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This song took a while to grow on me, but ultimately it did grow on me in a big way. I love the vocals (great fun for karaoke if your voice holds out).

I got this quote from SongFacts:

Lead singer Raine Maida: “It’s just about how hard it is for kids to grow up today. They’re inundated with the media and images and cliques they try to have to fit into. Two images that are really strong for me lyrically are “Ordinary’s just not good enough today” and when I think of kids today, I would never think of a group of eight year olds going out to a baseball park and throwing the ball around. It doesn’t happen anymore. I have a nine year old brother; he’s either inside playing Nintendo or staying up late on a school night to watch Beavis And Butthead. And you juxtapose that against the old Superman, on the black and white series. He was also a real hero, good values, strong willed, a gentleman, but I think Beavis And Butthead wins today.”

There’s speculation and discussion at SongMeanings. Make of it what you will.

Here’s a link to the video

And of course, the lyrics:

do you worry that you’re not liked
how long till you break
you’re happy cause you smile
but how much can you fake
an ordinary boy an ordinary name
but ordinary’s just not good enough today

doesn’t anybody ever know
that the world’s a subway…