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.
Stay with me
You're the one that I need
You make the hardest things
Seem easy
Keep my heart
Somewhere drugs don't go
Where the sun shines low
Always keep me close
If only you could see
The stranger next to me
You promise, you promise that you're done
But I can't tell you from the drugs
Don't let go
Dig a great big hole
Down an endless hole
We'll both go
You're so blind
You can't save me this time
Hope comes from inside
And I feel so low tonight
If only you could see
The stranger next to me
You promise, you promise that you're done
But I can't tell you from the drugs
I wish that you could see
This face in front of me
You're sorry, you swear it, you're done
But I can't tell you from the drugs
(Oh)
(Oh)
(Oh)
(Oh)
(Take me) I need your help
(So far away) to pull me up, take the pain
(Take me) out from me
(So far away) out from me
(Take me) if only you could see (I need your help)
(So far away) the stranger next to me (to pull me up take the pain)
(Take me) you promise, you promise that you're done (out from me)
(So far away) but I can't tell you from the drugs (out from me)
(Take me) I wish that you could see (I need your help)
(So far away) this face in front of me (to pull me up take the pain)
(Take me) you're sorry, you swear it, you're done (out from me)
(So far away) but I can't tell you from the drugs (out from me)
Keep my heart
Somewhere drugs don't go
Where the sun shines low
Always keep me close
You're the one that I need
You make the hardest things
Seem easy
Keep my heart
Somewhere drugs don't go
Where the sun shines low
Always keep me close
If only you could see
The stranger next to me
You promise, you promise that you're done
But I can't tell you from the drugs
Don't let go
Dig a great big hole
Down an endless hole
We'll both go
You're so blind
You can't save me this time
Hope comes from inside
And I feel so low tonight
If only you could see
The stranger next to me
You promise, you promise that you're done
But I can't tell you from the drugs
I wish that you could see
This face in front of me
You're sorry, you swear it, you're done
But I can't tell you from the drugs
(Oh)
(Oh)
(Oh)
(Oh)
(Take me) I need your help
(So far away) to pull me up, take the pain
(Take me) out from me
(So far away) out from me
(Take me) if only you could see (I need your help)
(So far away) the stranger next to me (to pull me up take the pain)
(Take me) you promise, you promise that you're done (out from me)
(So far away) but I can't tell you from the drugs (out from me)
(Take me) I wish that you could see (I need your help)
(So far away) this face in front of me (to pull me up take the pain)
(Take me) you're sorry, you swear it, you're done (out from me)
(So far away) but I can't tell you from the drugs (out from me)
Keep my heart
Somewhere drugs don't go
Where the sun shines low
Always keep me close
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Like blessthebeloved said, it really is about someone's significant other or friend or somebody close... and their addiction to drugs.
"If only you could see the stranger next to me"
He's talking about how his friend or whomever is not the same person whilst they are on drugs.
"You promised you promised that you're done But I can't tell you from the drugs"
His friend says that they're done with the drugs... but his friend can't stop.
"Keep my heart somewhere drugs don't go"
I think that line has so much significance to this song... He doesn't want his friend to fall so much into the addiction that they forget all about him. He wants his friend to keep him close to his heart no matter what.
I adore this song... too powerful. Too close to home.
XoXo