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.
The sun starts to rise from its slumbers
To start the day and sweep away the morning mist that blankets all the earth
But it can't sweep away the pain now she's gone
Now she's gone, gone, gone
Its light warms the flowers on the hillside
Where we would walk and laugh and talk before death came and took her from my side
But it can't warm away the pain now she's gone
Now she's gone, gone, gone
And as I walk the swirling mist will disappear from view
The golden sun shines from the sky
Reminding me of happy days with you
And now she's gone
And now she's gone
The spring starts to move into summer
And all around the sight and sound of summer's ways are filling all the air
But it will never be the same now she's gone
Now she's gone, gone, gone
To start the day and sweep away the morning mist that blankets all the earth
But it can't sweep away the pain now she's gone
Now she's gone, gone, gone
Its light warms the flowers on the hillside
Where we would walk and laugh and talk before death came and took her from my side
But it can't warm away the pain now she's gone
Now she's gone, gone, gone
And as I walk the swirling mist will disappear from view
The golden sun shines from the sky
Reminding me of happy days with you
And now she's gone
And now she's gone
The spring starts to move into summer
And all around the sight and sound of summer's ways are filling all the air
But it will never be the same now she's gone
Now she's gone, gone, gone
Lyrics submitted by Sens
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