Kaiser Chiefs: Ruby

In going back and picking up some of the songs I’ve featured on Facebook starting on August 15, 2009, this is the first song that I used – The Kaiser Chiefs and "Ruby." I stumbled on this song when I was searching for recordings of the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain and found an acoustic version of this song by the Chiefs with UOofGB (see below).

From Leeds in West Yorkshire, England the band was named for a South African soccer team - the Kaizer Chiefs. I had never heard this tune before August, despite the fact it was a number 1 hit in the UK, Ireland, the Czech Republic, and on the Eurochart 100. In the US, it had limited success and only charted on the Alternative Music charts where it peaked at 14.

It has such a great hook:

"Ruby, Ruby, Ruby, ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah;
Do ya, do ya, do ya, do ya; ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah;
What you do, you do it, do it to me; ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah;
Ruby, Ruby, Ruby, ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah;"

It really has hit potential. The reason it never crossed over to the Top 40 charts in the US is beyond me, but it may deal with poor promotion to radio here. Sometimes the record business shoots itself in the foot.

Here's a live acoustic version featuring the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain and David Allen. Watch how the audience reacts. Not as heavy, but just as good.