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 Vanessa 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 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)

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

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

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label	Ref.
United States	July 1, 2002	Contemporary hit radio	A&M	^[20]
Australia	September 23, 2002	CD		^[21]
Japan	September 25, 2002			^[22]
United Kingdom	November 18, 2002	CD cassette		^[23]

References

1. Ordinary Day (US CD single liner notes). Vanessa Carlton. A&M Records. 2002. 0694977612.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
2. Ordinary Day (Australian CD single liner notes). Vanessa Carlton. A&M Records. 2002. 497 788-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
3. Ordinary Day (UK CD single liner notes). Vanessa Carlton. A&M Records. 2002. 497 813-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
4. Ordinary Day (European CD single liner notes). Vanessa Carlton. A&M Records. 2002. 497 789-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
5. Ordinary Day (Japanese CD single liner notes). Vanessa Carlton. A&M Records. 2002. UICA 1011.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
6. "Vanessa Carlton – Ordinary Day". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
7. "Vanessa Carlton – Ordinary Day" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
8. "Vanessa Carlton – Ordinary Day" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
9. "Irish-charts.com – Discography Vanessa Carlton". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
10. "Tipparade-lijst van week 43, 2002" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
11. "Vanessa Carlton – Ordinary Day" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved December 4, 2011.
12. "Vanessa Carlton – Ordinary Day". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
13. (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on February 17, 2005. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
14. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 4, 2011.
15. "Vanessa Carlton – Ordinary Day". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
16. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 4, 2011.
17. "Vanessa Carlton Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
18. "Vanessa Carlton Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
19. "Vanessa Carlton Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
20. "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1459. June 28, 2002. p. 26. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
21. "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 23rd September 2002" (PDF). ARIA. September 23, 2002. p. 26. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 1, 2002. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
22. [New Release Date List for September 2002] (in Japanese). Universal Music Japan. Archived from the original on December 2, 2002. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
23. "New Releases – For Week Starting 18 November 2002: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. November 16, 2002. p. 25. Retrieved August 30, 2021.