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.
Diamonds of silvery rain in the fountains
And ten-cent red roses from department store counters
Watching the moonlight reflect off the river
Beside where the trains cross the bridge and slow down
Trains with white letters on black iron sides
And white rushing water that all rolls away
And Little Miss Someone does not want to stay
Everyone's moving, with places to go
And Mr Zero - he sadly stands still
As the water goes one way, the train goes another
Mr Zero stands still, and Miss Someone don't bother
Yesterday's kiss will be cold by tomorrow
As campfires of midnight dissolve in the darkness
The room is deserted, the blinds have been drawn
Little Miss Someone has packed up and gone
Fast moving cars disappear down the highway
With signs that say: "hitch-hikers: do not disturb"
Mr Zero looks quietly up from the curb
Morning has faded, and shadows have grown
And Little Miss Someone is on her way home
Mr Zero stands watching - her plane flies above
And with frost-bitten hands waves goodbye to his love
Walks through the park on a bright summer Sunday
And tapestry kittens that hung on the wall
They all die in the air like a soft minor chord
A vacancy sign, and a bulletin board
Mr Zero is wrapping his jacket around him
Speaking kind words that should have been said long ago
But Little Miss Someone does not want to know
The night is deserted, there's dust on the shelf
Mr Zero sits lonely and talks to himself
It's too late to change, the fine line has been crossed
The charades are all done, Mr Zero has lost
And ten-cent red roses from department store counters
Watching the moonlight reflect off the river
Beside where the trains cross the bridge and slow down
Trains with white letters on black iron sides
And white rushing water that all rolls away
And Little Miss Someone does not want to stay
Everyone's moving, with places to go
And Mr Zero - he sadly stands still
As the water goes one way, the train goes another
Mr Zero stands still, and Miss Someone don't bother
Yesterday's kiss will be cold by tomorrow
As campfires of midnight dissolve in the darkness
The room is deserted, the blinds have been drawn
Little Miss Someone has packed up and gone
Fast moving cars disappear down the highway
With signs that say: "hitch-hikers: do not disturb"
Mr Zero looks quietly up from the curb
Morning has faded, and shadows have grown
And Little Miss Someone is on her way home
Mr Zero stands watching - her plane flies above
And with frost-bitten hands waves goodbye to his love
Walks through the park on a bright summer Sunday
And tapestry kittens that hung on the wall
They all die in the air like a soft minor chord
A vacancy sign, and a bulletin board
Mr Zero is wrapping his jacket around him
Speaking kind words that should have been said long ago
But Little Miss Someone does not want to know
The night is deserted, there's dust on the shelf
Mr Zero sits lonely and talks to himself
It's too late to change, the fine line has been crossed
The charades are all done, Mr Zero has lost
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Mr. Zero Lyrics as written by Bob Lind
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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