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.
And they met when they mwere young
With one thing in common
Two big city kids lost in a stupid world
Of egoistic boys and lying little girls
And he knows there was something there
'Cause he saw it in her stare
Or does he tell himself that for something
to hold to
Second guessing life 'cause he doesn't
know the truth
And he knows, but he fakes it, that he's
doing okay
And he knows, 'cause he wastes it, his
life and everyday
In his head he's always known
The way the story's supposed to go
But then she left, now she's fifty
states away
And he wastes his hours and squanders
every day
'Cause now she's just a dream
Of how things could have been
So he sits at home and wonders
where she is
And what she's doing, does she ever
think of him
And he keeps on writing her letters
Ones he'll never send
And he wishes he had a picture
So he could see her face again
And he knows, but he fakes it, that he's
doing okay
And he knows, 'cause he wastes it, his
life and everyday
(many times)
With one thing in common
Two big city kids lost in a stupid world
Of egoistic boys and lying little girls
And he knows there was something there
'Cause he saw it in her stare
Or does he tell himself that for something
to hold to
Second guessing life 'cause he doesn't
know the truth
And he knows, but he fakes it, that he's
doing okay
And he knows, 'cause he wastes it, his
life and everyday
In his head he's always known
The way the story's supposed to go
But then she left, now she's fifty
states away
And he wastes his hours and squanders
every day
'Cause now she's just a dream
Of how things could have been
So he sits at home and wonders
where she is
And what she's doing, does she ever
think of him
And he keeps on writing her letters
Ones he'll never send
And he wishes he had a picture
So he could see her face again
And he knows, but he fakes it, that he's
doing okay
And he knows, 'cause he wastes it, his
life and everyday
(many times)
Lyrics submitted by MooWasHere
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No Surprises
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