Ordinary Man - song and lyrics discussion

[kreacher]

the other new songs have threads but none for this gem!

Woke up this morning just like every man does
walked to the bathroom just like every man does
made my bed just like everyone must
nursed my head just like everyone must

Spent the day playing Nina Simone
reorganized every I record i own
I see my friends, we drank beer in a can
half-drunk they smile it'll be alright man

Just like a king who's losing his worth,
I'm like a snob that's falling to earth.
Everyone thinks that I’m staying the same
are they secretly happy that I am in pain?
So you say it's ordinary love,
that's impossible to do
no such thing as ordinary love
I was ordinary just to you

Does it mean that I'm a regular man
not as special as I think that I am
as for you all that I want to know
did you stay up as I tumbled so low?

Just like a king who's losing his worth,
I'm like the sun that's fallen to Earth.
Everyone thinks that I'm staying the same
are they secretly happy that I am in pain?
so you say it's ordinary love,
that's impossible to do
no such thing as ordinary love
I was ordinary just to you.

So you say it's ordinary love,
that's impossible to do
no such thing as ordinary love
I was ordinary just to you

If I is ordinary
and love was ordinary
if I was ordinary
oh so very ordinary
if love was ordinary
and I was ordinary
are you too?

Edited December 28, 2019 by kreacher

[kreacher]

i got to listen to this song about 6 times while i typed those lyrics out and now this song won't leave my head. i hope you all appreciate the sacrifice i made

[crazyaboutmika]

i got to listen to this song about 6 times while i typed those lyrics out and now this song won't leave my head. i hope you all appreciate the sacrifice i made

 

We do

Thank you sweetie

In case you want to get rid of the side effects Dr John's prescription is: Listen to Gay Guys on repeat

[Kezza]

I thought it was the star that's fallen to earth...

[dcdeb]

 

i keep changing the line from "i was ordinary just for you" to "i was ordinary just to you" and back, any input?

 

Yes, I love this song, Dee!

 

A couple things: I'm pretty sure it's "I was ordinary, just to you."

 

I need to listen again, but I'm also fairly sure the one line is

"not as special as I think that I am"...

 

And finally, the second time through he sings, "I'm like the SUN who's fallen to earth," not "snob". At least he did the 1st night, I'll listen again.

 

And that's the thing -- I think he changed the words a bit in a few places, especially at the very end, each night. So this is just a very close approximation of what the final recorded version will be, I guess.

 

Still, I agree with 99% of what what you had. Here's what I think, based on recordings from the 1st and 2nd nights (sources not disclosed ) -- my (minor) changes to what you came up with in bold below:

 

woke up this morning just like every man does

walked to the bathroom just like every man does

made my bed just like every man must

nursed my head my head just like every man must

 

spent the day playing Nina Simone

reorganized every record i own

i see my friends

we drank beer in a can

half-drunk they smile, it'll be all right man

 

just like the king who's losing his worth,

i'm like a snob that's fallen to Earth.

Everyone thinks that I’m staying the same

are they secretly happy that I am in pain?

so you say it's ordinary love,

but that's impossible to do

[there's] no such thing as ordinary love

i was ordinary just to you

 

does it mean that I'm a regular man

not as special as I think that I am

as for you all that I want to know

did you stay up as I tumbled so low?

 

just like the king who's losing his worth,

I 'm like the sun that's fallen to Earth.

everyone thinks that I'm staying the same

are they secretly happy that I am in pain?

so you say it's ordinary love,

but that's impossible to do

no such thing as ordinary love

I was ordinary, just to you

 

so you say it's ordinary love,

but that's impossible to do

no such thing as ordinary love

i was ordinary just to you

 

oh if love is ordinary

so very ordinary

if life is ordinary

oh just so ordinary

if I am ordinary

and our love was ordinary

are you too?

 

[kreacher]

We do

Thank you sweetie

In case you want to get rid of the side effects Dr John's prescription is: Listen to Gay Guys on repeat

 

oh yeah, excellent idea! then i'd have Gay Guys () stuck in there instead

 

I thought it was the star that's fallen to earth...

 

hmm sounds like we both better listen to it 5 more times to be sure

[kreacher]

updated the first post!

 

 

Yes, I love this song, Dee!

 

A couple things: I'm pretty sure it's "I was ordinary, just to you."

 

I need to listen again, but I'm also fairly sure the one line is

"not as special as I think that I am"...

 

And finally, the second time through he sings, "I'm like the SUN who's fallen to earth," not "snob". At least he did the 1st night, I'll listen again.

 

And that's the thing -- I think he changed the words a bit in a few places, especially at the very end, each night. So this is just a very close approximation of what the final recorded version will be, I guess.

 

Still, I agree with 99% of what what you had. Here's what I think, based on recordings from the 1st and 2nd nights (sources not disclosed ) -- my (minor) changes to what you came up with in bold below: [/b]

 

thank you so much! i was doing this in a hurry & missed a few of the small differences. I can't wait to hear the album version & see what the actual lyrics he uses are

 

 

woke up this morning just like every man does

walked to the bathroom just like every man does

made my bed just like every man must

nursed my head my head just like every man must [/b]

 

hmm in the version i'm listening to from the 2nd night he clearing says "every one" in both the last 2 lines, but i meant to put "every man" for the first line tho

 

[there's] no such thing as ordinary love

i was ordinary just to you

 

in the 2nd night version i don't hear a "there's" here, so in my first post i put it in brackets

 

just like the king who's losing his worth,

i'm like a snob that's fallen to Earth.

just like the king who's losing his worth,

I 'm like the sun that's fallen to Earth.

 

ah ha, so that's why! i kept changing it from from "a" to "the", didn't realize he sang it different. Tricksy Mika!

 

 

oh if love is ordinary

so very ordinary

if life is ordinary

oh just so ordinary

if I am ordinary

and our love was ordinary

are you too?

 

Could it be he switched the 2nd and 3rd lines between nights? On the 2nd night recording it's the life line that's 2nd

Edited February 14, 2015 by kreacher

[mamiam]

i got to listen to this song about 6 times while i typed those lyrics out and now this song won't leave my head. i hope you all appreciate the sacrifice i made

 

Oh yes - I do appreciate it - thanks a million US ladies, for already printing the lyric, for also this song!! I think MIKA fans must be the most clever on the planet!! I'm sitting on the airport now - trying to let it all sink in, before leaving Canada! What a wonderful week, together with all of you, and MIKA!! It's my best winterholiday ever - I'll never, ever forget it ...

 

Love,love

me

[Mika-fan7]

How can I listen to this song? Love the lyrics!

[Kezza]

oh yeah, excellent idea! then i'd have Gay Guys () stuck in there instead

 

 

 

hmm sounds like we both better listen to it 5 more times to be sure

 

You will have to do it ten times. When I get home, I'm attacking the inhaler from my respiratory infection and using it, then taking the longest bath I can (after dealing with you know what first) and then I am likely to be in a coma for Valentine's Day.

[mellody]

love the song, it reminds me of some '50s movie or musical, like "singing in the rain" or "my fair lady". wondering whether it's just the orchestra version or if the album version will also have this feeling to it.

[kreacher]

How can I listen to this song? Love the lyrics!

 

there's mp3s in the gig threads. didn't know if it'd be okay to link here

[dcdeb]

 

Could it be he switched the 2nd and 3rd lines between nights? On the 2nd night recording it's the life line that's 2nd

 

Entirely possible, Dee. I've been listening to the 1st night, mostly. I think the 3rd, which I don't have a recording of, was different again.

 

love the song, it reminds me of some '50s movie or musical, like "singing in the rain" or "my fair lady". wondering whether it's just the orchestra version or if the album version will also have this feeling to it.

 

Yes, I'm curious about that, too. It could end up entirely different on the album, knowing Mika.

[Andade]

You have recordings of the show? Where can we find them?

[Sabrinac]

I had the chance to listening to it at the osm but sadly its the song I remember the least ... A thing I know is that it was a good song

[cathouzouf]

Pretty confident the last line of the first verse is: I lost my hair like every man must:fisch:

[Nanou]

Pretty confident the last line of the first verse is: I lost my hair like every man must:fisch:

 

yes That's what I've heard too

[mellody]

Pretty confident the last line of the first verse is: I lost my hair like every man must:fisch:

 

wouldn't it make more sense in the context of the song tho if it was"lost my head", instead of hair? cause if your lover leaves you, you can lose your head, and it would be a nice contrast to the rest of the verse, where everything is ordinary. but anyway i can't listen to it right now, so my assumption is just based on what makes sense.

 

 

btw at the first gig i understood "fluff" at the part where he sings "if love is ordinary" i was like WHAT, FLUFF?! - but i knew it didn't make sense and must've been something else.

[Littlelady]

wouldn't it make more sense in the context of the song tho if it was"lost my head", instead of hair? cause if your lover leaves you, you can lose your head, and it would be a nice contrast to the rest of the verse, where everything is ordinary. but anyway i can't listen to it right now, so my assumption is just based on what makes sense.

 

 

btw at the first gig i understood "fluff" at the part where he sings "if love is ordinary" i was like WHAT, FLUFF?! - but i knew it didn't make sense and must've been something else.

 

First show I also understood fluff:doh:

[dcdeb]

No, I'm sorry to disagree with you but it is most definitely "Nursed my head" -- it's a common saying here. You nurse a hangover. You nurse your head after drinking too much and you have a hangover. It's definitely "nursed my head".

[Alireine]

Thanks for the lyrics of the song!

 

When I first heard it, I really didn't like this song I think, mostly because of the "bathroom" line, I was finding it (and still find it) so unpoetical A bit like these famous "cigarette / nicorette" lines in OOL

Second night was already better.

Third night I was really enjoying listening to it

I bet I'll be fond of it before the release of the album

 

And me too, I remember hearing something with loosing his hair, somewhere in the song but as you know, my English skills can't be trust

[daeni28]

Thank you for the lyrics to this song, I'm curious how it will sound on the new album or in concert.

[crazyaboutmika]

oh yeah, excellent idea! then i'd have Gay Guys () stuck in there instead

 

 

Indeed, but as far as I'm concerned I prefer to have Gay Guys than Ordinary Man stuck in my head

[*Vv*]

Made a few corrections. Here it is what i hear

 

Woke up this morning just like every man does
walked to the bathroom just like every man does
made my bed just like everyone must
nursed my head just like everyone must

spent the day playing Nina Simone
reorganized every i record i own
i see my friends, we drink beer in a can
half-drunk they smile it'll be alright man

just like a king who's losing his worth,
i'm like a snob who's fallen to earth.
Everyone thinks that I’m staying the same
are they secretly happy that I am in pain?
so you say it's ordinary love,
but that's impossible to do
no such thing as ordinary love
I was ordinary just to you

does it mean that I'm a regular man
not as special as I think that I am
as for you all that I want to know
did you stay up while I tumbled so low?

Just like a king who's losing his worth,
I 'm like the sun that's fallen to Earth.
Everyone thinks that I'm staying the same
are they secretly happy that I am in pain?
so you say it's ordinary love,
that's impossible to do
no such thing as ordinary love
I was ordinary just to you.

So you say it's ordinary love,
but that's impossible to do
no such thing as ordinary love
I was ordinary just to you

if I was ordinary
and love was ordinary

if I was ordinary

oh so very ordinary

if love was ordinary

and I was ordinary

are you too? 

[kreacher]

Made a few corrections. Here it is what i hear

 

just like a king who's losing his worth,

i'm like a snob who's fallen to earth.

 

Made the changes! Thanks, they were subtle enough i probably would have forgotten to update the first post.

 

 

This bit tho, when i re-listened i heard "falling to earth", anyone hear this too?