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[36] 45
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[37] 10
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[38] 25
Germany (Media Control GfK)[39] 46
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[40] 26
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[41] 51
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[42] 28
UK Singles (OCC)[43] 10
Chart (2008) Position
UK Singles (OCC)[44] 189

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Belgium (BRMA)[45] Gold 25,000*
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[46] Gold 30,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[47] Gold 7,500^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[48] Platinum 30,000‡
Spain (Promusicae)[49] Gold 30,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[50] 2× Platinum 1,200,000‡

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

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States 29 January 2007 Modern rock radio Universal Motown [51]
United Kingdom 5 February 2007 Digital download [52]
19 February 2007
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • CD
 [53]
United States 22 May 2007 Contemporary hit radio Universal Motown [54]

Notable cover versions

As part of the BBC Electric Proms the song was performed by the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain.[55] 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.[56]

References

  1. "NME.COM - News - The Kaiser Chiefs discuss new album". www.nme.com. Archived from the original on 6 November 2006. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
  2. Zaleski, Annie (28 February 2012). "Still an angry mob, Kaiser Chiefs get creative". The Boston Phoenix. Boston, Massachusetts. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  3. BBC Music. "Top 40 Singles of the Year 2007 ". Retrieved 27 December 20097
  4. "Hottest 100 2007". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
  5. "Everything Is Average Nowadays [CD]". Best Buy.
  6. "Ruby: Who's that girl?". The Independent. 9 February 2007. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  7. "Kaiser Chiefs, Interview". Contactmusic.com. 27 February 2007. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  8. "People Are Only Just Realising Who Kaiser Chiefs' Hit Song Ruby Was Actually About". Yahoo News. 23 November 2023.
  9. Ruby (UK 7-inch single vinyl disc). B-Unique Records, Polydor Records. 2007. BUN119-7.
  10. Ruby (UK & Irish CD single liner notes). B-Unique Records, Polydor Records. 2007. BUN 119CD, 06025-1724058-2.
  11. "Ruby – Single". Apple Music. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  12. Ruby (European CD single liner notes). B-Unique Records, Polydor Records. 2007. 1724059, 0-06025-1724059-9.
  13. "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.
  14. "Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  15. "Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  16. "Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  17. "Kaiser Chiefs Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  18. "Kaiser Chiefs Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  19. "Charts – TopHit – Highway to Airplay". TopHit. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  20. "ČNS IFPI – CZ Radio – Top 100 – 20. týden 2007" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  21. "Hits of the World – Eurocharts" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 119, no. 10. 10 March 2007. p. 63. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  22. "Offizielle Deutsche Charts" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. To see the peak chart position, click 'TITEL VON', followed by the artist's name. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  23. "2007/35. heti Editors' Choice Top 40 slágerlista" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
  24. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Kaiser Chiefs". Irish Singles Chart.
  25. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 12, 2007" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  26. "Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  27. "Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby". Top 40 Singles.
  28. "Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby". VG-lista.
  29. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart on 3/3/2007 – Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  30. "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 200722 into search. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  31. "Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby". Swiss Singles Chart.
  32. Turkish Airplay Chart Archived 5 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  33. "Kaiser Chiefs Songs and Albums | Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
  34. "Kaiser Chiefs Chart History (Adult Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  35. "Kaiser Chiefs Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  36. "Jahreshitparade Singles 2007". austriancharts.at (in German). Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  37. "Jaaroverzichten 2007" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  38. "European Hot 100 Singles". Billboard. Archived from the original on 13 May 2009. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  39. "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 2007" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  40. "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 2007". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  41. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 2007" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  42. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2007". hitparade.ch (in German). Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  43. "End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 – 2007". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
  44. "Official Singles Chart 2008" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  45. "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – singles 2007". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
  46. "Brazilian single certifications – Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  47. "Guld og platin i september" (in Danish). IFPI Danmark. Archived from the original on 8 October 2011. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  48. "New Zealand single certifications – Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby". Radioscope. Retrieved 3 June 2026. Type Ruby in the "Search:" field and press Enter.
  49. "Spanish single certifications – Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
  50. "British single certifications – Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 23 July 2022. Select singles in the Formats field. Type Ruby Kaiser Chiefs in the "Search:" field.
  51. "FMQB Airplay Archive: Modern Rock". FMQB. Archived from the original on 22 March 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  52. Ruby by Kaiser Chiefs on Apple Music, 5 February 2007, retrieved 6 February 2026
  53. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 17 February 2007. p. 31.
  54. "FMQB: CHR". FMQB. Archived from the original on 2 June 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  55. "Kaiser Chiefs At The BBC Electric Proms: Orchestral Overdrive?". UNCUT. 26 October 2007. phenomenal, improving the song an infinite amount
  56. "Elio e le storie tese - Ruby". www.rai.tv. Retrieved 14 March 2026.