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 liked the life of window walking,
Night drinking, 'til a morning crow
Greets a peaceful stroll in Shibuya's golden hour.
Communication has gotten so much
Easier with inventions by web men.
There's so much more fun to be made.
Yet I can't help but think
Tokyo lights don't seem quite like they used to,
And the moon is a different shade,
And all the colours have changed,
(Even if appearing the same)
And I am lost in the crossroads,
And I am lesser in love
And in love.
But as I stare up at all these
Winding lights and whirls,
There be a flower being in the midst and
There be a shower of hope upon my being!
But I just remind myself,
And I must be clear
And obey these words in which wisdom is found:
Don't forget to smile
Too many moons have passed without such joy
Don't forget to smile
Madly into the incoming traffic
Don't forget to smile
Madly at every eye that wanders by.
Waving my hand but all of a sudden because the wind pops in my face —
And I am uplifted within
And now
We are looming over a lake of low fog
And a bright figure slowly hovers above the mist.
She had found the fairest light,
And she be smiling right into me
And I smile back effortlessly.
Then she be a shadow —
She disappears into the footstep din,
And my boat is empty.
But look!
She be standing there by the window
And glances back.
Maybe we can find that river
Which flows towards the sea of ancient waves
And flower beings, beyond the weeping trees
So stood there on the crossroads
I tell myself again
Don't let your boat be empty
Don't be a sunken dream
Don't let your boat regret thee,
For what you could have seen.
Night drinking, 'til a morning crow
Greets a peaceful stroll in Shibuya's golden hour.
Communication has gotten so much
Easier with inventions by web men.
There's so much more fun to be made.
Yet I can't help but think
Tokyo lights don't seem quite like they used to,
And the moon is a different shade,
And all the colours have changed,
(Even if appearing the same)
And I am lost in the crossroads,
And I am lesser in love
And in love.
But as I stare up at all these
Winding lights and whirls,
There be a flower being in the midst and
There be a shower of hope upon my being!
But I just remind myself,
And I must be clear
And obey these words in which wisdom is found:
Don't forget to smile
Too many moons have passed without such joy
Don't forget to smile
Madly into the incoming traffic
Don't forget to smile
Madly at every eye that wanders by.
Waving my hand but all of a sudden because the wind pops in my face —
And I am uplifted within
And now
We are looming over a lake of low fog
And a bright figure slowly hovers above the mist.
She had found the fairest light,
And she be smiling right into me
And I smile back effortlessly.
Then she be a shadow —
She disappears into the footstep din,
And my boat is empty.
But look!
She be standing there by the window
And glances back.
Maybe we can find that river
Which flows towards the sea of ancient waves
And flower beings, beyond the weeping trees
So stood there on the crossroads
I tell myself again
Don't let your boat be empty
Don't be a sunken dream
Don't let your boat regret thee,
For what you could have seen.
Lyrics submitted by Non-Affiliated
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