Where is the life that I recognize?
Gone away.
Duran Duran’s “Ordinary World” is a breakup song and a coming of age song in one. The narrator is missing his significant other who he recently broke up with. Life doesn’t feel the same, and it doesn’t feel like it ever will. It is ironic how he wishes for her shoulder to cry on…as she is his best friend. This thought depresses him more. He knows he needs to get over this somehow and make a new life for himself and find a place for himself in this ordinary world.
His epiphany seems to come in the form of reading the news. There are so many horrible things like wars and poverty, does he have any right to feel this horrible about just a breakup? He will survive, and that is better than a lot of people can say. And that is what he must concentrate on doing now.
That is a lot to express in a five minute song. The song works primarily because it has such a recognizable chorus. The verses are surprisingly recognizable as well. People recognize the theme of the song; it is uplifting and something everybody can relate to feeling a need to hear every once and awhile. The theme is in the chorus: “I will learn to survive”.
Ordinary World Lyrics
Came in from a rainy Thursday on the avenue,
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.
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.
Songwriters: Warren Cuccurullo / Nigel John Taylor / Nick Rhodes / Simon John Charles Le-Bon