By the early 90s, Duran Duran's popularity had faded. Their album Liberty had proved a commercial failure, its two singles failing to make a significant showing on British or American charts.
It wasn't until Capitol leaked "Ordinary World" to a radio station in Florida in the autumn of 1992 that it looked like Duran Duran mania might yet hit again. The single proved so popular that Capitol had to push the US release date up, ultimately releasing it in December. In the UK, the original January release date stood. The song can be credited as introducing Duran Duran to a new generation of fans.
Simon LeBon would go on to sing the song with Pavarotti at a WarChild benefit, which was released on home video as Pavarotti & Friends: Together for the Children of Bosnia. Le Bon later said of the event, "If you're talking about name dropping, he's one of the biggest names you could drop, Pav-The-Man."
The strings in the song were arranged and performed by Nick Rhodes, using a Kurzweil K2000, a digital synthesizer that was highly advanced for its time.
The song won an Ivor Novello Award in May 1994 and later featured in the soundtrack to the film Layer Cake in 2005.
The music video was filmed by director Nick Egan at Huntington Gardens in San Marino, California.
"My Antarctica", a song from the band's previous album Liberty, featured as the main B-side of the "Ordinary World" single.
Many other older singles were also used as B-sides. To capitalise on the success of "Ordinary World" and the new Duran Duran fans it was finding, EMI used the single's release to lure these new fans to the band's back catalogue. This mini-Decade was spread over the two CD singles released during the campaign.
There were several other versions of "Ordinary World" released:
* The "Acoustic Version" was recorded at the May 15 "No Ordinary Tour" live performance at Tower Records in Hollywood, which was simulcast to Hard Rock Cafés around the world. This live version was found on a number of "Ordinary World" releases outside the UK, most notably the Canadian and American cassette single and featured additional musicians, Gerry L and AD'A. It would eventually be released in the UK on the first CD single for "Come Undone".[2]
* The "AC Edit" was featured on a US promo CD that came packaged with the Decade album.
* A live version recorded on Simon Mayo's Radio 1 show featured as a B-side to the band's later 1995 single "White Lines".
* An extended version recorded at Sony Studios in New York City for Hard Rock Live was included on a promotional 2-track CD in June 2000 by the band's new label Hollywood Records, running at 6:08.
Ordinary World
Duran Duran Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Thought I heard you talking softly
I turned on the lights, the TV, and the radio
Still I can't escape the ghost of you
What has happened to it all?
Crazy, some'd say
Where is the life that I recognize?
Gone away
But I won't cry for yesterday
There's an ordinary world
Somehow I have to find
And as I try to make my way
To the ordinary world
I will learn to survive
Passion or coincidence
Once prompted you to say
"Pride will tear us both apart"
Well, now pride's gone out the window
Cross the rooftops
Run away
Left me in the vacuum of my heart
What is happening to me?
Crazy, some'd say
Where is my friend when I need you most?
Gone away
But I won't cry for yesterday
There's an ordinary world
Somehow I have to find
And as I try to make my way
To the ordinary world
I will learn to survive
(Just blown away)
Papers in the roadside
Tell of suffering and greed
Fear today, forgot tomorrow
Ooh, here besides the news
Of holy war and holy need
Ours is just a little sorrowed talk
And I don't cry for yesterday
There's an ordinary world
Somehow I have to find
And as I try to make my way
To the ordinary world
I will learn to survive
Every world
Is my world (I will learn to survive)
Any world
Is my world (I will learn to survive)
Any world
Is my world
The song “Ordinary World” by Duran Duran is about the struggle of moving on after a relationship has ended. The first verse sets the scene with the singer coming home on a rainy day and feeling haunted by the ghost of his past lover. The chorus then reflects on the emptiness that the end of the relationship has caused, wondering where his recognizable life has gone and questioning his sanity. Interestingly, the singer is determined to move on and not cry for what has been lost. He is determined to find an ordinary world and learn to survive.
The second verse offers some backstory into the relationship, with pride being the thing that tore them apart. After it’s over, the singer once again reflects on the crazy feeling that has taken over and wonders where his friend is when he needs them the most. The chorus repeats again with the singer reiterating that he won’t cry for yesterday and that he’ll learn to survive by finding his way to an ordinary world.
The bridge of the song adds a bigger picture to the song. It points out that there is suffering and greed in the world and that we often forget about it to focus on other things. The final chorus brings a message of hope, with the singer stating that every world is his world and he will learn to survive.
Line by Line Meaning
Came in from a rainy Thursday on the avenue
I returned from a gloomy day, possibly reflecting the current state of my life.
Thought I heard you talking softly
I imagined hearing your voice, which still haunts me.
I turned on the lights, the TV, and the radio
I tried to distract myself by inundating my senses with entertainment.
Still I can't escape the ghost of you
Despite my efforts, I am still haunted by your memory.
What has happened to it all?
I wonder how my life changed so drastically.
Crazy, some'd say
Some might say that my predicament is insane or unbelievable.
Where is the life that I recognize?
I feel like the life I once knew is no longer there.
Gone away
Everything that used to bring me comfort and stability is gone.
But I won't cry for yesterday
I refuse to lament over the past.
There's an ordinary world
I realize that there is a normalcy to life that is still available to me.
Somehow I have to find
I need to discover and reach this ordinary world.
And as I try to make my way
I understand that the journey to attain normalcy will be difficult.
To the ordinary world
I need to find my way back to that normalcy.
I will learn to survive
I will acquire the survival skills to adapt to this new reality.
Passion or coincidence
Either my strong attraction to you or a coincidence may have initiated our relationship.
Once prompted you to say
You once told me that our pride could be a hindrance in our relationship.
"Pride will tear us both apart"
You warned me that our pride may cause a rift in our relationship.
Well, now pride's gone out the window
Now that we are apart, pride is no longer a factor.
Cross the rooftops
I imagine myself jumping from one rooftop to another in a desperate attempt to escape.
Run away
You have left me behind to deal with the aftermath.
Left me in the vacuum of my heart
You left an emotional emptiness that I'm struggling to fill.
What is happening to me?
I don't understand what's happening to me and my life.
Crazy, some'd say
Again, some may label me as insane or irrational.
Where is my friend when I need you most?
I feel alone and hopeless, with no one to turn to.
Gone away
Just like everything else, my friend is also gone.
And I don't cry for yesterday
I still refuse to cry for the past.
Papers in the roadside
The news articles I see on the street shed light on the world's sufferings and greed.
Tell of suffering and greed
These articles exhibit the world's problems, including pain and selfishness.
Fear today, forgot tomorrow
People are so preoccupied with their fears today that they forget about tomorrow.
Ooh, here besides the news
The surroundings are gloomy and depressing.
Of holy war and holy need
The world is also consumed by conflicts based on religion and elevated human wants.
Ours is just a little sorrowed talk
Compared to the world's problems, my issue is just a minor concern.
Every world is my world
Despite the problems, every world is within my reach.
(I will learn to survive)
I am determined to adapt and live through any world I find myself in.
Any world is my world
I can create or adapt to any world that comes my way.
(I will learn to survive)
Again, I'll adapt and survive through any world that I encounter.
Any world is my world
No matter how limited or bleak the situation may seem, I can always find a way out.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: John Nigel Taylor, Nick Rhodes, Simon Le Bon, Warren Cuccurullo
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sidpheasant7585
Not 1, not a few, but millions.
But what is TRULY reaching out from the music is GOD, through the Holy Spirit.
The darkness tried to take the song from us, by associating it with "The Evil Within"
(Think that's by chance? Wrong. Nothing is by chance. Things have meaning)
1 John 5:19 - We know that we belong to God, and the whole world is under the power of the evil one.
This is what the song is all about, and the "emotions" actually ready to explode in countless people are the sure knowledge that the world is NOT as it should be, not just enough, not divine enough, not kind enough, not sacrificing enough; too much in the hands of godless elites presiding over the chaos that is ALWAYS the hallmark of the D*v*l.
Loving money and power and the monolith that keeps most of us down and out.
Something new, more ORDINARY, has to break out from this - like a new butterfly from the chrysalis.
ordinary truth (instead of the endless lies and fakery), ordinary love, ordinary mercy.
ordinary compassion.
Just what Jesus means.
Just what the Holy Spirit works endlessly for - giving us signs in nature, culture (as above), Scripture and rapture.
When the rapture comes it will be too late for many.
So the time is now, stefano!
@mknghorn
I found my poor sweet big brother dead in his bed on 7/30/20. That was the most devastating day of my life. I don’t remember the first few days after. But the Sunday after I put on my brave face and went to clean out his room and get it ready to be emptied. For some reason the moment I opened his door this song came into my head. I hadn’t thought about or heard it in literal years but there it was strong and clear every note and lyric. I burst into tears with the perfection of how exactly it captured what I’m going through. Thanks Duran Duran. My brother loved this song when we were teens. We both did.
@Hannahi757
Sorry for your loss!
@ambarishtiwari93
Sorry for your loss. Much love.
@scottsmith1906
Very sorry for your loss
@priscylonasia7703
Sorry for what happened to your brother. For your loss. He will continue loving you even if he's now in another dimension. Love love.❤️
@thestrengthwithin4249
Hello my friend I’m so sorry to hear of your loss, This song is actually about Simon Le Bon‘s friend David Mills who passed away in 1986, it is an absolute fantastic song,You are not on your own i to have lost a brother and a sister, sadly through suicide, they say time is a healer, but it’s not, Time accommodates,I am sending you my love and deepest warmest thoughts of sympathy to you stay strong and be brave 🌹🏴
@dustinmatthews387
Anyone still going back to this song in 2024?
@makeibajames8240
Been in rotation for the past few days ❤
@anchorthejoy
I lost 5 family members in 2023. It had a strong presence in my life in 2017 when I lost my brother and does even more so now. ❤
@afox1689
Just discovered this song this year. I have this on repeat while I'm drawing 🤟