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.
You walked away away from us
Pulling weeds in the later afternoon sun
Off somewhere alone to take one last look at a life you had begun
And I set off my boots on gravel
Potholed lane just tagging on
Looked both ways down the fire road
To see which way you had gone
Been sipping tea all day from a pot
Steeping slowly on the stove
Explored a cave into the bay
Along Canadian shield coast
Moss covered crevices line the inside of my brain
I got lost in the overgrowth
You dont notice time and it gets late
I thank my lucky starts tonight that you are here
Your eyes so blue so bright
Good fortune's found me out
Up in Parry Sound I lie
Waiting in sleep until the night goes by
The high was on
You're in mind
Getting ready for something to be something after all this time
And now Im leaning back against your warm coat
Under a setting galaxy
Orions belt with all I felt
It was a wonder I could see
There in that clearing where the treelines shadows
Impose on the blacker sky
I opened my hand for the first time
I thank my lucky stars tonight that you are here
Your eyes so blue so bright
Good fortunes found me out
Up in Parry Sound I lie
Waiting in sleep until the night goes by
Until the night goes by
Pulling weeds in the later afternoon sun
Off somewhere alone to take one last look at a life you had begun
And I set off my boots on gravel
Potholed lane just tagging on
Looked both ways down the fire road
To see which way you had gone
Been sipping tea all day from a pot
Steeping slowly on the stove
Explored a cave into the bay
Along Canadian shield coast
Moss covered crevices line the inside of my brain
I got lost in the overgrowth
You dont notice time and it gets late
I thank my lucky starts tonight that you are here
Your eyes so blue so bright
Good fortune's found me out
Up in Parry Sound I lie
Waiting in sleep until the night goes by
The high was on
You're in mind
Getting ready for something to be something after all this time
And now Im leaning back against your warm coat
Under a setting galaxy
Orions belt with all I felt
It was a wonder I could see
There in that clearing where the treelines shadows
Impose on the blacker sky
I opened my hand for the first time
I thank my lucky stars tonight that you are here
Your eyes so blue so bright
Good fortunes found me out
Up in Parry Sound I lie
Waiting in sleep until the night goes by
Until the night goes by
Lyrics submitted by geekusa
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