Ordinary World

For the 1986 Chinese novel, see Ordinary World (novel).
For the 2016 American film, see Ordinary World (film).
For the Green Day song, see Revolution Radio.
"Ordinary World"
Single by Duran Duran
from the album Duran Duran (The Wedding Album)
B-side "My Antarctica"
Released 1 December 1992
May 1998
Format
Recorded Privacy, London
Genre
Length 5:39 (album version)
4:43 (single version)
Label
Writer(s) Simon Le Bon, John Taylor, James Bates, Warren Cuccurullo
Producer(s) Duran Duran, John Jones
Duran Duran singles chronology
"Serious"
(1990)		 "Ordinary World"
(1992)		 "Come Undone"
(1993)
Music video
"Ordinary World" on YouTube

"Ordinary World" is the first single from Duran Duran's self-titled 1993 album, better known as The Wedding Album. The single reached number one on the U.S. Hot 100 Airplay, the Mainstream Top 40 and the Canadian Singles Chart. It also peaked at number three in the Billboard Hot 100, No. 2 on the U.S. Alternative rock chart and number six on the UK Singles Chart.

The song won an Ivor Novello Award in May 1994. Lead vocalist Simon Le Bon later sang the song with Luciano Pavarotti, to help children affected by war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Background

By the early 1990s, 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 was not until Capitol leaked "Ordinary World" to a radio station in Jacksonville, Florida in the second half 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.

The keyboards in the song were arranged and performed by Nick Rhodes and John Jones. The drums were played by Steve Ferrone at Maison Rouge.

The guitar solo that characterizes this song was arranged and performed by Warren Cuccurullo, former player with Frank Zappa. His instrumental rock trio version became a staple of his solo shows and was included on one of his solo albums "Roadrage".

The music video was filmed by director Nick Egan at Huntington Gardens in San Marino, California and the song later featured in the soundtrack to the film Layer Cake in 2005.

Simon LeBon later performed the song with Pavarotti at a WarChild benefit.[1] The performance was released on home video as Pavarotti & Friends: Together for the Children of Bosnia.

The lyrics to "Ordinary World" were written by Simon Le Bon as the second of a trilogy of songs for his late friend David Miles; the others being "Do You Believe in Shame?" (1988) and "Out of My Mind" (1997).

Critical reception

In a retrospective review of "Ordinary World", AllMusic journalist Donald A. Guarisco praised the song for having what he described as "a warm ballad feel, matching elegant verses full of entrancing repeating-note hooks with a rousing chorus built on soaring runs of ascending notes." Guarisco described Simon LeBon's vocal as being "rich in emotion but tastefully restrained".[2]

Live versions

"Ordinary world" is one of two Cucorullo-era songs ("Notorious" being the other) which were played when Duran Duran did their reunion tour, both Andy Taylor and Roger Taylor insisting on playing it. Cuccorullo was brought in to teach Andy Taylor how to play it. It has remained in the set list ever since.

B-sides, bonus tracks and remixes

"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.

Other mixes

There were several other versions of "Ordinary World" released:[3]

Formats and track listing

7": Parlophone. / DD 16 United Kingdom

  1. "Ordinary World" (Single version) – 4:41
  2. "My Antarctica" – 5:06

CD: Parlophone. / CD DDS 16 United Kingdom

  1. "Ordinary World" (Album Version) – 5:49
  2. "Save a Prayer" (Single Version) – 5:25
  3. "Skin Trade" (Radio Cut) – 4:25
  4. "My Antarctica" – 5:00

CD: Parlophone. / CD DDP 16 United Kingdom

  1. "Ordinary World" (Single Version) - (4:41)
  2. "The Reflex" (The Dance Mix-Edited) - (4:25)
  3. "Hungry Like The Wolf" (130 B.P.M. single version) - (3:25)
  4. "Girls On Film" - (3:30)

MC: Parlophone. / TCDD 16 United Kingdom

  1. "Ordinary World" (Single version) – 4:41
  2. "My Antarctica" – 5:06

CD: Capitol Records. / C2 0777-7-15894-23 United States

  1. "Ordinary World" – 5:39
  2. "My Antarctica" – 5:06
  3. "Save a Prayer" – 5:33
  4. "UMF" – 5:31

CD: Capitol Records. / DPRO-79607 (Promo) United States

  1. "Ordinary World" (Single Edit) – 4:28
  2. "Ordinary World" (AC Edit) – 4:31
  3. "Ordinary World" (Acoustic Version) – 5:05
  4. "Ordinary World" (LP Version) – 5:39

MC: Capitol. / 4KM 0777-7-44908-49

  1. "Ordinary World" – 5:39
  2. "Ordinary World" (Acoustic version) – 5:05
  3. "Save a Prayer" ('Till The Morning After) (Live) – 6:11

12": Parlophone. / 8-80457-6 Italy

  1. "Ordinary World" (Single Version) - (4:41)
  2. "Save a Prayer" – 5:33
  3. "The Reflex" - (4:25)

CD: part of "Singles Box Set 1986-1995" boxset

  1. "Ordinary World" (Single version) – 4:43
  2. "My Antarctica" – 5:00
  3. "Ordinary World" – 5:49
  4. "Save a Prayer" (Single Version) – 5:25
  5. "Skin Trade" – 4:25
  6. "The Reflex" (7" Version) – 4:25
  7. "Hungry Like the Wolf" – 3:25
  8. "Girls on Film" – 3:30

Other appearances

Apart from the single, "Ordinary World" has also appeared on :

Albums:

Singles:

EPs:

Personnel

Charts and certifications

Peak positions

Chart (1993) Peak
position
Australian ARIA Singles Chart[5] 18
Austrian Singles Chart[5] 15
Canadian Singles Chart 1
Dutch Top 40[6] 14
French SNEP Singles Chart[5] 6
German Singles Chart[7] 16
Irish Singles Chart[8] 3
Italian Singles Chart[9] 2
Norwegian Singles Chart[5] 5
Swedish Singles Chart[5] 2
Swiss Singles Chart[5] 11
UK Singles Chart[10] 6
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[11] 3
U.S. Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks[11] 2
U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks[11] 14
U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream[11] 1

End of year charts

End of year chart (1993) Position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[12] 7
Germany (Official German Charts)[13] 69
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[14] 94
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[15] 84
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[16] 65
US Billboard Hot 100[17] 34

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
United States (RIAA)[18] Gold 500,000[19]

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

Cover versions

"Ordinary World"
Single by Aurora featuring Naimee Coleman
from the album Dreaming
Released 2000
Format CD single
Recorded 1998
Genre Progressive house/Progressive trance
Length 4:26
Label U-Music
Virgin
Writer(s) Duran Duran
Aurora chronology
"Hear You Calling"
(1999)		 "Ordinary World"
(2000)		 "The Day It Rained Forever"
(2000)

References

  1. ↑ Richard John. "Duran's new tour to feature surprises". Canoe.ca. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
  2. ↑ Donald A. Guarisco. "Ordinary World: Song Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
  3. ↑ "Tom McClintock's Duran Duran discography" (PDF). (216 KB)
  4. ↑ The Duran Duran Timeline: 1993
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Ordinary World", in various singles charts Lescharts.com (Retrieved 7 April 2008)
  6. ↑ "Single top 100 over 1993" (PDF) (in Dutch). Top40. Retrieved 15 April 2010.
  7. ↑ "Duran Duran singles, German Singles Chart" (in German). musicline. Retrieved 17 April 2010.
  8. ↑ Irish Single Chart Irishcharts.ie (Retrieved 7 April 2008)
  9. ↑ Italian Single Chart Hit parade Italia (Retrieved 30 May 2008)
  10. ↑ UK Singles Chart Chartstats.com (Retrieved 7 April 2008)
  11. 1 2 3 4 Billboard Allmusic.com (Retrieved 5 September 2008)
  12. ↑ "The RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1993". RPM. 1993-12-18. Retrieved 2016-07-26.
  13. ↑ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 2016-07-26.
  14. ↑ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1993" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 2016-07-26.
  15. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten - Single 1993" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 2016-07-26.
  16. ↑ "Top 100 Singles 1993". Music Week: 24. 15 January 1994.
  17. ↑ "Billboard Top 100 - 1993". Retrieved 2010-08-27.
  18. ↑ "American single certifications – Duran Duran – Ordinary World". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
  19. ↑ "Best-Selling Records of 1993". Billboard. BPI Communications. 106 (3): 73. 15 January 1994. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
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