2 minutes ago, awardinary said:

Would this be deemed fairly ordinary by #1 standards?

Absolutely not, it's a banger 😮 wash your mouth out with soap

3 minutes ago, awardinary said:

Would this be deemed fairly ordinary by #1 standards?

I personally love this song and would definitely call it a stand out #1 at the time!

2 minutes ago, 777666jason said:

Absolutely not, it's a banger 😮 wash your mouth out with soap

I guess lyrically it is relatively plain and simple, but maybe it is regarded differently today than when it was released almost 20 years ago.

2 minutes ago, awardinary said:

I guess lyrically it is relatively plain and simple, but maybe it is regarded differently today than when it was released almost 20 years ago.

Tbf it was released in an era of novelty song, if this is ordinary so is Bob the builder, Mr blobby etc etc

I'd even say it's no more ordinary than a song like mysterious girl If that's the case

Personally I'm taking ordinary in this sense to mean forgettable, nondescript, bland... which is why I don't agree with songs like ABCDEFU, JCB Song etc. being suggested, as regardless of whether you love them or hate then, they're quite memorable and sound a bit different to any other song around at the time. That's just my take though!

(Even Mr Blobby which I regard as one of the worst number ones of all time, I wouldn't call ordinary by any stretch!)

Edited May 8May 8 by Mangø

2 minutes ago, Mangø said:

Personally I'm taking ordinary in this sense to mean forgettable, nondescript, bland... which is why I don't agree with songs like ABCDEFU, JCB Song etc. being suggested, as regardless of whether you love them or hate then, they're quite memorable and sound a bit different to any other song around at the time. That's just my take though!

That's a good and balanced way to look at it I guess. Though for me personally I don't hate those two examples, I just found them to be somewhat forgettable and uninspired lyrically, which is I guess a different measuring stick to use to justify what is ordinary and what is not.

3 minutes ago, Mangø said:

Personally I'm taking ordinary in this sense to mean forgettable, nondescript, bland... which is why I don't agree with songs like ABCDEFU, JCB Song etc. being suggested, as regardless of whether you love them or hate then, they're quite memorable and sound a bit different to any other song around at the time. That's just my take though!

(Even Mr Blobby which I regard as one of the worst number ones of all time, I wouldn't call ordinary by any stretch!)

That's what I thought was meant by ordinary too , my mistake if it isn't

11 minutes ago, gasman449 said:

Completely fair, I'm from way after this song's time but my parents were born in the 70s and couldn't recognise the song and they've not really heard it on the radio (my mother always has Heart 70s or 80s on in the car), it's not been certified since digital sales were tracked either so had just assumed it was a song people didn't really think about after it was popular thus leading me to suggest it. All down to perspective in the end I guess!

Yeah musically it might qualify but the lyrics are quite extraordinary if you give them some attention. Hey girls we’ve had too much freedom so let’s all get back in our boxes. Oh and the “isle of Greece” bit. 😅

It's why I said it is subjective, because what might seem ordinary to one person is very much not to another. Plus, someone might attach certain memories to a song from the time as has been expressed by some in this thread already when it came to Pet Shop Boys or Ja Rule mentioned. Whose to say these are not actually stellar examples of #1 singles to someone... somewhere! 😄

I really love Twilight by Cover Drive, I've Never Been To Me by Charlene, and especially Green Light by Roll Deep, one of my top five songs of 2010 😭

Wonderful by Ja Rule was definitely the first that came to my mind, and I also agree with Dirtee Disco by Dizzee Rascal. The former has 125m streams though, twice the number of e.g. Nelly's My Place from the same year which even at the time didn't feel big enough to me to be a No.1.

I know reality TV songs are an easy target but I can't remember a single thing about the cover of Wishing On A Star by 'X Factor Finalists 2011' featuring OneDirection and JLS to help shift the track.

Edited May 8May 8 by gooddelta

The lyrics of 'I've Never Been To Me' can certainly rule it out as being ordinary. It's quite the opposite.

8 minutes ago, gooddelta said:

I know reality TV songs are an easy target but I can't remember a single thing about the cover of Wishing On A Star by 'X Factor Finalists 2011' featuring OneDirection and JLS to help shift the track.

tbf I'd sales all the group charity ones were pretty forgetful so could be seen as ordinary, like I'm not sure I'd ever hear something like 'do you remember when the the x factor 2011 finalists covered that song?' Anywhere apart from a potential random pub quiz fact

The late ‘90s fast turnover certainly threw up a few candidates. “To You I Belong” by B*Witched, “Girlfriend” by Billie and “Forever Love” by Gary Barlow spring to mind.

9 minutes ago, Julian_ said:

The late ‘90s fast turnover certainly threw up a few candidates. “To You I Belong” by B*Witched, “Girlfriend” by Billie and “Forever Love” by Gary Barlow spring to mind.

Agreed TYIB getting there and the more memorable Jessie hold on not was the only interesting thing about it

Cliff Richard- Mistletoe & Wine/Millennium Prayer

Or just about any Cliff tune after 1962

Ordinary is a very very good pop tune well deserving of being a Number one IMO

oh yes Gary Barlow-Forever Love is really the Ordinary of the 90s

Nizlopi is the opposite of Ordinary, amazing little song, kinda genius

Oh and I Feel You by Peter Andre. I honestly couldn’t even sing the chorus.

42 minutes ago, Scone1 said:

Cliff Richard- Mistletoe & Wine/Millennium Prayer

Or just about any Cliff tune after 1962

Ordinary is a very very good pop tune well deserving of being a Number one IMO

those two Cliff songs are very much not ordinary! a christmas song lifted out of a musical and the most christian song that ever christianed aren’t exactly ordinary sights in the chart

I think I might struggle between ordinary and boring.

Something by Sam Smith or Lewis Capaldi or Ed Sheeran.

Or something where they just had no 1s without thinking - like Westlife or McFly.

Or the charity cover versions of songs with several Band Aid style collabs.

What about Tears on my Pillow by Kylie, or Sealed With A Kiss by Jason Donovan.

Forever Love by Gary Barlow is deffo a good shout 💤

Tbf Westlife would definitely fit here as even though they have 14/15 (not sure exactly number) number 1s i doubt most people could mention more than 4 or 5 max

Edited May 8May 8 by 777666jason