>> order by field(id,3,7,2,1) > > Hey, ok, so MySQL wins. if you would like to see the non-proprietary standard sql version, it goes like this: order by case id when 3 then 1 when 7 then 2 when 2 then 3 when 1 then 4 else 0 end the FIELD function is just shorthand for this CASE expression, which will work in all database management systems ;o)