Ordinary Love (U2 song)

"Ordinary Love"

Cover art designed by Oliver Jeffers
Single by U2
B-side "Breathe" (Mandela version)
Released 29 November 2013
Format 10-inch
Genre Rock
Length 3:38
Label Interscope[1]
Writer(s) Bono (lyrics)
U2, Danger Mouse (music)[2]
Producer(s) Danger Mouse
U2 singles chronology
"I Will Follow" (live from Glastonbury)
(2011)		 "Ordinary Love"
(2013)		 "Invisible"
(2014)
Music video
"Ordinary Love" lyric video on YouTube

"Ordinary Love" is a song by rock band U2. It was written to honour Nelson Mandela and is included in the biography film Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. The song was given a limited 10-inch vinyl release on Record Store Day,[3] 29 November 2013, less than a week before Mandela died.

"Ordinary Love" peaked at number one on the Top Digital Download chart in Italy, where it was certified platinum by the Federation of the Italian Music Industry. U2 won the 2014 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, and in January 2014 the song was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song, but it lost to "Let It Go" from Frozen.

Writing and recording

U2 had been friends with Nelson Mandela for several years, having played concerts in South Africa. When movie producer Harvey Weinstein invited the band to write a song for the soundtrack of the Mandela biography film Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, they responded with a quick "yes" according to Weinstein.[4] After seeing early cuts of the film, the group were inspired to write a song reflecting upon Mandela.[4] The song was mixed at Electric Lady Studios, New York City.[2]

Release and reception

It was revealed on 17 October 2013, the band had written a song specifically for the film Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom entitled "Ordinary Love", after receiving an invitation from movie producer Harvey Weinstein.[5] Subscribers of the band's official website were able to hear it first on the same day.[6] It was reported that the song was to get a full preview on U2.com on 30 October but instead a news bulletin was released stating the song was to be released on a 10-inch vinyl.[3][5] On 21 November 2013, U2 made the previously announced lyric video available for paying subscribers via their official website. The video was directed by Mac Premo and Oliver Jeffers. On 30 November, the song was made available as a free download on the band's website to paid subscribers.[7]

"Ordinary Love" was released on 29 November 2013 as part of the Record Store Day's "Back to Black Friday". As a limited release, only 10,000 10" vinyl copies were made. During the recording of No Line on the Horizon, U2 worked on two sets of lyrics for "Breathe". The first version was about Nelson Mandela, and the second was "more surreal and personal".[8] Whereas the second version was included on No Line on the Horizon,[8] they decided to include the first version about Mandela on the vinyl as a B-side for "Ordinary Love", entitling it "Breathe (Mandela version)".[4] Weinstein has said that he believes U2 have done a "brilliant job honouring the man".[4] Rolling Stone said, "'Ordinary Love' is about the seeds of dreams, and U2 play it perfectly: down-to-earth, while looking up."[9] As of March 2014, the single has sold 115,000 copies in the United States.[10]

U2 posted a new mix of the song, "Ordinary Love (Paul Epworth mix)", on their official SoundCloud account on 14 December 2013.[11]

Awards

Awards
Award Category Result
86th Academy Awards Best Original Song Nominated
71st Golden Globe Awards[12] Best Original Song Won
19th Critics' Choice Awards[13] Best Song Nominated
2013 Denver Film Critics Society Awards[14] Best Original Song Nominated
Broadcast Film Critics Association[15] Best Original Song Nominated

Cover art

The cover art for the "Ordinary Love" single features a "striking painting of Nelson Mandela" by Oliver Jeffers.[3]

Personnel

U2[2]
Additional performers[2]
  • Danger Mouse – piano, additional synthesizers
  • Angel Deradoorian – additional backing vocals
  • Declan Gaffney – piano, additional synthesizers
  • Barry Gorey – synthesizers, Wurlitzer
Technical[2]

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (2013–14) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[16] 88
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[17] 29
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[18] 14
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[19] 10
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[20] 29
Czech Republic (Rádio Top 100)[21] 90
Denmark (Tracklisten)[22] 23
France (SNEP)[23] 27
Germany (Official German Charts)[24] 39
Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[25] 17
Hungary (Single Top 40)[26] 4
Ireland (IRMA)[27] 13
Israel (Media Forest)[28] 4
Italy (FIMI)[29] 1
Luxembourg Digital Songs (Billboard)[30] 2
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[31] 7
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[32] 6
Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)[33] 5
Portugal Digital Songs (Billboard)[34] 1
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[35] 20
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[36] 11
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[37] 82
US Billboard Hot 100[38] 84
US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)[39] 13
US Adult Alternative Songs (Billboard)[40] 7

Year-end charts

Chart (2014) Position
Italy (FIMI)[41] 71
Poland (ZPAV)[42] 50
US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)[43] 91
US Adult Alternative Songs (Billboard)[44] 49

See also

References

  1. ↑ "U2 – Ordinary Love". Record Store Day. 2013. Archived from the original on 7 November 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Ordinary Love (Digital). U2. Interscope Records. 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 "Ordinary Love on Vinyl". U2.com. Live Nation. 30 October 2013. Archived from the original on 7 November 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Grow, Kory (30 October 2013). "U2 Ready Two New Songs for 'Back to Black Friday'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 7 November 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  5. 1 2 McGreevy, Ronan (22 October 2013). "Video: New U2 song ‘Ordinary Love’ part of Mandela biopic". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 7 November 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  6. ↑ "'Ordinary Love'". U2.com. Live Nation. 17 October 2013. Archived from the original on 7 November 2013. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
  7. ↑ "Download Ordinary Love". U2.com. Live Nation. 30 November 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  8. 1 2 Hiatt, Brian (5 April 2009). "Taking care of business". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 23 October 2009. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  9. ↑ "'U2, Ordinary Love'". 2 December 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  10. ↑ "No U2 Album, Tour Until 2015 (Exclusive)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
  11. ↑ https://soundcloud.com/u2/ordinary-love-paul-epworth-version
  12. ↑ "And Now The Winners! – Official Website of the Golden Globe Awards". Hfpa.org. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  13. ↑ Peter Gicas (16 December 2013). "Critics' Choice Awards 2014: Complete List of Nominations". E! Online. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
  14. ↑ "Denver Film Critics Society Nominations". Awards Daily. 6 December 2013. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  15. ↑ "American Hustle, 12 Years A Slave Lead BFCA's Critics Choice Movie Awards Nominations". Deadline.com. 17 December 2013. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
  16. ↑ "The ARIA Report Week Commencing ~ 17 March 2014 ~ Issue #1255" (PDF). National Library of Australia. Retrieved 7 March 2016.
  17. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – U2 – Ordinary Love" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  18. ↑ "Ultratop.be – U2 – Ordinary Love" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  19. ↑ "Ultratop.be – U2 – Ordinary Love" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  20. ↑ "U2 – Chart history" Canadian Hot 100 for U2.
  21. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 20144 into search.
  22. ↑ "Danishcharts.com – U2 – Ordinary Love". Tracklisten.
  23. ↑ "Lescharts.com – U2 – Ordinary Love" (in French). Les classement single.
  24. ↑ "Musicline.de – U2 Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
  25. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  26. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
  27. ↑ "Chart Track: Week 50, 2013". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  28. ↑ "U2 – Ordinary Love Media Forest". Israeli Airplay Chart. Media Forest. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
  29. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – U2 – Ordinary Love". Top Digital Download.
  30. ↑ "Luxembourg Digital Songs – December 21, 2013". Billboard. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  31. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 52, 2013" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved 21 December 2013.
  32. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – U2 – Ordinary Love" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 11 February 2014.
  33. ↑ "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  34. ↑ "Portugal Digital Songs – December 21, 2014". Billboard. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
  35. ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – U2 – Ordinary Love" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  36. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – U2 – Ordinary Love". Swiss Singles Chart.
  37. ↑ "Official Singles Chart UK Top 100 – 14th December 2013". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 8 December 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  38. ↑ "U2 – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for U2. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  39. ↑ "U2 – Chart history" Billboard Hot Rock Songs for U2. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  40. ↑ "U2 – Chart history" Billboard Adult Alternative Songs for U2. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  41. ↑ "FIMI - Classifiche Annuali 2014 "TOP OF THE MUSIC" FIMI-GfK: un anno di musica italiana" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
  42. ↑ "Utwory, których słuchaliśmy w radiu – Airplay 2014" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  43. ↑ "Hot Rock Songs: Year End 2014". Billboard. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  44. ↑ "Adult Alternative Songs: Year End 2014". Billboard. Retrieved 21 December 2014.

External links

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