Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Wish I may, wish I might
Have this I wish tonight
Are you satisfied?
Dig for gold, dig for fame
You dig to make your name
Are you pacified?
All the wants you waste
All the things you've chased
Then it all crashes down
And you break your crown
And you point your finger but there's no one around
Just want one thing
Just to play the King
But the castle's crumbled and you're left with just a name
Where's your crown, King Nothing?
Where's your crown?
Hot and cold, bought and sold
A heart as hard as gold
Yeah, are you satisfied?
Wish I might, wish I may
You wish your life away
Are you pacified?
All the wants you waste
All the things you've chased
Then it all crashes down
And you break your crown
And you point your finger but there's no one around
Just want one thing, just to play the King
But the castle's crumbled and you're left with just a name
Where's your crown, King Nothing? (You're nothing)
Oh, where's your crown?
I wish I may, wish I might
Have this wish, I wish tonight
I want that star, I want it now
I want it all and I don't care how
Careful what you wish
Careful what you say
Careful what you wish, you may regret it
Careful what you wish, you just might get it
Then it all crashes down
And you break your crown
And you point your finger but there's no one around
Just want one thing
Just to play the King
But the castle's crumbled and you're left with just a name
Where's your crown, King Nothing? Nothing
Oh, you're just nothing
Where's your crown King Nothing?
No, you're just nothing
Absolutely nothing
Off to never, never land
Have this I wish tonight
Are you satisfied?
Dig for gold, dig for fame
You dig to make your name
Are you pacified?
All the wants you waste
All the things you've chased
Then it all crashes down
And you break your crown
And you point your finger but there's no one around
Just want one thing
Just to play the King
But the castle's crumbled and you're left with just a name
Where's your crown, King Nothing?
Where's your crown?
Hot and cold, bought and sold
A heart as hard as gold
Yeah, are you satisfied?
Wish I might, wish I may
You wish your life away
Are you pacified?
All the wants you waste
All the things you've chased
Then it all crashes down
And you break your crown
And you point your finger but there's no one around
Just want one thing, just to play the King
But the castle's crumbled and you're left with just a name
Where's your crown, King Nothing? (You're nothing)
Oh, where's your crown?
I wish I may, wish I might
Have this wish, I wish tonight
I want that star, I want it now
I want it all and I don't care how
Careful what you wish
Careful what you say
Careful what you wish, you may regret it
Careful what you wish, you just might get it
Then it all crashes down
And you break your crown
And you point your finger but there's no one around
Just want one thing
Just to play the King
But the castle's crumbled and you're left with just a name
Where's your crown, King Nothing? Nothing
Oh, you're just nothing
Where's your crown King Nothing?
No, you're just nothing
Absolutely nothing
Off to never, never land
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I doubt this song was directed at anyone in particular. Rock stars, actors, politicians, lawyers....it's about people who spend their whole lives wishing and working to be the best at material pursuits and not giving anything back to others, and then when their success vanishes, they wonder why they have nothing, because they don't realize or care that they need to give in order to receive.