Songoftheday 9/26/21 - Shelly's at the kitchen table cup of coffee the morning paper, when he walks in she's so surprised to see the tears in his eyes...

 

 

"Ordinary Life" - Chad Brock

from the album Chad Brock (1998)

Billboard Hot 100 peak: #39 (one week)

Weeks in the Top-40: 2

 

Today's song comes from Chad Brock, who sidelined his country music career at first to join the WCW (World Championship Wrestling) network, where he was a wrestler for three years before being sidelined from injury. Signed to Warner Brothers Records (which he actually did before the WCW stint), Brock released his self-titled debut album in 1998. The lead single, "Evangeline", was a fun line-dancing nugget that put his large voice to use. While it got some attention in the clubs and with fans, radio wasn't as keen and it stalled criminally at #51 on Billboard magazine's Country Singles chart. But with his second release, things turned around. "Ordinary Life", written by two women, Connie Harrington and Bonnie Baker, the ballad has Brock embodying a "working man" who is tired of the lowman's life of chores and responsibilities, he sets out for adventure, but in doing so realizes how much he misses his family and the old life. It's the trope in a lot of country and rock "on the road" songs, but without mentioning a career the song tries to be universal in scope. The trick worked, and not only did Brock find himself with a big country radio hit, he also hit the mainstream bigtime as well...

 

 "Ordinary Life" became Chad's first top-40 hit on Billboard's Hot 100 pop chart in May of 1999. The song spent three weeks at #3 on their Country Singles chart as well. Internationally, the single made it to #10 on the Canadian Country chart. The Chad Brock album, released in October of 1998, climbed to #37 on Billboard's Country Albums sales list. 

Brock's follow-up single, "Lightning Does The Work", a midtempo number that went to #19 on the Country Singles chart, was a minor hit on the Hot 100 at #86. Chad will be back to the series. 

(7/10)

Up tomorrow: Rapper is asking for ID.