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.
You've been singing songs for all the wrong reasons.
For reasons you're not at liberty to say.
It wasn't to get rich or famous or get laid.
Mainly you wrote those fucking songs to drive me away.
And when you go to bed at night you're a skeleton.
With visions in your head too big to see.
And the insides of your mouth inflate and try to suffocate you.
Its hard, its hard, its hard to fall asleep.
And you've been looking for an honest way out for too long, because suicide is not the key.
And you hate the taste of alcohol and medicine.
Well the answer, the answer, the answer is plain to see.
So come along, lets get murdered!
Lets go to sleep and never wake up!
Lets find a loop-hole out of this!
For reasons you're not at liberty to say.
It wasn't to get rich or famous or get laid.
Mainly you wrote those fucking songs to drive me away.
And when you go to bed at night you're a skeleton.
With visions in your head too big to see.
And the insides of your mouth inflate and try to suffocate you.
Its hard, its hard, its hard to fall asleep.
And you've been looking for an honest way out for too long, because suicide is not the key.
And you hate the taste of alcohol and medicine.
Well the answer, the answer, the answer is plain to see.
So come along, lets get murdered!
Lets go to sleep and never wake up!
Lets find a loop-hole out of this!
Lyrics submitted by VeganSlaughter
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This is my all-time favorite AJJ song. It's witty and original, yet stems from an idea that I think almost everyone has toyed with at some point -- a way to get out of life, guilt free. The obvious solution? Don't commit suicide, get murdered.
I often try to write my own crappy songs and so the first verse obviously speaks to me. I write about what I know and that often involves the people around me. People get very anxious and suspicious when they know songs refer to them. I have driven away many through the truths that come out as a result.
The second verse reminds me of those thoughts that creep in late at night, but seem silly and trivial in the morning. "It's hard to fall asleep"
The third verse is the clincher and transitions into the catchy solution/chorus. "You hate the taste of alcohol and medicine. Well, the answer is plain to see."
Will always remind me of 'A Matter of Death and Life' by Andrey Kurkov. 'And when you go to bed at night you're a skeleton. With visions in your head too big to see.' This. I really like this part, even though I kind-of/don't-completely understand it. And I love how the last two lines are sung.
I think this song is from the perspective of that nagging voice in the back of your head telling you to kill yourself