In the mid 1980’s, tensions between the East and West and were high. The Reykjavík Summit collapsed in 1986. President Ronald Reagan worked on building a better relationship between Moscow and Washington D.C. In 1987 President Reagan challenged Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall, more than just a symbol of division between the East and West. It was eventually torn down in 1989. In 1987, The Box, a Canadian rock band from Montreal released this song, “Ordinary People” about the similarities between the Soviets and Americans. It’s a great tune. A reminder that, despite our political and cultural differences, we are the same.
Ordinary People – The Box – 1987
Lyrics:
In the U.S.A. and the U.S.S.R.
We are ordinary people leading ordinary lives
We use all so simple ways to get simple happiness
We have ordinary problems and ordinary fears
We go take care of our business
Life goes on, and nothing changes
We don’t understand much about those big shot politicians
Except for who’s got most of them firecrackers to blow up in our faces
Well, I’d bet my shirt that way back there in the U.S.S.R.
People think like you and me
Hoping life goes on, and nothing changes
(CHORUS)
I say we (we) are (are)
Ordinary people
And our star bears no color, red or white
We (we) are (are)
Ordinary people
No matter what we stand for,
All in all, we’re all the same
And it don’t matter
In the U.S.A. and the U.S.S.R.
Well, I wonder what the Soviet Rambo looks like in their pictures
And I’m sure as hell he’s just as sweet as ours
And there’s got to be some Russian Sting
Who sings about us people
And our strongest will to live in peace, so that
Life goes on, and nothing changes
(CHORUS)
I say we (we) are (are)
Ordinary people
And our star bears no color, red or white
We (we) are (are)
Ordinary people
No matter where we come from
All in all,,
We (we) are (are)
Ordinary people
And our star bears no color, red or white
We (we) are (are)
Ordinary people
No matter what we stand for
All in all, we’re all the same
And it don’t matter
All right everybody, stand!
(The U.S. and then the Soviet national anthems play [not all the way])
(CHORUS)
I say we (we) are (are)
Ordinary people
And our star bears no color, red or white
We (we) are (are)
Ordinary people
No matter where we come from
All in all,..
We (we) are (are)
Ordinary people
And our star bears no color, red or white
We (we) are (are)
Ordinary people
No matter what we stand for
All in all, we’re all the same
And it don’t matter
In the U.S.A. and the U.S.S.R.
