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.
(Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung)
(Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung)
(Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung)
(Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung)
Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream (bung, bung, bung, bung)
Make him the cutest that I've ever seen (bung, bung, bung, bung)
Give him two lips like roses and clover (bung, bung, bung, bung)
Then tell him that his lonesome nights are over
Sandman, I'm so alone (bung, bung, bung, bung)
Don't have nobody to call my own (bung, bung, bung, bung)
Please turn on your magic beam
Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream
(Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung)
(Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung)
(Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung)
(Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung)
Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream
Make him the cutest that I've ever seen
Give him the word that I'm not a rover
Then tell him that his lonesome nights are over
Sandman, I'm so alone
Don't have nobody to call my own
Please turn on your magic beam
Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream
(Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung)
(Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung)
(Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung)
(Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung)
Mr. Sandman (yes) bring us a dream
Give him a pair of eyes with a "come-hither" gleam
Give him a lonely heart like Pagliacci
And lots of wavy hair like Liberace
Mr. Sandman, someone to hold (someone to hold)
Would be so peachy before we're too old
So please turn on your magic beam
Mr. Sandman, bring us, please, please, please
Mr. Sandman, bring us a dream
(Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung)
(Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung)
(Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung)
(Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung)
(Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung)
Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream (bung, bung, bung, bung)
Make him the cutest that I've ever seen (bung, bung, bung, bung)
Give him two lips like roses and clover (bung, bung, bung, bung)
Then tell him that his lonesome nights are over
Sandman, I'm so alone (bung, bung, bung, bung)
Don't have nobody to call my own (bung, bung, bung, bung)
Please turn on your magic beam
Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream
(Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung)
(Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung)
(Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung)
(Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung)
Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream
Make him the cutest that I've ever seen
Give him the word that I'm not a rover
Then tell him that his lonesome nights are over
Sandman, I'm so alone
Don't have nobody to call my own
Please turn on your magic beam
Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream
(Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung)
(Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung)
(Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung)
(Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung)
Mr. Sandman (yes) bring us a dream
Give him a pair of eyes with a "come-hither" gleam
Give him a lonely heart like Pagliacci
And lots of wavy hair like Liberace
Mr. Sandman, someone to hold (someone to hold)
Would be so peachy before we're too old
So please turn on your magic beam
Mr. Sandman, bring us, please, please, please
Mr. Sandman, bring us a dream
(Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung)
(Bung, bung, bung, bung, bung, bung)
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omg this rox me sox.