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.
Love will abide, take things in stride
Sounds like good advice, but there's no one at my side
And, time washes clean, love's wounds unseen
That's what someone told me, but I don't know what it means
'Cause I've done everything I know
To try and make him mine
And I think I'm gonna love you
For a long, long time
Caught in my fears, blinking back the tears
I can't say you hurt me, when you never let me near
And, I never drew, one response from you
All the while you failed all of the girls you never knew
'Cause I've done everything I know
To try and make him mine
And I think it's gonna hurt me
For a long, long time
Wait for the day, you'll go away
Not that you warned me of the price I'd have to pay
And, life's full of loss, who knows the cost
Living in the memory of a love that never was
'Cause I've done everything I know
To try and change your mind
And I think I'm gonna miss you
For a long, long time
Yes I've done everything I know
To try and make you mine
And I think I'm gonna love you
For a long, long time
Sounds like good advice, but there's no one at my side
And, time washes clean, love's wounds unseen
That's what someone told me, but I don't know what it means
'Cause I've done everything I know
To try and make him mine
And I think I'm gonna love you
For a long, long time
Caught in my fears, blinking back the tears
I can't say you hurt me, when you never let me near
And, I never drew, one response from you
All the while you failed all of the girls you never knew
'Cause I've done everything I know
To try and make him mine
And I think it's gonna hurt me
For a long, long time
Wait for the day, you'll go away
Not that you warned me of the price I'd have to pay
And, life's full of loss, who knows the cost
Living in the memory of a love that never was
'Cause I've done everything I know
To try and change your mind
And I think I'm gonna miss you
For a long, long time
Yes I've done everything I know
To try and make you mine
And I think I'm gonna love you
For a long, long time
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I love this song and I'm not a fan of country music...
This song is just so simple and honest...no over dramatic performance and it's not drowned out by the music...GREAT song