When I Was Young
Nada Surf Lyrics

The lyrics of Nada Surf's song "When I Was Young" evoke a sense of nostalgia and reflection on the passage of time. The opening lines speak to the transformative power of love, how it can provide purpose and direction in life, steering us away from aimless wandering and towards a more focused existence. The imagery of time saved by love suggests that when we find someone or something to love, we become more efficient and driven in our pursuits.

The mention of carrying pictures in a pretend wallet and heavily editing ourselves hints at the ways in which we present ourselves to the world, often through curated and filtered versions of reality. The desire for better handwriting and longer days at the park points to a longing for a simpler and more picturesque life, free from the complications and conflicts that can arise in relationships. The references to the professor and Marianne suggest a longing for an idealized version of companionship and domestic bliss.

The refrain "When I was young, I didn’t know if I was better off with sleep over" reflects on the uncertainty and naivety of youth, when we may have taken simple pleasures like sleepovers for granted. As we grow older, we begin to question the dreams and aspirations we had as children, wondering what the world we imagined was truly like. The repetition of these lines underscores the theme of introspection and self-discovery that runs throughout the song.

The final lines of the song, with the mention of a regular shirt and the longing for the world that was dreamed of, speak to a yearning for a sense of belonging and fulfillment that may have been lost in the passage of time. The repetition of the question "What was that world I was dreaming of" suggests a sense of longing and nostalgia for a past that may have been idealized or enhanced in memory. Overall, "When I Was Young" captures the bittersweet nature of growing up and the complexities of finding meaning and purpose in a constantly changing world.