Alison Moyet – “Ordinary Girl”:
Big Voice, Quiet Heartbreak
Released in May 1987 as the third single from her sophomore album Raindancing, “Ordinary Girl” showed Alison Moyet turning inward — shifting from chart-chasing hooks to hushed, heartfelt reflection. Following the bombast of her Yazoo days and the pop sheen of her solo hits, this track dialed down the volume and turned up the honesty.
It wasn’t meant to dazzle — it was meant to resonate.
A Song Behind the Voice
Written by Alison Moyet, Jess Bailey, and Rick Driscoll, and produced by Jimmy Iovine, “Ordinary Girl” steps away from the synth-forward sound of her earlier work. Instead, it leans into a gentler, guitar-laced arrangement, with warm textures and plenty of room for Moyet’s voice to breathe. Her delivery is rich and restrained, capturing a kind of emotional maturity that felt like a natural evolution.
The lyrics reflect a woman owning her flaws and vulnerability: “They say I’m just an ordinary girl / Who’s sometimes good, sometimes bad” — quietly dismantling the pedestal of pop glamour.
A Shift in Mood and Direction
Compared to the confident pulse of earlier Raindancing singles like “Is This Love?” and “Weak in the Presence of Beauty”, “Ordinary Girl” is a low-key slow burn. It resists the spotlight, embracing simplicity instead. Moyet sounds less like a star performing to the rafters and more like someone sharing a personal moment across the kitchen table.
Video: Simplicity Over Spectacle
The music video reflects this quieter tone, placing Moyet in a soft-focus, minimalist setting. No dazzling effects, no high-concept visuals — just performance, lighting, and emotional gravity. It was a stark contrast to the elaborately styled videos of many of her chart contemporaries.
Reception and Chart Modesty
Despite warm critical reception, “Ordinary Girl” peaked at just No. 43 on the UK Singles Chart, with stronger showings in Ireland (No. 22) and Belgium (No. 31). It hovered near No. 49 in both New Zealand and the Netherlands, making it one of the more under-the-radar singles from Raindancing. Still, it stood as a quiet favorite for listeners who connected with its honesty.
A Song That Grew Up with Its Audience
Time has only sharpened the song’s resonance. While it may not have stormed the charts, “Ordinary Girl” has become a beloved deep cut — a reminder that not every pop moment needs to be loud to be lasting. For fans who’ve aged with Moyet, it’s an anthem not of triumph or heartbreak, but of realism — and the quiet strength that comes with it.
It whispers its truth — and leaves it with you.