Popular

Nada Surf

About Popular

"Popular" is a song by Nada Surf and the first single from their debut album High/Low. Each of the verses in '"Popular" presents, in spoken word format, sarcastic advice to teens. The song reached number 11 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and propelled the album to number 63 on the Billboard 200. "Popular" was also a big hit in Iceland, topping the country's chart for two weeks, and in France, where it reached number 10 and received a Gold certification for sales of over 250,000. Additionally, the song reached the top 40 in New Zealand, Sweden, and the Wallonia region of Belgium. 


Year:
2005
3:49
312 
#2

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Three important rules for breaking up
Don't put off breaking up when you know you want to
Prolonging the situation only makes it worse
Tell him honestly, simply, kindly, but firmly
Don't make a big production
Don't make up an elaborate story
This will help you avoid a big tear-jerking scene
If you want to date other people say so
Be prepared for the boy to feel hurt and rejected
Even if you've gone together for only a short time,
And haven't been too serious
There's still a feeling of rejection when someone says
She preferres the company of others to your exclusive company
But if you're honest, and direct
And avoid making a flowery emotional speech when you break the news
The boy will respect you for your frankness
And honestly he'll apeciate the kind of straightfoward manner in which you told him your decision
Unless he's a real jerk or a crybaby you will remain friends

I'm head of the class
I'm popular
I'm a quarterback
I'm popular

My mom says I'm a catch
I'm popular
I'm never last picked
I got a cheerleading chick

Being attractive is the most important thing there is
If you want to catch the biggest fish in your pond
You have to be as attractive as possible
Make sure to keep your hair spotless and clean

Wash it at least every two weeks
Once every two weeks
And if you see Jonny football hero in the hall
Tell him he played a great game
Tell him you liked his article in the newspaper

I'm the party star
I'm popular
I got my own car
I'm popular

I'll never get caught
I'm popular
I make football bets
I'm a teacher's pet

I propose we support a one-month limit on going steady
I think it will keep people more able to deal with weird situations
And get to know more people
I think if you're ready to go out with Johnny
Now's the time to tell him about your one-month limit
He won't mind, he'll apreciate your fresh look on dating
And once you've dated someone else you can date him again
I'm sure he'll like did
Everyone will appreciate it
You're so novel, what a good idea
You can keep you time to yourself
You don't need date insurance
You can go out with whoever you want to
Every boy, every boy, in the whole world could be yours
If you'll just listen to my plan
The Teenage Guide To popularity

I'm head of the class
I'm popular
I'm a quarterback
I'm popular

My mom says I'm a catch
I'm popular
I'm never last picked
I got a cheerleading chick

I'm the party star
I'm popular
I've got my own car
I'm popular

I'll never get caught
I'm popular
I'm a teacher's pet
I make football bets

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Nada Surf

Nada Surf is an American alternative rock band which consists of Matthew Caws (guitar, vocals), Ira Elliot (drums, backup vocals), Doug Gillard (lead guitar) and Daniel Lorca (bass, backup vocals). Based in New York and formed in the 1990s, Nada Surf continues to tour, and their most recent studio album, The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy, was released in 2012. more »

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Written by: Matthew Caws, Daniel Lorca

Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Band Origin
"Popular" is a song by the American band Nada Surf, which was formed in 1992 in New York City.
Album Information
This song is from Nada Surf's debut album 'High/Low' that was released on June 18, 1996, by the record label Elektra.
Songwriting and Lyrics
The song was written by Matthew Caws, Daniel Lorca, and Ira Elliot. Its lyrics are a modified and sarcastic take on advice given in the 1964 teen etiquette book 'Penny's Guide to Teen-Age Charm and Popularity.'
Chart Performance
"Popular" reached number 11 on the U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and made it to 63 on the album chart. In Canada, the song stood at number 12 on the alternative music chart.
Music Video
The music video of "Popular" received heavy rotation on MTV and much critical acclaim. It features sequences from a 1950s 'educational film' and was directed by Jesse Peretz.
Satirical Theme
"Popular" is satirical in tone, directly mocking high school life, popularity contests, and stereotyped roles.
Extra Link to High School
Caw's mother is featured in the song. Her words of wisdom from the guidebook are sampled and layered throughout the song.
Pop Culture Reference
Portions of the song were used in a Season 2 episode of 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer,' adding to its popular culture relevance.
Unique Song Structure
The structure of "Popular" is non-standard, without a clear verse-chorus-verse progression, highlighting the band's creative approach to songwriting.
Future Band Direction
Despite the song's success and mainstream exposure, Nada Surf moved away from the pop-punk sound of "Popular" in their subsequent albums and developed a more traditional rock sound.

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