My Sunday Song – “Ordinary” by Train

For My Sunday Song #450, we are talking the song “Ordinary” by the band Train. The song is from the Spiderman 2 Soundtrack as well as a bonus studio track on the Train album ‘Alive At Last’. The song was the fourth single off the Spiderman 2 soundtrack and was released August 17, 2004. I believe the song charted at #12 on the Adult Top 40 Chart (not the actual Top 40 Chart). It was written by Pat Monahan from Train and composer Bart Hendrickson.

The song was written for Spiderman 2 and the theme of it fits Spiderman perfectly. He goes out of his way to try and save everyone, but he always get left behind as people move on. It is a really darker theme to it. He does it all for a woman. People think he is trying to save the world but he is simply trying to save the girl. At the same time, he needs her to save him as he is in so deep and he is just a kid. He doesn’t recognize who he is anymore. I love the line “And this web that I’m tied up / Is taking me right up these walls”. He is afraid it is too much. It is the darker side of Peter Parker. And it is awesome.

The song is pretty heavy…for a Train song. The darker themes come out in the music as it has a seriousness too it you aren’t used to with them. The drums are powerful, the guitar is ripping. There is orchestration that gives it a grander feel and the piano is simply haunting. Pat really delivers the lyrics in such a beautiful way. He really feels the lyrics and he conveys the darkness behind Spiderman’s eyes. This is a completely different side of Train and when I heard this song along with another bonus studio track called “New Sensation”, I thought we might get a new direction for the band…but that didn’t happen.

Give the song a listen and let me know what you think. As a song written for a movie, I think it is absolutely incredible. And as far as a Train song…it might be one of my favorites they’ve ever done as I love the heavier side to them. Pat’s got the vocal chops for it. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you all have a wonderful and Happy Sunday.

“Ordinary”
(from “Spider-Man 2” soundtrack)

Whose eyes am I behind?
I don’t recognize anything that I see
Whose skin is this design?
I don’t want this to be the way that you see me

I don’t understand anything anymore
And this web that I’m tied up
Is taking me right up these walls
That I climb up
To get to your story
It’s anything but ordinary

And when the world is on its knees
With me, it’s fine
And when I come to the rescue
I get nothing but left behind
Everybody seems to be getting what they need
Where’s mine?
‘Cause you’re what I need so very
But I’m anything but ordinary

Can you save me from this world of mine
Before I get myself arrested with this expectation?
You are the one
Look what you’ve done
What have you done?
This is not some kind of joke
You’re just a kid
You weren’t ready for what you did, no

And when the world is on its knees
With me, it’s fine
And when I come to the rescue
I do it for you
Time after time
Everybody seems to be getting what they need
Where’s mine?
‘Cause you’re what I need so very
But I’m anything but ordinary

I think I’m trying to save the world for you
You’ve been saving me, too
We could just stay in and save each other

I’m anything but ordinary
I’m anything but ordinary

Writer(s): Patrick Monahan, Bart K Hendrickson