She first gained fame with her trip hop-inspired debut album, Whoa, Nelly! (2000), which was a critical and commercial success that spawned two top-10 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, "I'm Like a Bird" and "Turn Off the Light". The first of the two singles won her a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Furtado's introspective folk-heavy 2003 second album, Folklore, explored her Portuguese roots. Its singles received moderate success in Europe, but the album's underperformance compared to her debut was regarded as a sophomore slump.
Furtado's third album, Loose (2006), was a smash hit and became her bestselling album, with more than 10 million copies sold worldwide, also making it one of the bestselling albums of the 2000s. Considered a radical image reinvention, Furtado continued to explore her Portuguese heritage while leaning heavier into hip hop. The album spawned four successful number-one singles worldwide; "Promiscuous", "Maneater", "Say It Right" and "All Good Things (Come to an End)".
She released her first Spanish-language album, Mi Plan, in 2009, which won her a Latin Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Album. In 2012, Furtado released her nostalgia-inspired fifth album The Spirit Indestructible. Furtado split with her management and went independent thereafter, releasing her indie-pop sixth album, The Ride, in 2017 under her own label Nelstar Entertainment.
She has won many awards throughout her career, including one Grammy Award from seven nominations, one Latin Grammy Award, ten Juno Awards, one BRIT Award, one Billboard Music Award, one MTV Europe Music Award, one World Music Award, and three Much Music Video Awards. Furtado has a star on Canada's Walk of Fame, and was awarded Commander of the Order of Prince Henry on February 28, 2014, by Aníbal Cavaco Silva, the then-President of Portugal.
Undercover
Nelly Furtado Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Coming at me, coming at me, coming all the while, and
And I like to stare
When you walk by, when you walk by
There's something in the air, yeah
And I like to wave (wave)
Oh I never seen myself in such a crazy
I'm not insane
I think I'd like to know you
Cause then maybe I'd see right through you
I'd kinda like to get to know you
But then maybe baby I'd see right through you
Why you got your head down
Why you looking at the ground
Shifting your eyes away
I want to talk straight
Why you wanna get away
I'm one of your games
Cause Everything you say
Is old and late
I can't get in if you keep on running
I can't get in if your heart keeps jumping
You've got another lover
You're still undercover
And you look so good
I like you so bad I gotta kno ck on wood, yeah
You know I want you
So you keep me hanging in the ring you know you do
That's how you play (play)
I don't care cause' I'll be here anyway, and
I'll play your game
As long as I can win it at the end of the day, and
I think I'd like to know you
Cause then maybe I'd see right through you
I'd kinda like to get to know you
But then maybe baby I'd see right through you
Why you got your head down
Why you looking at the ground
Shifting your eyes away
I want to talk straight
Why you wanna get away
I'm one of your games
Cause everything you say
Is old and late
I can't get in if you keep on running
I can't get in if your heart keeps jumping
You've got another lover
You're still undercover
Watch, watch it now, watch it come around the corner
Watch, watch it now, watch it come around the corner
Watch, watch it now, watch it come around the corner
You turn your head around like you were a transformer
Watch, watch it now, watch it come around the corner (watch it now)
Watch, watch it now, watch it come around the corner (watch it now)
Watch, watch it now, watch it come around the corner (watch it now)
Turn my head around like i was a transformer
Why you got your head down
Why you looking at the ground
Shifting your eyes away
I want to talk straight
Why you wanna get away
I'm one of your games
Cause Everything you say
Is old and late
I can't get in if you keep on running
I can't get in if your heart keeps jumping
Why you got your head down
Why you looking at the ground
Shifting your eyes away
I want to talk straight
Why you wanna get away
I'm one of your games
Cause Everything you say
Is old and late
I can't get in if you keep on running
I can't get in if your heart keeps jumping
Why you got your head down
Why you looking at the ground
Shifting your eyes away
I want to talk straight
Why you wanna get away
I'm one of your games
Cause Everything you say
Is old and late
I can't get in if you keep on running
I can't get in if your heart keeps jumping
You've got another lover
You're still undercover
Whoo hooo, Whoo Hoo
i'm not the only one
Whoo hooo, Whoo Hoo
I'm not the only one
Whoo hooo, Whoo Hoo
I'm not the only one
The only one
The song "Undercover" by Nelly Furtado is about a woman who is attracted to a man who is keeping his true feelings and identity hidden. The lyrics suggest that the man is playing games with her, keeping her hanging on while simultaneously pushing her away. The woman is intrigued by this mysterious man and wants to get to know him better, even though she suspects that he may not be as he appears.
The opening lyrics indicate that the woman is physically drawn to the man's style and presence. However, she is also immediately aware that there is something that he is not revealing. She says, "I'm not insane, But I already have your number and I know your name." The chorus of the song suggests that the woman wants to know the man better to see if she can figure out his true intentions and get to the bottom of what he is hiding. The repetition of the line "I think I'd like to know you, Cause then maybe I'd see right through you" reinforces the woman's desire to unravel the mystery that surrounds the man.
The second verse addresses the man directly, with the woman asking why he keeps his head down and avoids eye contact. She wants to talk straight with him and understand why he is playing games with her. However, the man continues to keep his true feelings hidden, leading to the woman feeling frustrated and questioning whether she can ever really get to know him.
Overall, "Undercover" is a song about the complexities of relationships and the desire to know someone on a deeper level, even when they are hiding their true selves.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah I like your style
I am attracted to your attitude and behavior
Coming at me, coming at me, coming all the while, and
You are approaching me persistently and regularly
And I like to stare
I enjoy looking at you for an extended period of time
When you walk by, when you walk by
When you pass by me
There's something in the air, yeah
There is an unspoken feeling or vibe between us
And I like to wave (wave)
I like to greet you by waving my hand
Oh I never seen myself in such a crazy
I have never acted so impulsively
I'm not insane
I am not mentally ill
But I already have your number and I know your name, and
I already have your contact information and know your identity
I think I'd like to know you
I am interested in getting to know you better
Cause then maybe I'd see right through you
Because by knowing you better, I might understand your true intentions and personality
I'd kinda like to get to know you
I am curious about who you are and want to learn more about you
Why you got your head down
Why are you avoiding eye contact
Why you looking at the ground
Why are you staring at the floor
Shifting your eyes away
Moving your gaze elsewhere
I want to talk straight
I want to communicate directly and honestly with you
Why you wanna get away
Why do you want to leave or distance yourself
I'm one of your games
I am one of the people you are playing mind games with
Cause Everything you say
Because everything you say
Is old and late
Is outdated or already heard before
I can't get in if you keep on running
I cannot make a connection with you if you keep avoiding me
I can't get in if your heart keeps jumping
I cannot form a bond with you if your feelings are inconsistent or erratic
You've got another lover
You are in a romantic relationship with someone else
You're still undercover
You are still hiding something from me or the world
And you look so good
You have an attractive appearance
I like you so bad I gotta kno ck on wood, yeah
I like you so much that I must knock on wood for good luck
You know I want you
You are aware that I desire to be with you
So you keep me hanging in the ring you know you do
So you keep me waiting and uncertain of your intentions
That's how you play (play)
That is how you act or behave
I don't care cause' I'll be here anyway, and
I do not mind waiting because I will be patient despite the uncertainty of the situation
I'll play your game
I will participate in your manipulation and games
As long as I can win it at the end of the day, and
As long as I can emerge victorious in the end
Watch, watch it now, watch it come around the corner
Be alert because something is about to happen soon
You turn your head around like you were a transformer
You move your head quickly, resembling the movements of a transforming robot
Whoo hooo, Whoo Hoo
Sound of excitement or joy
i'm not the only one
I am not the only person who feels this way
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LESTER MENDEZ, NELLY FURTADO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind