Ordinary World

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"Ordinary World"
Single by Duran Duran
from the album Duran Duran (The Wedding Album)
B-side "My Antarctica"
Released 1 December 1992 (U.S.)
26 January 1993 (UK)
Format 7", CD
Recorded Privacy, London
Genre Pop rock, alternative rock
Length 5:39 (album version)
4:43 (single version)
Label EMI, Capitol - DD 16
Writer(s) Duran Duran (Simon Le Bon, Warren Cuccurullo, Nick Rhodes & John Taylor)
Producer(s) Duran Duran with John Jones
Certification Gold (RIAA)
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 No. 1 on the U.S. Hot 100 Airplay chart, U.S. Top 40 Mainstream and the Canadian singles chart. It also peaked at No. 3 in the American charts, No. 2 on the U.S. Alternative rock chart and No. 6 in the British charts.

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

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".[1]

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 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.

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.[2] 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).

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]

  • The "Single Version" or "Single Mix" was a differently mixed and edited version, sent to radio stations, used for the promotional video, and available on the CD single release in certain countries outside the US.
  • The "Acoustic Version" was more correctly the "Acoustic Mix" and was created using the studio guitar & vocal tracks and adding specially arranged string orchestration. An alternative live acoustic performance was recorded at the 15 May "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".[4]
  • 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.
  • Live version released on 'From Mediterranea With Love' a promotional EP digital release in December 2010

Other appearances

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

Albums:

  • Duran Duran (1993)
  • Greatest (1998)
  • Singles Box Set 1986-1995 (2005)
  • Layer Cake OST

Singles:

EPs:

  • From Mediterranea With Love (2010)

Track listings

7" Parlophone / DD 16 (UK)
  1. "Ordinary World" (Single version) – 4:43
  2. "My Antarctica" – 5:00
MC Capitol / 7 44908 4 (U.S.)
  1. "Ordinary World" – 5:39
  2. "Ordinary World" (Acoustic version) – 5:05
  3. "Save a Prayer" (Live from the Arena) – 6:11
  • Also released in Canada (Capitol / C4-44908)
CD Parlophone / CD DDS 16 (UK)
  1. "Ordinary World" – 5:49
  2. "Save a Prayer" – 5:25
  3. "Skin Trade" – 4:25
  4. "My Antarctica" – 5:00
  • This CD comes in a 2-CD case that also houses CD DDP 16.
CD Parlophone / CD DDP 16 (UK)
  1. "Ordinary World" (Single version) – 4:43
  2. "The Reflex" – 4:25
  3. "Hungry Like the Wolf" – 3:25
  4. "Girls on Film" – 3:30
  • This CD was released as a picture disc.
CD Capitol / C2
  1. "Ordinary World" – 5:39
  2. "My Antarctica" – 5:00
  3. "Save a Prayer" – 5:25
  4. "UMF" – 5:33
CD Capitol / DPRO-79607 (US)
  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
  • Two-disc US promo. Second CD is Decade. Housed in exclusive sleeve.
CD 10 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" – 5:25
  5. "Skin Trade" – 4:25
  6. "The Reflex" – 4:25
  7. "Hungry Like the Wolf" – 3:25
  8. "Girls on Film" – 3:30

Charts

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
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[12] 34

Certifications

Country Certification Date Sales certified
U.S.[13] Gold 19 March 1993 500,000

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. ↑ Donald A. Guarisco. "Ordinary World: Song Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 January 2014. 
  2. ↑ Richard John. "Duran's new tour to feature surprises". Canoe.ca. Retrieved 12 January 2014. 
  3. ↑ Tom McClintock's Duran Duran discography PDF (216 KB)
  4. ↑ The Duran Duran Timeline: 1993
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 "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. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Billboard Allmusic.com (Retrieved 5 September 2008)
  12. ↑ "Billboard Top 100 - 1993". Retrieved 2010-08-27. 
  13. ↑ U.S. certifications, database riaa.com (Retrieved 5 September 2008)

External links

Duran Duran
Studio albums
Live albums
Compilations,
EPs and remixes
Videography
Related artists
Related articles
  • Book:Duran Duran
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