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.
Ai-ai-ai-ai
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Ai-ai-ai-ai
Oh-oh-oh-oh
South of the border
Down Mexico way
That's where I fell in love
When stars above came out to play
And now as I wonder
My thoughts ever stray
South of the border
Down Mexico way
She was the picture
In old Spanish lace
Just for a tender while
I kissed the smile
Upon her face
For it was siesta
And we were so gay
South of the border
Down Mexico way
Then she sighed as she whispered, "Manana"
Never dreaming that we were parting
And I lied as I whispered, "Manana"
For our tomorrow never came
South of the border
I rode back one day
There in a veil of white by candlelight
She kneeled to pray
The mission bells told me
That I musn't stay
South of the border
Down mexico way
Ai-ai-ai-ai
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Ai-ai-ai-ai
Oh-oh-oh-oh
South of the border
Down Mexico way
That's where I fell in love
When stars above came out to play
And now as I wonder
My thoughts ever stray
South of the border
Down Mexico way
She was the picture
In old Spanish lace
Just for a tender while
I kissed the smile
Upon her face
For it was siesta
And we were so gay
South of the border
Down Mexico way
Then she sighed as she whispered, "Manana"
Never dreaming that we were parting
And I lied as I whispered, "Manana"
For our tomorrow never came
South of the border
I rode back one day
There in a veil of white by candlelight
She kneeled to pray
The mission bells told me
That I musn't stay
South of the border
Down mexico way
Ai-ai-ai-ai
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
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What's the meaning of "the mission bells told me that I mustn't stay" ? What do mission bells have to do with anything?!