"Ordinary World" is the first single from Duran Duran's self-titled 1993 album, commonly known as The Wedding Album. The ballad reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Mainstream Top 40, the Canadian RPM Top Singles chart, and the Italian Singles Chart. It also peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 2 in Iceland and Sweden, and No. 6 on the UK Singles Chart.

"Ordinary World"
Single by Duran Duran
from the album Duran Duran (The Wedding Album)
B-side	"My Antarctica"
Released	December 1992 (US) 18 January 1993 (UK)[1]
Studio	Privacy, London[2][3]
Genre	Soft rock[4][5]
Length	5:39 (album version) 4:43 (single version)
Label	Parlophone EMI Capitol
Songwriter(s)	Simon Le Bon John Taylor Nick Rhodes 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

The song was nominated for Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically in May 1994. Lead vocalist Simon Le Bon sang the song with Luciano Pavarotti at a benefit concert for War Child. "Ordinary World" remains one of Duran Duran's most popular songs and in October 2021, was their second-most streamed song in the UK.[6]

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 the British or American charts. It was not until Capitol Records leaked "Ordinary World" to a radio station in Jacksonville, Florida during the second half of 1992 that it seemed like Duran Duran would find a resurgence in popularity. To their surprise, the single proved so popular that Capitol had to push the US release date up, ultimately releasing it in December. In the United Kingdom, the song was released on 18 January 1993.[7]

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 characterises 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". Le Bon noted the song lyrics are about "trying to get over the death of a best friend. And putting it into words freed me, absolutely. It really worked for me emotionally and mentally. Everyone who heard it could apply it to something in their life, but for a different reason."[8]

Le Bon later performed the song with Luciano Pavarotti at a WarChild benefit.[9] The performance featured new lyrics in Italian, written especially for the show by producer Michele Centonze, most of which were a very free adaptation (rather than a translation) of Le Bon's original lyrics; the title "Ordinary World" was rendered as "mondo umile", i.e. humble world. The duet, along with the whole show, was released on home video as Pavarotti & Friends: Together for the Children of Bosnia. Later on, in an interview featured on the DVD release of the show, Le Bon stated that he loved singing in Italian because of the very open vowel sounds in the language.

The lyrics to "Ordinary World" were written by 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 Le Bon's vocal as being "rich in emotion but tastefully restrained".[10]

Music video

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.

Live versions

"Ordinary World" is one of two Cuccurullo-era songs ("Come Undone" being the other) during Duran Duran's reunion tour with Andy Taylor and Roger Taylor. Cuccurullo was brought in to teach Andy Taylor how to play it.^{[citation needed]}

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:[11]

• 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".
• 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.

Track listings

Personnel

• Simon Le Bon – lead vocals
• John Taylor – bass guitars
• Nick Rhodes – keyboards
• Warren Cuccurullo – acoustic and electric guitars
• John Jones – keyboards
• Steve Ferrone – drums

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts Chart (1993) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[20] 18 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[21] 15 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[22] 20 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[23] 1 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[24] 10 Denmark (IFPI)[25] 7 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[26] 10 France (SNEP)[27] 6 Germany (Official German Charts)[28] 16 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[29] 2 Ireland (IRMA)[30] 3 Italy (Musica e dischi)[31] 1 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[32] 14 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[33] 16 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[34] 3 Norway (VG-lista)[35] 5 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[36] 2 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[37] 11 UK Singles (OCC)[38] 6 US Billboard Hot 100[39] 3 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[40] 14 US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[41] 2 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[42] 1

Year-end charts Chart (1993) Position Canada Top Singles (RPM)[43] 7 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[44] 72 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[45] 26 Germany (Official German Charts)[46] 69 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[47] 19 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[48] 94 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[49] 84 UK Singles (OCC)[50] 65 US Billboard Hot 100[51] 34 Certifications Region Certification Certified units/sales Italy (FIMI)[52] sales since 2009 Gold 35,000 United Kingdom (BPI)[53] Gold 400,000 United States (RIAA)[54] Gold 500,000[55] Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Aurora version

"Ordinary World"
Single by Aurora featuring Naimee Coleman
from the album Dreaming
B-side	"Hear You Calling" (remix)
Released	11 September 2000 (2000-09-11)[56]
Genre	Trance[57]
Length	4:26
Label	Positiva
Songwriter(s)	Nick Rhodes Simon Le Bon Warren Cuccurullo John Taylor
Producer(s)	Sacha Collisson Simon Greenaway
Aurora singles chronology
"Hear You Calling" (1999) "Ordinary World" (2000) "The Day It Rained Forever" (2000)

British electronic group Aurora released a trance version of "Ordinary World" featuring Irish singer-songwriter Naimee Coleman. This version, released on 11 September 2000, charted at No. 5 in the United Kingdom, No. 6 in Ireland, and No. 47 in Germany. In the United States, it appeared on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, peaking at No. 37 in June 2001.

Track listings

UK CD and cassette single[58][59]

1. "Ordinary World" (radio edit) – 4:26
2. "Ordinary World" (Above & Beyond remix) – 8:25
3. "Hear You Calling" (Dark Moon remix) – 6:23

UK 12-inch single[60]

A1. "Ordinary World" (Condor remix edit) – 8:01

AA1. "Ordinary World" (Above & Beyond remix edit) – 6:45

AA2. "Ordinary World" (Gizeh remix edit) – 4:54

European CD single[61]

1. "Ordinary World" (radio edit) – 4:26
2. "Ordinary World" (Condor remix) – 9:08

German maxi-CD single[62]

1. "Ordinary World" (original radio mix) – 4:24
2. "Ordinary World" (Floorfilla radio cut) – 3:47
3. "Ordinary World" (club mix) – 9:06
4. "Ordinary World" (Floorfilla remix) – 6:50
5. "Ordinary World" (Gizeh mix) – 7:01
6. "Ordinary World" (DJ Janis vs. Plus One remix) – 8:04

Australian CD single[63]

1. "Ordinary World" (radio edit) – 4:26
2. "Ordinary World" (extended mix) – 8:16
3. "Ordinary World" (Condor remix) – 9:08
4. "Ordinary World" (Above & Beyond remix) – 8:25
5. "Hear You Calling" (Dark Moon remix) – 6:23

Charts

References

На других языках

[de] Ordinary World

[es] Ordinary World

[ru] Ordinary World