Popular
Nada Surf Lyrics

Three important rules for breaking up
Breaking up is a difficult situation to handle, but there are three important rules that can make it easier.

Don't put off breaking up when you know you want to
Delaying the breakup does not make things better and prolongs the pain for both people involved.

Prolonging the situation only makes it worse
Dragging out the breakup will only make things harder for both parties and add to the emotional burden.

Tell him honestly, simply, kindly, but firmly
The best way to break up with someone is to be honest, direct, and kind while also being firm about your decision.

Don't make a big production
It isn't necessary to make a spectacle out of the breakup, as it will only make things more difficult.

Don't make up an elaborate story
Lying or creating an elaborate story to explain the breakup will only cause more hurt and confusion for both parties.

This will help you avoid a big tear-jerking scene
If you follow these guidelines, you can avoid a dramatic and emotional scene during the breakup.

If you want to date other people say so
If the reason for the breakup is to date other people, be honest about it and communicate this clearly.

Be prepared for the boy to feel hurt and rejected
Breaking up with someone will inevitably hurt him, and he will feel rejected.

Even if you've gone together for only a short time,
Regardless of the length of the relationship, ending it will cause emotional turmoil for both parties.

And haven't been too serious
Even if the relationship wasn't too serious, it still hurts to be rejected.

There's still a feeling of rejection when someone says
Breaking up with someone always involves rejection, which is difficult for both parties to deal with.

She prefers the company of others to your exclusive company
Being told that someone wants to date other people can be interpreted as not being good enough or desirable enough for that person.

But if you're honest, and direct
Being truthful, clear and direct during the breakup can avoid unnecessary drama or confusion.

And avoid making a flowery emotional speech when you break the news
Overemphasizing on the breakup may seem disingenuous and is not a good way to soften this situation.

The boy will respect you for your frankness
Being honest and straightforward can be admired and appreciated, even during such a difficult situation.

And honestly he'll appreciate the kind of straightforward manner in which you told him your decision
During the breakup, being clear and concise about the situation can help the other person to understand and accept the situation without complicated explanations.

Unless he's a real jerk or a crybaby you will remain friends
Breaking up does not need to end a friendship, but this also depends on the person's emotional maturity and the circumstances surrounding the breakup.

Being attractive is the most important thing there is
This line is supposed to be sarcastic, pointing out the toxic nature of the obsession towards popularity and emphasizing surface-level aspects rather than character.

If you want to catch the biggest fish in your pond
If you want to appear more attractive, you must be the most attractive person, figuratively speaking.

Make sure to keep your hair spotless and clean
Maintaining physical appearance is vital to attract others’ attention, but it is taken as a metaphor to depict the shallowness of the obsessive culture.

Wash it at least every two weeks
This is a humorous exaggeration of how the culture of popularity has become superficial and excessive.

Once every two weeks
This is again an exaggeration to highlight the preposterous beauty standards.

And if you see Jonny football hero in the hall, tell him he played a great game
Praising someone's sports abilities can make them feel good and put you in their good graces.

I propose we support a one-month limit on going steady
This line humorously proposes regulating romantic relationships, indicating the absurdity of valuing popularity and superficiality over true feelings in relationships.

I think it will keep people more able to deal with weird situations
This line highlights the ridiculousness of the idea of putting a timer on a relationship and trying to regulate something as random and fluid as human connections.

And get to know more people
This is a genuine advice to explore new friendships and relationships without being bound in toxic, controlling relationships.

I think if you're ready to go out with Johnny, now's the time to tell him about your one-month limit
The song further pokes fun at the idea of a relationship with a timer, suggesting that it is absurd to even bring it up with Johnny.

He won't mind, he'll appreciate your fresh look on dating
This line humorously suggests that a one-month relationship limit is acceptable and will sound fresh and intelligent to Johnny.

And once you've dated someone else you can date him again
This line is poking fun at the idea that you can pause a romantic relationship and simply resume it after exploring other options, again highlighting the absurdity of committing to a relationship with an arbitrary end date.

I'm sure he'll like it, everyone will appreciate it
This line ridicules the notion of the one-month limit as being innovative and thoughtful while being absurd and pointless.

You're so novel, what a good idea
This line sarcastically praises the arbitrary limit to further emphasize its baselessness

You can keep you time to yourself
This is a sincere advice to have control over personal situations and spend time constructively without being tied to unhealthy relationships.

You don't need date insurance
This line further ridicules the concept of the one-month limit, pointing out that people do not need to artificially force a relationship with a time limit to feel secure and happy.

You can go out with whoever you want to
This line encourages the listener to be independent and not feel bound to specific people or relationships.

Every boy, every boy, in the whole world could be yours, if you'll just listen to my plan, the Teenage Guide to Popularity
The song depicts the shallow and absurd notion of the teenage popularity culture and exaggerates to point out the negative influences that it has on both individuals and society.