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"
Hi-Speed Soul
Nada Surf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On this earth?
You see the creatures all do their dances
Back and forth
You get restless and then you join them
On the floor
Suddenly it is tomorrow
It's not today anymore
You talk to the ceiling every day
The speakers are shaking
Why do i hear you okay?
They're playing soul at the wrong speed
It sounds right now
What are you doing to me?
D'you ever feel like what we call real life
Is not so real?
Tripping up on the same old problems
You had last year
Well we'll pretend it's another planet
Not so uptight
The stars are shining above the city
Every night
They come every night
You talk to the ceiling every day
The speakers are shaking
Why do i hear you okay?
They're playing soul at the wrong speed
It sounds right now
What are you doing to me?
Where are we going?
I don't care.
Our friends all left
Let's go anywhere.
It's getting late
I don't care.
It's just you and me
Nada Surf's song "Hi-Speed Soul" is about feeling out of place in the world, yet finding a sense of belonging in music. The opening lyrics express the feeling of suddenly finding oneself on Earth and observing the dances of the creatures around them. The restlessness that comes with feeling out of place leads to joining the other dancers, losing oneself in the moment until it is tomorrow and everything has changed.
The next verse reflects on the idea that real life may not actually feel real, as we continually trip up on the same problems year after year. To escape this cycle, the song suggests pretending we are on another planet where things are less uptight. The stars above the city shine every night, providing a sense of timelessness and possibility.
In the chorus, the lyrics describe the feeling of being played "soul at the wrong speed," which sounds right in the moment. This could be interpreted as a metaphor for finding a sense of belonging and meaning in something unexpected or unconventional. The singer is perplexed by what this sensation is doing to them, but also seems to be embracing it.
The final lines express a desire to escape with a loved one, not caring where they go or what time it is. In this way, the song captures the feeling of being lost and searching for something deeper, yet finding a sense of freedom and joy in the search itself.
Line by Line Meaning
Do you ever feel like you just landed
On this earth?
Have you ever experienced the feeling of being new to this world?
You see the creatures all do their dances
Back and forth
You observe how everything and everyone is going about their daily routines.
You get restless and then you join them
On the floor
You start feeling anxious and you decide to participate in the daily routines as well.
Suddenly it is tomorrow
It's not today anymore
It's not today anymore
Time flies by and you realize that it's already the next day.
You talk to the ceiling every day
The speakers are shaking
Why do i hear you okay?
You speak to the ceiling every day and the artists are vibrating, but you're still able to hear everything clearly.
They're playing soul at the wrong speed
It sounds right now
What are you doing to me?
The music is being played at the wrong speed, but it sounds correct at this moment. You're unsure why this is happening.
D'you ever feel like what we call real life
Is not so real?
Tripping up on the same old problems
You had last year
Have you ever felt like real life isn't actually real? Are you still facing the same issues that you had last year?
Well we'll pretend it's another planet
Not so uptight
The stars are shining above the city
Every night
They come every night
Let's pretend that we're on a different planet where everything isn't so stressful. The stars shine above the city every night.
Where are we going?
I don't care.
Our friends all left
Let's go anywhere.
Where are we headed? It doesn't matter to me. Our friends have all departed, so let's go anywhere.
It's getting late
I don't care.
It's just you and me
It's becoming late, but I'm not concerned. It's only you and me that matter.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: DANIEL PRIETO CASTRO LORCA, IRA ELLIOT, MATTHEW RORISON CAWS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@IzzyMyall-rf4yf
Do you ever feel like you just landed
On this earth?
See the creatures all do their dances
Back and forth
You get restless and then you join them
On the floor
Suddenly it's tomorrow
It's not today anymore
You talk to the ceiling every day
The speakers are shaking
Why do i hear you okay?
They're playing soul at the wrong speed
It sounds right now
What are you doing to me?
D'you ever feel like what we call real life
Is not so real?
Tripping up on the same old problems
You had last year
Well we'll pretend it's another planet
Not so uptight
The stars are shining above the city
Every night
They come every night
[chorus]
Where are we going?
I don't care
Our friends all left
Let's go anywhere
It's getting late
I don't care
It's just you and me
Let's go anywhere
@lecherousjester
This song sent me down a rabbit hole, their drummer is criminally underrated. They're all super talented musicians but when you isolate the drums in this song you realize he's on another level.
@gabrielw.7324
I used to see this band all the time growing up in new york. I remember people would shout "dont play popular!" Popular dropped when i was going on 13 and in 7th grade. By the time i was 16 proximity effect had dropped and i was still a huge fan, and could actually see the band in clubs and talk to them. It was just such a rad time for music in nyc at the time.
@d-fens4878
prowler 907 I ve been a long time fan as well. Just saw the band playing a couple of weeks ago in South of France. At the end of the gig, Daniel joined us at the bar and paid a beer to us all, while Matthew was chatting, dedicating merch and thanking fans for coming. Beyond being an amazing band and highly talented guys, they're extraordinary human beings.
@trevgreg2
They'll still come out and talk too. I met Matthew for the first time a few years ago after a show, and he took selfies and signed while talking to everyone. Even got to show him the ticket stub from my very first concert ever (which happened to be this very band, haha).
@fredmantani3611
Me encanta..te quiero Nada surf❤❤
@arunchand1103
Regular listener of Nadasurf from India
@abhiskekrachit1411
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ my bro!
@garretpeterson7066
Based
@MatheusRodrigues-espanicka
How gratifying to see the band posting the videos clip. In fact, this is one of the songs that I think most fantastic of the band.
@franklinbumgartener1323
I've seen these guys multiple times. I've met them. I've listened to their records. ... But it just dawned on me. They are the essence of 'cool.'