Ruby Red (song)

Updated on Nov 24, 2023

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Released 12 March 1982 Genre Hard rock, pop rock Label RCA Records		Format 7" Single Length 2:53
B-side Funk Punk & Junk, Rock And Roll Preacher (Live Version), Tak Me Bak 'Ome (Live Version)

"Ruby Red" is a UK only single from rock band Slade which appeared on the album Till Deaf Do Us Part. It was written by lead singer Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea. The single was released in 1982 and peaked at No. 51 in the UK Singles Chart, spending three weeks on the chart. The single was a gatefold with two live tracks as an extra. The promo video remained unreleased at the time of the single's release.

Background

In a 1981 interview with singer Noddy Holder for the Slade fan club Noddy stated "it's a number that we've had around for a long time. Me and Jim wrote it maybe two or three years ago. We tried to record it before but we never managed to get it down how we actually wanted it. Recently, when we were looking through the songs that we'd got for the album, we remembered that we'd never been able to get Ruby Red down on tape properly, but that it was a good, strong, commercial sound. So we added some new riffs to it and got it down and it's a good commercial song. It might be in line for the next single".

In the September–December 1986 Slade fan club magazine, the poll results were announced for the 1986 opinion poll based on Slade's material. For the best single picture sleeve, Ruby Red placed at No. 1.

Promotion

A promotional video was created for the single however it was never shown. Due to the disappointing charting of the single, the video has never been officially released to purchase, only appearing online via YouTube. The band did not perform this song on UK TV, and so the main form of promotion for the song was the band's live touring where Holder would often announce that if the audience buy the single quickly they will receive the bonus live vinyl.

Music video

An Eric Boliski production, and once more a video filmed live on stage, like the promotional films for "We'll Bring the House Down" and "Wheels ain't Coming Down". Lea recalled that sequences were filmed of a girl running through a forest. Lea had no idea who the young lady was until he bumped into her at a later date and she announced to him that she'd been in a Slade video. The final edit of the video shows the young lady although not in a forest.