Ordinary World by Duran Duran Lyrics Meaning – Navigating Through the Echoes of Loss in a Tune of Hope
Lyrics
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
In the pantheon of music that broaches the subject of loss and the ensuing quest for normalcy, Duran Duran’s ‘Ordinary World’ stands as a beacon of hope amidst the dark. It’s a narrative of the human condition, a melodious journey that resonates with anyone who has faced the abyss of the ‘new normal’ after a personal catastrophe.
This track, more poetry set to melody than mere song, peels the layers of grief, revealing the stark and yet hopeful struggle beneath. Let’s explore how the poignant austerity of ‘Ordinary World’ creates a canvas where listeners find their own reflections, and why this song continues to echo in the hearts of many.
The Elegiac Symphony: Understanding Grief and Resilience
The song doesn’t just melodically whisper to us; it mirrors the universal narrative of moving through grief. As we navigate through the opening lines, it’s clear that we’re walking alongside a protagonist lost amid the remnants of a past life, enveloped in the mists of memories. Each note is a step forward, as much a seeking of solace as it is an articulate expression of the pain that accompanies a profound loss.
The intuitive human response is not to let go but to cling to what was familiar, the ‘life that I recognize.’ The song captures this with aching precision, drawing listeners into the raw headspace where the need to journey back through the pain toward an ‘ordinary world’ is as inevitable as it is daunting. ‘I will learn to survive’ becomes a mantra for healing.
A Melancholic Tune’s Hidden Gateway to Healing
‘What has happened to it all?’ The line echoes existential query, voiced from the depths of change. It is in these words that the song carries its hidden meaning – the silent acknowledgment that before one can embark on the path to recovery, one must first confront the full scope of their altered reality.
The ‘ordinary world’ symbolizes this journey towards acceptance and recovery, a beacon that guides the protagonist out of the introspective shadows into, perhaps, a less vibrant yet real life where the days keep passing. The idea of finding and surviving in a mundane reality becomes a quest for a morsel of peace in the wake of upheaval.
Dissecting the Anthem: Pride, Passion, and the Sorrowed Talk
Pride, in its most hubristic form, can be a catalyst for ruin. In ‘Ordinary World,’ it is not just an emotion but a plot device – the harbinger of isolation. ‘Pride will tear us both apart’ transitions into ‘pride’s gone out the window,’ illustrating the denouement of a relationship where ego has lost its power to separate.
Yet, it’s the juxtaposition of ‘suffering and greed’ alongside ‘holy war and holy need’ that deepens the track’s narrative, framing personal grief within the broader context of a world beset by trials. ‘Ordinary World’ isn’t just about individual struggles; it’s about the collective pain and the universal desire to cling to ordinariness as sanctuary.
The Iconic Lines That Define A Generation
There’s a line that weaves through ‘Ordinary World’ that succinctly captures its essence – ‘I won’t cry for yesterday.’ It acknowledges the past with a melancholic nod but reveals a determination rooted in the present—a pledge to redirect focus away from the longing for what was lost towards the pursuit of the present and the ordinary.
This persistent refrain throughout the song is both comfort and confrontation, forcing listeners to reckon with their personal histories, the ‘yesterdays’ that often anchor us in sadness, and the strength it takes to look ahead. Like any truly great piece of music, it becomes emblematic of resilience, a living memory that crosses generational divides.
Beyond The Lyrics: Embracing Our ‘Ordinary World’
The essence of ‘Ordinary World’ extends beyond its lyrics, working its alchemy through the melodic arrangement that acts akin to a salve for the soul. The gentle ebb and flow of the music alongside Simon Le Bon’s hauntingly clear vocals give the song a timeless quality that is as operable today as it was at its release.
The message of ‘Ordinary World’ is never silent – to each aching heart it whispers, ‘You will learn to survive.’ Perhaps, that’s the ordinary magic of Duran Duran’s creation: it doesn’t simply speak of an ordinary world; it helps us live in one. As the final chords fade, we find that the search for the ordinary is, after all, the most extraordinary journey of all.
