| "Extraordinary" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byLiz Phair | ||||
| from the albumLiz Phair | ||||
| Released | March 1, 2004 (2004-03-01) | |||
| Studio | Decoy (Studio City) | |||
| Genre | Pop rock | |||
| Length | 3:24 | |||
| Label | Capitol | |||
| Songwriters |
| |||
| Producer | The Matrix | |||
| Liz Phair singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Extraordinary" onYouTube | ||||
"Extraordinary" is a song by American singer-songwriterLiz Phair from herself-titled fourth studio album (2003). It was released to radio as the second single from the album on March 1, 2004, byCapitol Records. The song was written by Phair and the production teamthe Matrix, which consists ofLauren Christy,Scott Spock, and Graham Edwards. Production on the song was solely helmed by the Matrix. According to Phair, the song is about wanting others to see you for who you are.
"Extraordinary" was written by Phair and the production teamthe Matrix. The song was inspired by feelings Phair experienced of wanting to be seen for who she really is. Phair explained: "I feel like in my life I've always struggled against being kind of the girl-next-door to people, and always wanting people to see me as maybe having more depth."[1]
Phair described the song as an updated version of "6'1"", a song fromExile in Guyville.[2]
The song was featured in the 2004 filmRaising Helen.[3] It was also featured during the opening credits for the season finale ofCharmed's fifth season, titled "Oh My Goddess!",[4] as a special preview ten months before its official release. The song was included on the teen pop compilationGot Hits! 2 as well.[5] The song was included on the soundtrack forQueer Eye for the Straight Guy.[6]
Two music videos for the song were released. The first features black-and-white footage of Phair singing the song.[7] After the song was featured in the 2004 filmRaising Helen,[3] a second music video was made, featuringclones of Phair in front of various backdrops.
The song garnered mixed reviews from music critics, who were dissatisfied with her attempt to go mainstream.Slate's Mim Udovitch said that Phair sounds "bogus,"[8] whilePopMatters called the song "sickeningly effervescent."[9] Some critics were more complimentary towards the song, however. Chuck Klosterman, writing forSpin, praised the song's "authenticity,"[10] whileAllMusic noted that it was one of its parent album's highlights.[11] Michael Paoletta ofBillboard called the song "ultra-catchy" and "oh-so-buoyant".[12]
Though the song failed to recreate the chart success of past hits "Supernova" and "Why Can't I?" it still managed to chart. It reached number 111 in the US, spending a total of 5 weeks on the "Bubbling Under Hot 100" chart.[13] It also charted on theMainstream Top 40 chart[14] and theAdult Top 40 chart, on which it spent six months.[15]
Credits and personnel are adapted from theLiz Phair album liner notes.[16]
| Chart (2003–2004) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| USBubbling Under Hot 100 (Billboard)[17] | 11 |
| USAdult Pop Airplay (Billboard)[18] | 14 |
| USPop Airplay (Billboard)[19] | 28 |
| Region | Date | Formats(s) | Label(s) | Ref(s). |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | March 1, 2004 (2004-03-01) | Contemporary hit radio | Capitol Records | [20] |
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