Ordinary Day (Vanessa Carlton song)

"Ordinary Day" is a song written and performed by Vanessa Carlton from her 2002 debut album, Be Not Nobody. Carlton wrote the song when she was 17 and was the first song that she had ever written in only one sitting. Released as a single on July 1, 2002, the song peaked at number 30 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

"Ordinary Day"
Single by Vanessa Carlton
from the album Be Not Nobody
B-side	"Paradise"
Released	July 1, 2002 (2002-07-01)
Length	3:58
Label	A&M
Songwriter(s)	Vanessa Carlton
Producer(s)	Ron Fair
Vanessa Carlton singles chronology
"A Thousand Miles" (2002) "Ordinary Day" (2002) "Big Yellow Taxi" (2002)

When Carlton performs the song live, she uses some of the original lyrics that she wrote for the song rather than the ones recorded for the album version. On the album, the lyrics at the end of the chorus are "Don't you see your dreams lie right in the palm of your hand?" and in the live version Carlton sings "If we walk now, we will divide and conquer this land".

Music video

The video was directed by Marc Klasfeld, who also directed the music video for her previous hit single "A Thousand Miles". The video begins with Vanessa Carlton writing the song's title in a diary. As she starts to sing "just a boy, just an ordinary boy", a boy appears behind her. The video continues with her playing the piano and walking in a large field filled with people hugging and kissing each other under a solar eclipse.

Track listings

US CD single[1] "Ordinary Day" (LP version) "Paradise" (LP version) Australian CD single[2] "Ordinary Day" (album version) "A Thousand Miles" (live) "Ordinary Day" (piano vocal) "Ordinary Day" (video) UK CD single[3] "Ordinary Day" (album version) – 3:58 "A Thousand Miles" (live) – 4:05 "Swindler" – 3:22 "Ordinary Day" (CD-ROM video) UK Cassette Single "Ordinary Day" (album version) - 3:58 "A Thousand Miles" (live) - 4:05 "Swindler" - 3:22

European CD single[4] "Ordinary Day" (album version) "A Thousand Miles" (live) Japanese CD single[5] "Ordinary Day" (album version) "A Thousand Miles" (live) "Swindler" "Paradise" (piano vocal) "Ordinary Day" (piano vocal) "A Thousand Miles" (piano vocal—live in Tokyo)

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2002–2003) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[6] 48 Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[7] 5 Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)[8] 8 Canada CHR (Nielsen BDS)[9] 9 Ireland (IRMA)[10] 41 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)[11] 7 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[12] 73 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[13] 17 Romania (Romanian Top 100)[14] 42 Scotland (OCC)[15] 51 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[16] 64 UK Singles (OCC)[17] 53 US Billboard Hot 100[18] 30 US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)[19] 29 US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[20] 9

Year-end charts Chart (2002) Position US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[21] 44

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label	Ref.
United States	July 1, 2002	Contemporary hit radio	A&M	[22]
Australia	September 23, 2002	CD		[23]
Japan	September 25, 2002			[24]
United Kingdom	November 18, 2002	CD cassette		[25]