The band is best known for the song "Popular", released as a single from their aformentioned debut. The song reached #11 on the US Billboard Alternative Songs chart and propelled the album itself to #63 on the Billboard 200. Each of the verses in "Popular" are extracted from the 1964 guide 'Penny's Guide to Teen-Age Charm and Popularity', a work by former teen television actress Gloria Winters, and the lyrics are sarcastically spoken, with a calm, deadpan voice used initially that gradually builds Kinison-style in teen angst and rage.
The groups follow-up effort, an album titled 'The Proximity Effect', failed to garner as much attention due to music industry shenanigans. The band explains on their official website:
Nada Surf recorded The Proximity Effect in 1998 with Fred Maher (Luna, Lou Reed, Matthew Sweet). It was a mighty fine record. Elektra [now part of Atlantic], claiming they "didn’t hear a single," asked the band to go back in the studio to hunt for one. As this was months after they’d handed the record in, the band refused and were dropped. It’s pretty safe to say, though, that Elektra didn’t appear to be "listening" very hard. The Proximity Effect was released as scheduled in Europe. Critics loved it and fans bought it. Elektra still didn’t care, but the band still did. So after wrestling the rights back, Nada Surf released The Proximity Effect stateside in 2000 on their own label, MarDev Records, and toured accordingly...
After a three-year wait, the group released Let Go through Barsuk Records to positive reviews. The song "Inside of Love" received some airplay and even reached #73 in the United Kingdom, a feat which neither "Popular" nor the other two previously released singles from Let Go achieved. On the strength of the single, the album reached #31 on Billboard's Top Independent Albums chart.
The band's fourth album, The Weight Is a Gift, was released in Germany on September 5, 2005, by City Slang Records, in Japan/Australia September 12th and in the US September 13th by Barsuk, and in the rest of Europe September 19th by V2/City Slang. It was produced by Chris Walla of the band Death Cab for Cutie, Louie Lino and Nada Surf. The album's lead single is "Always Love."
In 2008, Lucky was released. In 2010 the band returned to the scene triumphantly with the cover-album If I Had a Hi-Fi, revealing a diversity in source material whilst re-moulding it into trademark Nada Surf songs.
The band announced a new record will be released in January, 2012 called " The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy." The first single is called "When I was Young" and is available free to download from the band's website. On Oct 24th, 2011, the song was also featured as an NPR "Song of the Day"
Evolution
Nada Surf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Buscas vida extraterrestre.
En mi nave tengo sitio, vamonos,
Vamos a ninguna parte.
Evolución,
Evolución.
Escuchar como crugía tu motor.
Llevame contigo, llevame de aqui,
Que me estrelle si soy feliz.
Evolución,
Evolución.
Es un bicho raro, cambia de color
Su cabeza distorsiona, es un ciclón.
Pero si me dice, ven y vamonos.
Yo contigo, al fin del mundo.
Evolución,
Evolución.
Evolución,
Evolución.
Evolución.
The song "Evolution" by Nada Surf talks about the desire to escape from the mundanity of life through a journey of self-discovery. The lyrics describe a person who is not satisfied with what the world has to offer and wants to find life beyond Earth. The singer offers to take this person on a journey in their spaceship, leaving everything behind and going "nowhere". The chorus "Evolución, Evolución" reflects the idea of evolving and changing, both physically and mentally, through new experiences and surroundings.
The second verse talks about the person's love for the sound of their engine, and the singer asks to be taken along on their journey. The lines "Llevame contigo, llevame de aquí, que me estrelle si soy feliz" translate to "Take me with you, take me away from here, even if it means we crash, as long as I am happy". This highlights the desire for change, even if it comes with risks and uncertainties.
Line by Line Meaning
No te gusta nada de lo que hay aquí,
You don't like anything that's here.
Buscas vida extraterrestre.
You're searching for extraterrestrial life.
En mi nave tengo sitio, vamonos,
In my spaceship, there's room for you, let's go.
Vamos a ninguna parte.
We're going nowhere in particular.
Evolución,
Evolution,
Evolución.
Evolution.
Desde que eras muy pequeña te gustó,
Ever since you were little, you liked
Escuchar como crugía tu motor.
Listening to your engine crunching.
Llevame contigo, llevame de aqui,
Take me with you, take me away from here,
Que me estrelle si soy feliz.
I don't care if I crash as long as I'm happy.
Es un bicho raro, cambia de color
It's a strange creature that changes color,
Su cabeza distorsiona, es un ciclón.
Its head distorts, it's a whirlwind.
Pero si me dice, ven y vamonos.
But if it tells me, 'come and let's go,'
Yo contigo, al fin del mundo.
I'll go with you to the end of the world.
Evolución,
Evolution,
Evolución,
Evolution,
Evolución.
Evolution.
Contributed by Savannah V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Tefa Racines
No te gusta nada de lo que hay aquí,
buscas vida extraterrestre.
En mi nave tengo sitio,
vamonos,vamos a ninguna parte.
Evolución, evolución.
Desde que eras muy pequeña te gustó,
escuchar como crugía tu motor.
Llevame contigo, llevame de aqui,
que me estrelle si soy feliz.
Evolución,evolución.
Es un bicho raro,
cambia de color su cabeza distorsiona,
es un ciclón.
Pero si me dice, ven y vamonos.
Yo contigo, al fin del mundo.
Evolución
Tefa Racines
No te gusta nada de lo que hay aquí,
buscas vida extraterrestre.
En mi nave tengo sitio,
vamonos,vamos a ninguna parte.
Evolución, evolución.
Desde que eras muy pequeña te gustó,
escuchar como crugía tu motor.
Llevame contigo, llevame de aqui,
que me estrelle si soy feliz.
Evolución,evolución.
Es un bicho raro,
cambia de color su cabeza distorsiona,
es un ciclón.
Pero si me dice, ven y vamonos.
Yo contigo, al fin del mundo.
Evolución
Hugo Covelo
Imposible decidirme entre esta versión y la original de Mercromina. Muero por ambas
Studiolimit
¡Menudas covers se marcan Nada Surf! ¡Maravilla!
B. G. V
Pone Mecromina y es Mercromina. Qué recuerdos cuando nos hacíamos daño y nos ponían mercromina... ahora todo el yodo... Y las dos me encantan desde hace años, tanto la original como la cover de Nada Surf
Guille García Martínez
no puedo parar de oirla, es preciosa!!
fcsb steaua
Great cover!!! Enhorabuena!!!
Madamemouse
Fantastic cover!
Natashaboris
Very, very Beatlesque (you just KNOW John Lennon would have been all over this), psychedelic, and just...Wow!
Your youtubevision
Genial!
Miss Takes
I don't understand a word they say, but I love itttt