Egoism dictates human relation
A world where fashion outshines morality
Here success is written in blood-red colors
Designed by the thirst for power

Gather the faithful and propose a toast
To the epoch of indifference

An all to ordinary story
With aftertaste so bitter
Forced to be someone I don´t want to be
I´m losing myself, sinking deeper down
I´m caught in the world wound web

A time represented by the void
An excuse without content
Stuck in the abyss of existence
With a content void of excuse

An all to ordinary story
This is my story
With an aftertaste so bitter

Sinking deeper down
I´m caught - I´m cage
I´m gone


Lyrics submitted by -L3tH4L-

Ordinary Story Lyrics as written by Bjoern Ingvar Gelotte Anders Par Friden

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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Ordinary Story song meanings
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  • +5
    Song Meaning

    You can take this song very literally, the meaning is quite clear.

    "Egoism dictates human relations" People are selfish and only do things which are in their own self interest. They do not do things which help others or do things which are are morally good or do things for the betterment of something larger than themselves.

    "A world where fashion outshines morality" The world places more importance on appearance than deeds. This is evident in the modern media, where sports stars and entertainers get paid millions of dollars despite the fact they are often corrupt or morally bankrupt. Meanwhile, a large percentage of the world lives in poverty.

    "Here success is written in blood-red colours" The way to get ahead in the world is to climb over others, figuratively (and sometimes literally) resulting in their death, writing your success with their blood.

    "Designed by the thirst for power" People's main motivation in the world is the selfish pursuit of personal power.

    "Gather the faithful and propose a toast" Here the word "faithful" is used mockingly, as in "the faithful who believe that the disgusting way this world operates is how it really should be". Gather the selfish and evil people and have them applaud themselves by drinking to their own success.

    "To the epoch of indifference" An epoch is the moment in time chosen as the origin of a particular era. Indifference is the lack of emotions about anything, either through conscious suppression of those emotions or actually not morally caring. Due to the way people treat each other, we have now started the era where nobody cares about anything except themselves.

    "An all too ordinary story" What has just been described used to be irregular. In times past, people cared about each other, their goals and motivations were different. Today, everybody is selfish and uncaring.

    "With aftertaste so bitter" How horrible it is that everybody is like this. It's definitely horrible for the singer to express, it leaves him with a negative feeling after describing it. It leaves you with a negative feeling to hear your fellow man described truthfully this way. Perhaps it also leaves the people described prior, who are so "successful" with a bitter aftertaste as they try to ignore how empty they have become.

    "Forced to be someone I don't want to be" The singer doesn't like the way the world works, the selfish and nasty way that he has to be just to get by amongst people, but it's a sad necessity or he'll never get anywhere in life.

    "I'm losing myself. sinking deeper down" He fears that acting in this self-serving and negative way is desensitizing him to its effects on others. He fears that in time, he will become just like the "faithful" and become indifferent to the results of his actions.

    "I'm caught in the world wound web" He feels trapped in the egotistic and immoral ways of the world.

    amitoniaon November 02, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Well one of my favourite songs, this songs me totally adrenaline rush on my veins, Beautifull lyrics, My Favourite lyrics of in flames

    My Favourite Part of the song is :

    " gather the faithful and propose a toast to the epoch of indifferance"

    All writed in this song is true, sad but true, This world is full of egoism, and Fashion and others Aspects are more important that the morality.

    The Sucess in a bad way, in this world the persons to reach the sucess if necessary kill or put the others people in bad situations, only wants there self sucess dont care about the others, is a world full of Egoism.

    The life is a Ordinary Story. We are stucked on Existance.

    For reach a certain objective, we become a person that we dont want to be.

    This lyrics is 100% True.

    like i said before sad but true.

    Note: Sorry for my english.

    In Flames

    dragaopton June 13, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song is fucking awesome, best In Flames song in my opinion. The hell am i talking about, In Flames kicks ass in general.

    waynestaticx85on May 31, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    yeah, this is In Flames greatest song, piano sounds good in it, the guitar solo is good too, this song is about people not being themselves and living up to today's standard of "success", I think.

    megafuryon June 06, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    The entire song speaks of religious involvement in one's life. The biggest standout would have to be "gather the faithful and propose a toast", most likely referring to Communion. In any case, it's a great song, one of the finest by In Flames.

    Empty_Rageon June 07, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i think probably clayman or only for the weak is there best song but i have yet to hear an in flames song that didnt kick ass, this song is no exception, everything about in flames's music is spectacular

    sic n twistedon July 26, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Dude you are so true sic n twisted, those are the 2 best songs, i also like satelites and astronauts, and whoracle, the 4 best songs, when i first heard oridnary story i couldnt stop listening to it, and the video is awesome, lots of cute swedish girls in it....

    xUnderoathxon August 25, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I do not believe that the lyrics refer to religion. The plain story is that people no longer live respectable and honorable lives. They do whatever they need to do to succeed, which forces everyone else to do the same (this is what they are upset about). Hence morals deplete and the present time becomes shallow and empty with no meaningful explaination as to why.

    Dravon August 30, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This reminds me of like, all these medieval guys like, sitting at the round-table and what not and talking about an uprising and how they're the only people who can save the day and shit, and like, it really kicks ass.

    tsucolon September 10, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    in flames=fucking badass band ~heather~

    heathyron October 12, 2002   Link

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