Bubbly by Colbie Caillat

Album: Coco (2007)

Charted: 58 5

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"Bubbly" isn't about anybody specific. Caillat explained to I Like Music: "It's about the feelings you get when you have a crush on someone and they make you make smile all the time; they give you butterflies and you just adore everything they do."

Inspiration for the song came when she was realizing that, "I didn't have a crush on anyone, and it's always fun to have a crush. So I was just thinking about missing those feelings and wanting them."
Colbie Caillat grew up surrounded by music with her father, Ken Caillat, who co-produced the Rumours and Tusk albums for Fleetwood Mac. She didn't start playing guitar until she was 19, but she wrote "Bubbly" when she was 20, and after a friend set up a MySpace site for the her, she posted the song. It got thousands of hits (a lot in 2005) and an organic campaign developed for it on MySpace, which was the most popular social networking site at the time. This earned her a deal with Universal, who released the song as her first single on May 15, 2007, when Colbie was 21. The song climbed to #5 that October.
Caillat wrote this song with Jason Reeves, who came to Los Angeles from Iowa and met Colbie his first day in the city. They ended up moving in together (Reeves says she's "like a sister"), and working on songs for her first album. When Songfacts spoke with Reeves in 2011, he said, "The thing about Colbie and I writing is that it's so easy and natural. I really don't know how to describe it beyond that. But I think we're just so comfortable with each other and we're so free with what we're feeling at the moment when we're writing a song that there's not very many walls between us to get in the way."
The word "bubbly" shows up in the lyrics just once ("'cause every time I see your bubbly face"), but suits the mood of the song perfectly. According to Reeves, the original title was "Wherever It Goes," but after playing back the song and listening the whole way through, Caillat decided to call it "Bubbly."
In 2012 Caillat told Songfacts that this was the easiest song she ever wrote. "I seriously wrote it in 20 minutes. It's one of those songs that just came out naturally," she said.
"Bubbly" spent seven nonconsecutive weeks at #5 on the Hot 100. This broke the record for the longest time a single spent at #5 without going higher. Previously "(There's) No Gettin' Over Me" by Ronnie Milsap, "Hungry Heart" by Bruce Springsteen, "The Banana Boat Song (Day-O)" by Harry Belafonte and "(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone" by Aretha Franklin, had all spent five weeks at #5.
The song spent 14 weeks in pole position on the Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks chart, as did Natalie Imbruglia's "Torn." The only #1 hit by a solo female artist to lead the list longer than these two songs was Avril Lavigne's "Complicated," which was #1 for 16 weeks in 2002.
Lite-rock radio (often used for at-work listening) gave "Bubbly" lots of airplay in early 2008, helping send it on a remarkable run of 19 weeks on top of the Adult Contemporary chart. That made it the longest-running #1 debut single by a female artist since the AC chart was introduced in July 1961.
Colbie Caillat explained the album title to MTV. "Coco is my nickname," she said. "My parents called me it since I was a baby. And then my friends called me that, now my producer calls me it. So I just, I don't know, I figured that would be a cool name for the album."
Somewhere in the American Idol archives there might be video of Caillat auditioning for the show with "Bubbly." She first auditioned in season 2 (2003) and was flatly rejected. The next season is when she sang "Bubbly" at her audition, but the screeners still weren't impressed.

"They said no again," Caillat told the Off The Record podcast. "I wasn't right for the show. I was talked into auditioning. I was very shy and introverted. I had never really performed before, besides a couple of school talent shows."

Comments: 18

Chris from Germany The refrain sounds exactly like PAISLEY PARK by prince
Riccoc from UsIt is about an orgasm. In 2006 Casey Kasem said on his top 10 list on Sunday, that Colbie Callet when recording this song and the album had her father producing the album and he was present. It was very uncomfortable for her to do this in front of her father since the subject matter was very personal. If you believe a songwriter singer who downplays sex in their songs as being true, I've got a bridge to sell you. And Tiny Dancer wasn't about masturbation. Even though the term "tiny dancer" means a "soft erection". The writer for Elton John was trying to court his wife at the time and she was a bluejene lady, and a seamstress for the band. He was in the tour bus alone in his bed with his sheets counting the headlights on the highway with his "private in his hand" Dancing in the sand. (sand being testicles) think about it. Naïve ones. Do you think he is going to admit this?
Molly from Niagara Falls, NyIt's catchy, but I liked it better when it was called "Superman (It's Not Easy)".
Nancy from Washington, DcIt was revealed on VHI "100 greatest songs of the 2000's" that Colbie Calait auditioned for American Idol singing this song and didn't make it as a contestant.
Izzy from Casino, Australiathat person that wrote that this song is about an orgasm you are soo wrong
Alex from Greenwich, CtMe and many of my friend's believe that this is about drugs just hear the song and listen to the lyrics
Nady from Adelaide, AustraliaThis song is frickn irritating. And the video is dumb. All she does is walk around witha stupid grin on her face. UGH and its my sister in law's ringtone!!! HATE HATE HATE IT!!!!
Alex from Syracuse, Ny"when you make me feel this way, i jsut mmmmmmm"...sounds like an orgasm to me
Rachel from Minneapolis, MnI agree that this is about an orgasm. I mean, listen to the lyrics and think about that feeling you get. The tingling, wherever it goes I always know, hold me tight, come on. And most of my friends agree with me, girls and guys. And I do love this song, it's great and the lyrics are good. And I love Colbie, she's awesome.
Jessie from Dallas, TxI love this song. Everyone who hates it is obviously crazy because it's a FANTASIC song
David from Lafayette, InTheres alot of speculation that this song has alot to do with a crush that she has on Folk singer Jack Johnson. and the title is a refrence to his song Bubble Toes. just a roumor i have heard. i have no proof or refrence to back this.
Clubber Lange from Ocean Gate, NjThe recording engineer did not take the inward breathes on this track...After every line she sings you hear a big "HHHHHHHHHHHuuuuhhhhhhhhhh"...Thats annoying and just a bad mix violation...
Julie from Taylor, TxDumbest song ever..... i think it's relly retarted!
Tim from Denver, CoColbie has spent the past v16 weeks at the top of the Hot AC chart (2/17). Four more weeks and she knocks Matchbox 20 off the record.

P.S. Yeah, David (Newtown PA), you keep dreamin'!
Emily from The Bury, CtOh my god! see i listen to this song like forever ago and like now everyone likes it. This song cheers me up. the video makes me feel sad though b/c i always wanted to live byt the beach. i WANT that house in her video. sorry, im in LOVE with the ocean.
Erik from Brownwood , Txyes I agree and not shallow at all. the song is about a feeling that is undescribable not doing what ever other guy thinks about all day. trying to get in to a girls pants.
Junius from Lake Charles, LaYou are much too modest,David. You should also take credit for all the songs heard on Grey's Anatomy/in Starbucks...
David from Newtown, PaThis song is oblivously about an orgasm. I would know because the guy n the song is me. I gave it to Colbie. It was one of the most special an intimate things i have ever shared with someone--besides Jessica Alba-- in my life.

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