Bubbles (song)

For other songs, see Bubble (disambiguation) § Songs.

"Bubbles" is the fifth single taken from Scottish rock band Biffy Clyro's fifth studio album, Only Revolutions. Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age, Kyuss and Them Crooked Vultures provides additional lead guitar in the song. Despite being one of the lower charting songs from the album (reaching #34 on the UK singles chart), it has spent more weeks in the top 100 than any other Biffy Clyro song.

"Bubbles"
Single by Biffy Clyro
from the album Only Revolutions
B-side	Sad Sad Songs Hiya Street Love
Released	3 May 2010
Recorded	2009
Genre	Alternative rock, new prog
Length	4:22 (single version) 5:01 (album version)
Label	14th Floor
Songwriter(s)	Simon Neil
Producer(s)	Garth Richardson
Biffy Clyro singles chronology
"Many of Horror" (2010) "Bubbles" (2010) "God and Satan" (2010)
Only Revolutions track listing
"The Captain" "That Golden Rule" "Bubbles" "God and Satan" "Born on a Horse" "Mountains" "Shock Shock" "Many of Horror" "Booooom, Blast & Ruin" "Cloud of Stink" "Know Your Quarry" "Whorses"

Background and recording

According to the band's official website, the CD single of the song will feature new tracks 'Sad Sad Songs', 'Hiya' and 'Street Love' as b-sides across the formats, CD, 2 x 7" Vinyl and Download.^[1] It was added to the BBC Radio 1 A List on 21 April 2010.

In an interview with Kerrang! Simon Neil was quick to praise Josh Homme's guitar skills: "He came to the studio and listened to the song," he said, "and two minutes later, he was playing the best guitar solo you've ever heard."^[2] 'Street Love' contains the Chorus of older bootlegs/live versions of single 'That Golden Rule'.^[3]

Track listing

CD single 14FLR41X, 5051865731375

1. "Bubbles" - 5:01
2. "Sad Sad Songs " - 2:54

7" Blue Vinyl14FLR41, 5051865731276

1. "Bubbles" - 5:01
2. "Hiya" - 3:22

7" Green Vinyl14FLR41CD, 5051865731122

1. "Bubbles" - 5:01
2. "Street Love" - 2:48

iTunes Digital EP

1. Bubbles - 5:01
2. Sad Sad Songs - 2:54
3. Hiya - 3:22
4. Street Love - 2:48

Critical performance

When NME commented on Only Revolutions, they said on "Bubbles",

'Bubbles' floats in with a Kings of Leon-ly guitar clang before the kind of needly riff the band first experimented with on ‘The Ideal Height’ from ‘The Vertigo of Bliss’. Josh Homme guests, and it’s the best thing he’s played on in years; years to come, too, if the tunes Them Crooked Vultures are peddling are anything to go by.^[4]

Personnel

• Simon Neil: Guitar and Lead vocals:
• Ben Johnston: Drum Kit and Backing Vocals
• James Johnston: Bass guitar and Backing Vocals

Additional Personnel

• Josh Homme: Guitar

Chart performance

After receiving placement on BBC Radio 1's A Playlist, "Bubbles" began to receive increasing amounts of digital downloads throughout April 2010. The single entered the UK Singles Chart at #93 on 25 April 2010. The following week the single climbed 33 places to #60. On 9 May 2010, "Bubbles" climbed into the Top 40 at #40, making it the fifth consecutive single from Only Revolutions to enter the UK Top 40. The following week, the single climbed 6 places to its chart peak of #34, before falling back 6 places to #40 on 23 May 2010.

Chart (2010)	Peak Position
UK Singles (OCC)^[5]	34

Year-end charts

Chart (2010)	Position
UK Singles Chart^[6]	200

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)^[7]	Gold	400,000^‡
^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

1. . Archived from the original on 9 April 2010. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
2. Bubbles Songfacts
3. [1]^{[permanent dead link]}
4. "Album review: Biffy Clyro - 'Only Revolutions' (14th Floor)". NME. 9 November 2009.
5. "Biffy Clyro: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
6. UKChartsPlusYE2010.pdf
7. "British single certifications – Biffy Clyro – Bubbles". British Phonographic Industry. 12 February 2021. Retrieved 12 February 2021.

External links

• Biffy Clyro - Only Revolutions NME Review