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"
Imaginary Friends
Nada Surf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Today don't want no one
To tell me how it ends
Took breathing for granted
And now I don' know how to breathe
Something that you planted
Just won't get up and leave
Lenny Bruce's bug eyes
Stare from an LP
Asking me just what kind
Of fight I've got in me
I harbored some ambition
To turn it up like that
I already had roadblocks so
Why'd you have to cheat?
Hey, I'm bewildered
And writing myself notes
That say if you fake happiness
Then no-one knows
Convince yourself
And then you've got it made
There'll be no black of night
There'll just be turned-out lights
It's a long story tell you later
Now the sky looks like turner
From specifics to the dawn
Got so many back-burners
That keep me on
You laughed out loud
About someone who
Couldn't get their shit together
I laughed along, ha ha
I almost wish you knew me better
Hey, calling all imaginary friends
The opening lyrics of Nada Surf's song Imaginary Friends invite a group of imaginary friends to be present with the singer as they face a difficult time. The singer doesn't want any real person to tell them how their situation will end, showing a preference for the non-judgmental presence of the imaginary friends. The following lines express a sense of loss and confusion, with the singer admitting that they took breathing for granted and now struggle to breathe. The cause of this struggle is not explicitly stated, and it is left up to interpretation, but it is clear that the singer is grappling with something that has been planted within them and refuses to leave.
The second verse features a reference to Lenny Bruce, an American stand-up comedian known for his controversial material that pushed boundaries and challenged societal norms. The singer seems to admire Bruce's "fight" and harbors an ambition to "turn it up" like him but feels hindered by "roadblocks." The reference to cheating might imply that someone or something is standing in the way of the singer's ambition. The next lines show the singer attempting to convince themselves that they can fake happiness to be successful, but this self-deception will leave them living in perpetual light with no darkness, no struggle.
The third verse begins with the singer acknowledging that their story is long and complicated, but they will share it later. The sky looking like a painting by J.M.W. Turner, a 19th-century landscape painter known for his vivid, atmospheric paintings of light and water, creates an impression of a scene that holds a notable weight or import. The singer describes having many back-burners, indicating that they have many unresolved issues simmering beneath the surface. The final lines refer back to a previous conversation with a person who laughed at someone's inability to get their "shit" together, and the singer admits that they almost wish this person knew them better.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, calling all imaginary friends
The singer is addressing their imaginary friends, who provide comfort and companionship when they feel alone.
Today don't want no one
The singer does not want anyone else around today.
To tell me how it ends
The singer does not want anyone to spoil the surprise of how their story will unfold.
Took breathing for granted
The artist did not appreciate the simple things in life, like being able to breathe easily.
And now I don' know how to breathe
The artist is struggling to breathe or cope after taking life's blessings for granted.
Something that you planted
The singer is referring to a thought or feeling that someone else inspired in them.
Just won't get up and leave
The thought or feeling is persistent and won't go away.
You only get to play one time
Life is short, and you only get one chance to live it.
Lenny Bruce's bug eyes
The artist is referring to a specific album cover image of Lenny Bruce, which captures his intense expression.
Stare from an LP
The image is from a vinyl album.
Asking me just what kind
The image seems to be questioning the singer's strength and ability to persevere.
Of fight I've got in me
The artist wonders if they have the courage and resilience to overcome obstacles.
I harbored some ambition
The singer had goals and dreams they wanted to achieve.
To turn it up like that
They wanted to be successful in a bold and impressive way.
I already had roadblocks so
The singer had already faced challenges and setbacks on their path to success.
Why'd you have to cheat?
Someone else made things harder for the artist, possibly through deception or betrayal.
Hey, I'm bewildered
The artist is feeling lost and confused.
And writing myself notes
The singer is trying to remind themselves of important things they may forget.
That say if you fake happiness
One of the notes reminds the singer that pretending to be happy won't fool anyone.
Then no-one knows
If the artist hides their true emotions, no one will be able to help them.
Convince yourself
The artist is advising themselves to believe in their own abilities and strengths.
And then you've got it made
If the artist can convince themselves, they can achieve success and happiness.
There'll be no black of night
The singer is hopeful that their future will be bright, without any darkness or difficulty.
There'll just be turned-out lights
The lights may symbolize the end of the journey, or a sense of closure or satisfaction.
It's a long story tell you later
The singer has a complicated or difficult story to tell, but doesn't want to go into it right now.
Now the sky looks like turner
The singer is describing the beautiful, painterly quality of the sky.
From specifics to the dawn
The details of the imagery transition from specific (the sky) to a broader concept (the dawn).
Got so many back-burners
The artist has many unfinished projects or ideas on the back-burner.
That keep me on
Despite the distractions, the artist is still motivated and inspired to create and achieve.
You laughed out loud
Someone else laughed at another person's struggles or failures.
About someone who
The person being mocked is not specified.
Couldn't get their shit together
The person being mocked is struggling to get their life in order or make progress.
I laughed along, ha ha
The artist pretended to find the situation funny and joined in with the laughter.
I almost wish you knew me better
The artist feels misunderstood and wants the other person to know them more deeply.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: DANIEL PRIETO CASTRO LORCA, IRA ELLIOT, MATTHEW RORISON CAWS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Steve Jones
I love the shit out of this song. Heard it the first time in the background at an LA restaurant and just HAD to find out who did this song.
Tornado 77
I discovered it just by listening to random nada surf songs after discovering Popular, I just clicked on a random track on The Weight Is A gift and I fell in love with it, it sad it has so few views :( Nada Surf deserve at least ten thousand time more views