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 loved her because she was there
And I knew all along that it wasn't fair but I didn't care
Then I got the hell out of there
But that was a close one
I kept my freedom intact
Got rid of the hassle and rid of the flack
Yeah I cut me some slack
And I never thought I'd want it back but that was a close one
That was a close one and if I hadn't run
She might have got away with me heart so I played it smart
That was a close one but I kept my cool never let down my guard
That was a close one
The winter of '79 so cold and lonely
I found a good woman she took me inside
And I swear to god I really tried
And that was a close one
Will there ever be a love of my life
When I'm out of my prime and out of my mind
In the nick of time and will the feeling in here be as fine
as the close ones
That was a close one and if I hadn't run
She might have gotten away with me heart my precious heart
That was a close one but I kept my cool and never let down my guard
That was a close one
That was a close one I loved her because she was there that was a close one
That was a close one winter of '79 that was close one
That was a close she might of got away with my heart that was a close one
And I knew all along that it wasn't fair but I didn't care
Then I got the hell out of there
But that was a close one
I kept my freedom intact
Got rid of the hassle and rid of the flack
Yeah I cut me some slack
And I never thought I'd want it back but that was a close one
That was a close one and if I hadn't run
She might have got away with me heart so I played it smart
That was a close one but I kept my cool never let down my guard
That was a close one
The winter of '79 so cold and lonely
I found a good woman she took me inside
And I swear to god I really tried
And that was a close one
Will there ever be a love of my life
When I'm out of my prime and out of my mind
In the nick of time and will the feeling in here be as fine
as the close ones
That was a close one and if I hadn't run
She might have gotten away with me heart my precious heart
That was a close one but I kept my cool and never let down my guard
That was a close one
That was a close one I loved her because she was there that was a close one
That was a close one winter of '79 that was close one
That was a close she might of got away with my heart that was a close one
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings, edited by rpierce911
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No Surprises
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