"Ordinary People" lyrics
[Star:]
I am the image maker. I am the magic maker. I can turn the most ordinary man in the world into a star. To prove my point I am going to find the most mundane little man and turn him into celebrity. Hmm! This looks like a suitably uninteresting house. I wonder if there's anybody here with enough star quality?
He presses the doorbell
[Star:]
Hello. What's your name?
[Wife:]
Andrea
[Star:]
Oh, that's a nice name. What's your husband's name?
[Wife:]
Norman
[Star:]
His name's Norman. That sounds ordinary enough. I would like you to join in a unique experiment with me I am going to take Norman's place for a few days. I'm going to research his ordinary dull little existence
[Wife:]
Oh you can't come in now! The place is in a terrible mess!
[Star:]
That doesn't matter. I want you to act normally. I want you to treat me as if I were Norman. I am going to sacrifice my normal flamboyant life style and become ordinary, boring little Norman for a few days
Ordinary people
It's like another world, being here with you
It's quite a trip for me, so this is reality
I'm studying every movement, I'm trying to learn the part
Now I want you to be natural, just relax and be as you are
'Cause it's all for art, I want to observe the ordinary people
Tomorrow I shall become Norman
I shall go to his office
Mix with his workmates
And if they ask any questions
I'll say I'm doing research for one of my songs
Norman and I are changing places
And I'm going to make him a star
So I'm throwing away my stage suit and I'm packing away my guitar
For the sake of art I'm gonna mix with the ordinary people
[Star:]
God! These pyjamas are awful!
[Wife:]
Awful? Well all I can say is my Norman wears them every night
[Star:]
Alright. No sacrifice is too great for art!
The things I've done for music
The things I've done for art
So I'll make these sacrifices and I'll take it like a star
For the sake of art I will mix with the ordinary people
[Star:]
You'd better come to bed, darling
[Wife:]
Coming! You'll never get up for work in the morning
I'm making observations, and character simulations
I'll mix with his friends and relations
And he'll be a part of me
[Chorus:]
He's changing places with Norman
To get background for his songs
I'm immortalising his life
And I'll even sleep with his wife
For the sake of art I'll go to bed like the ordinary people
Turn out the light
Turn out the light
The Star exchanges his silver stage suit for Norman's pin-stripe suit, umbrella and briefcase. He forsakes his customary brandy and cigars and settles for a cup of hot chocolate before going to bed
I am the image maker. I am the magic maker. I can turn the most ordinary man in the world into a star. To prove my point I am going to find the most mundane little man and turn him into celebrity. Hmm! This looks like a suitably uninteresting house. I wonder if there's anybody here with enough star quality?
He presses the doorbell
[Star:]
Hello. What's your name?
[Wife:]
Andrea
[Star:]
Oh, that's a nice name. What's your husband's name?
[Wife:]
Norman
[Star:]
His name's Norman. That sounds ordinary enough. I would like you to join in a unique experiment with me I am going to take Norman's place for a few days. I'm going to research his ordinary dull little existence
[Wife:]
Oh you can't come in now! The place is in a terrible mess!
[Star:]
That doesn't matter. I want you to act normally. I want you to treat me as if I were Norman. I am going to sacrifice my normal flamboyant life style and become ordinary, boring little Norman for a few days
Ordinary people
It's like another world, being here with you
It's quite a trip for me, so this is reality
I'm studying every movement, I'm trying to learn the part
Now I want you to be natural, just relax and be as you are
'Cause it's all for art, I want to observe the ordinary people
Tomorrow I shall become Norman
I shall go to his office
Mix with his workmates
And if they ask any questions
I'll say I'm doing research for one of my songs
Norman and I are changing places
And I'm going to make him a star
So I'm throwing away my stage suit and I'm packing away my guitar
For the sake of art I'm gonna mix with the ordinary people
[Star:]
God! These pyjamas are awful!
[Wife:]
Awful? Well all I can say is my Norman wears them every night
[Star:]
Alright. No sacrifice is too great for art!
The things I've done for music
The things I've done for art
So I'll make these sacrifices and I'll take it like a star
For the sake of art I will mix with the ordinary people
[Star:]
You'd better come to bed, darling
[Wife:]
Coming! You'll never get up for work in the morning
I'm making observations, and character simulations
I'll mix with his friends and relations
And he'll be a part of me
[Chorus:]
He's changing places with Norman
To get background for his songs
I'm immortalising his life
And I'll even sleep with his wife
For the sake of art I'll go to bed like the ordinary people
Turn out the light
Turn out the light
The Star exchanges his silver stage suit for Norman's pin-stripe suit, umbrella and briefcase. He forsakes his customary brandy and cigars and settles for a cup of hot chocolate before going to bed
Writer(s): Raymond Douglas Davies
