Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Another place, another time
Another face that looks mine
Another soul for all to see
Is this reality?
If I could only find the words
I dream that they won't go unheard
With one exception I can see
Is this reality?
Oh, if I could only make time stand still for a moment
Capture a memory live it one more time, would I believe
That I would really change a thing
A second chance to get it right
I think the end is close at hand
I had a vision I don't understand
Don't you see, I was made for you and you for me
Close your eyes, are you ready for a big surprise
Oh, hold the clock say the words to make it stop now
Slam bam thank you maam
Wasn't it a pleasant life we shared, who really cares
Why pretend you don't remember
Wipe it clean and start it again
Hope to see you in the summer.
Another place, another time
Another face that looks like mine
Another soul for all to see
Is this?
Is this?
Is this?
Another face that looks mine
Another soul for all to see
Is this reality?
If I could only find the words
I dream that they won't go unheard
With one exception I can see
Is this reality?
Oh, if I could only make time stand still for a moment
Capture a memory live it one more time, would I believe
That I would really change a thing
A second chance to get it right
I think the end is close at hand
I had a vision I don't understand
Don't you see, I was made for you and you for me
Close your eyes, are you ready for a big surprise
Oh, hold the clock say the words to make it stop now
Slam bam thank you maam
Wasn't it a pleasant life we shared, who really cares
Why pretend you don't remember
Wipe it clean and start it again
Hope to see you in the summer.
Another place, another time
Another face that looks like mine
Another soul for all to see
Is this?
Is this?
Is this?
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
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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.
I have no access to any Danny quotes regarding this, but here's my take:
It's about a person looking at a picture of himself and his wife/girlfriend way back then, and thinking how they've changed, how it all went wrong, and how he wishes it could go back.
"Another place, another time Another face that looks mine"
Back then, when he was younger.
"If I could only find the words I dream that they won't go unheard...Oh, if I could only make time stand still for a moment. Capture a memory live it one more time, would I believe. That I would really change a thing. A second chance to get it right..."
He's thinking of how he could set it right. If he could find the right words, apologize, somehow, it could go back to how it was.
"Don't you see, I was made for you and you for me. Close your eyes, are you ready for a big surprise"
His attempt (hypothetical, or actual) to say those words.
"Oh, hold the clock say the words to make it stop now"
Here we get to the emotional heart. Time has passed. He has lost so much. He doesn't even want to go back anymore, he just wants the endless loss of time, of chances, of moments, the relentless ticking of cruel time, to just stop. But he is helpless.
"Wasn't it a pleasant life we shared?"
Bitterly looking back on the good times.
"Who really cares? Why pretend you don't remember?"
Depending on how you read it, its "Why pretend (that you) don't remember" or "Why pretend (that we could go back to how it was)?" You don't remember (how much we loved each other, how happy we were)".
"Wipe it clean and start again. Hope to see you in the summer."
He gives up on it ever happening again, but still would like to see her. Either that, or he's speaking to her, a post-breakup friendly meeting. Nice seeing you, let's start our lives over, maybe we'll see each other again sometime.
"Is this reality?"
So often I've asked this myself. How'd I get here? Why'd I get here? Why'd I make those decisions that I had no idea would hurt me, and others, so many years down the line?
Truly, one of the best Oingo Boingo songs, and the most poignant. It captures both the feelings of growing old and life changing, becoming something so solid and definite, not this undiscovered country of possibilities, with so much of the happiness past-tense, as well as the specific feelings of Danny, in this band of (largely) his making, that he was growing tired of, that was a creature of decade that was now past, with a new, uncertain decade and the end of a millenium looming ahead of him and the band. Beautiful.