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 "didnât hear a single," asked the band to go back in the studio to hunt for one. As this was months after theyâd handed the record in, the band refused and were dropped. Itâs pretty safe to say, though, that Elektra didnât appear to be "listening" very hard. The Proximity Effect was released as scheduled in Europe. Critics loved it and fans bought it. Elektra still didnât 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"
Looking Through
Nada Surf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm just looking through
I am watching your life
You're watching mine too
Can I join you for a
Circle on the ride
They say you die of shame
Is it true? Is it done?
Is it over?
Is it true? Is it done?
Is it over?
Are you dancing? Are you dancing it at all?
Are you dancing? Are you dancing it at all?
Move away from memory
Move to the core
Didn't notice anything
No frame to the door
Every birthday candle
That ever got blown out
Is one more year of someone trying
To figure it all out
Is it true? Is it done?
Is it over?
Is it true? Is it done?
Is it over?
Are you dancing? Are you dancing at all?
Are you dancing? Are you dancing at all?
But still the same
I shall turn the same way to my name
Don't say you need trouble
To run from, to run
We see lines of symmetry
Sometimes when there are none
I really like it quiet
But I really like it loud
Always changing but never changing
Never can slow down
Is it true? Is it done?
Is it over?
Is it true? Is it done?
Is it over?
Are you dancing? Are you dancing at all?
Are you dancing? Are you dancing at all?
You better start dancing
Are you dancing at all?
You better start dancing
Are you dancing at all?
Are you dancing at all?
Are you dancing at all?
Are you dancing at all?
Are you dancing at all?
Are you dancing at all?
Are you dancing at all?
In "Looking Through" by Nada Surf, the singer claims that they are merely observing life rather than fully experiencing it. They mention how they are watching the lives of others and others, in turn, are observing theirs. Although they ask to join for the "circle on the ride," they wonder if it's worth it, questioning whether true understanding is possible. They raise a more significant concern about the passage of time, reflected in each birthday candle blown out signifying another year of someone struggling to "figure it all out."
The singer urges the listener to move beyond their memories and focus on the present. They urge the listener to not seek trouble and find patterns and balance even when they are not there. The singer emphasizes that they enjoy both silence and noise and always changing, yet they find themselves unable to slow down. At the end of the song, the singer repeatedly asks the listener if they are dancing and even encourages them to start dancing, possibly as a metaphor for truly immersing themselves in life.
Overall, "Looking Through" is a philosophical song that ponders the reality of living, the struggle for understanding, and the passage of time. It questions whether true understanding is possible after observing life, and encourages the listener to live in the present and not be afraid to fully engage in life.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm not really here I
I am not physically present where you see me, but rather, I am in a mental state where I am just observing and not interacting.
I'm just looking through
I am merely observing the scenario in front of me but not actively participating in it myself.
I am watching your life
I am paying close attention to the way you are living your life and the decisions you are making.
You're watching mine too
In the same way, you are also observing the things I do and the way I live my life.
Can I join you for a circle on the ride
May I become a part of your social circle and embark on all of life's ups and downs together?
They say you die of shame not cold in the wild
Rumors suggest that instead of natural forces like cold weather, the feeling of shame is more capable of killing a human being.
Is it true? Is it done? Is it over?
Do you believe what I'm asking? Is there any truth to my claims? Or is the matter closed and irrelevant already?
Are you dancing? Are you dancing it at all?
Are you enjoying living your life to the fullest or just going through the motions aimlessly?
Move away from memory, Move to the core, Didn't notice anything, No frame to the door
Forget the crucial past and concentrate on the present. The focus should be on the crux and not on other contributions. There is nothing in sight, and there are no limitations.
Every birthday candle that ever got blown out, Is one more year of someone trying, To figure it all out
Each time we celebrate our birthday, we look back on another year that has passed by, in which we tried to understand the world and make sense of it.
But still the same, I shall turn the same way to my name
Even though circumstances change, I will always be loyal to my identity and who I am.
Don't say you need trouble, To run from, to run
Do not create calamity to flee from the present situations that are uncomfortable in life.
We see lines of symmetry, Sometimes when there are none
We see symmetry and uniformity in the world, even if it does not exist in reality.
I really like it quiet, But I really like it loud
I enjoy different situations, perspectives, and experiences â sometimes the peace and other times the loud chaos.
Always changing but never changing, Never can slow down
While various factors can bring changes to life, the pace of these transformations never decreases.
You better start dancing, Are you dancing at all?
You need to commence enjoying your life's journey, and are you expressing joys in life at all?
Are you dancing at all?
Are you genuinely enjoying living your life or merely going through the motions?
Are you dancing at all?
Are you relishing the essence of life through good and bad times or just existing?
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: DANIEL PRIETO CASTRO LORCA, IRA ELLIOT, MATTHEW RORISON CAWS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
kristenVEVO
I'm not really here I -
I'm just looking through
I am watching your life
You're watching mine too
Can I join you for a -
Circle on the ride
They say you die of shame
Not cold in the wild
Is it true? Is it done?
Is it over?
Is it true? Is it done?
Is it over?
Are you dancing? Are you dancing it at all?
Are you dancing? Are you dancing it at all?
Move away from memory
Move to the core
Didn't notice anything
No frame to the door
Every birthday candle
That ever got blown out
Is one more year of someone trying
To figure it all out
Is it true? Is it done?
Is it over?
Is it true? Is it done?
Is it over?
Are you dancing? Are you dancing at all?
Are you dancing? Are you dancing at all?
But still the same
I shall turn the same way to my name
Don't say you need trouble
To run from, to run
We see lines of symmetry
Sometimes when there are none
I really like it quiet
But I really like it loud
Always changing but never changing
Never can slow down
Is it true? Is it done?
Is it over?
Is it true? Is it done?
Is it over?
Are you dancing? Are you dancing at all?
Are you dancing? Are you dancing at all?
You better start dancing
Are you dancing at all?
You better start dancing
Are you dancing at all?
Are you dancing at all?
Are you dancing at all?
Are you dancing at all?
Are you dancing at all?
Are you dancing at all?
Are you dancing at all?
đžPhenix Returns đ„
Nada surf is an amazing band with great singer-composer :great guitar licks -melodies like this : it' s awesome with backing vocals
katrinaar
cannot wait to catch them live!!âĄ
ElisDaf
They are so much better on stage. Good music, great performers
kristenVEVO
I'm not really here I -
I'm just looking through
I am watching your life
You're watching mine too
Can I join you for a -
Circle on the ride
They say you die of shame
Not cold in the wild
Is it true? Is it done?
Is it over?
Is it true? Is it done?
Is it over?
Are you dancing? Are you dancing it at all?
Are you dancing? Are you dancing it at all?
Move away from memory
Move to the core
Didn't notice anything
No frame to the door
Every birthday candle
That ever got blown out
Is one more year of someone trying
To figure it all out
Is it true? Is it done?
Is it over?
Is it true? Is it done?
Is it over?
Are you dancing? Are you dancing at all?
Are you dancing? Are you dancing at all?
But still the same
I shall turn the same way to my name
Don't say you need trouble
To run from, to run
We see lines of symmetry
Sometimes when there are none
I really like it quiet
But I really like it loud
Always changing but never changing
Never can slow down
Is it true? Is it done?
Is it over?
Is it true? Is it done?
Is it over?
Are you dancing? Are you dancing at all?
Are you dancing? Are you dancing at all?
You better start dancing
Are you dancing at all?
You better start dancing
Are you dancing at all?
Are you dancing at all?
Are you dancing at all?
Are you dancing at all?
Are you dancing at all?
Are you dancing at all?
Are you dancing at all?
bex bee
Listening to this live last night at Manchester Academy 3 was awesome.
Surrealms
God what a great pop rock number!
Lizardroid
Are you dancing, are dancing.... love the guitars of Nada Surf!
đžPhenix Returns đ„
amazing band -creator
Vincent
This is a legend
Carlos Augusto
I can't stop to lisen this song!