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.
Black Thought:
Well I'm a fly Philly nigga, finger on the trigga
MCs repent from sins, God's comin again
Original (what?), visionary individual
Original (what?), visionary individual
I proceed, as I give ya whatcha need
Like I'm a medical doctor, watch the damage
I inflict properly, ain't nobody risin on top of me
I be droppin more plot in my mic monopoly
Got to be, got to be reality, Stevie Wonder see
Black Thought be me, I groove ba-by
Or I clue they say baby
Would you get with this? Not even maybe
It's the mister gravy and shit
To explain what's goin on inside my brain
You're scared, jealous
No analyst can maintain or handle this...
Mind train, yo
I'm on some old snap a rapper neck shit
You know what I'm sayin?
So niggaz best get out of my path
Kid, I'm on point like a gat
The basket case, I waste MCs with rapture taste
Facing these leads to cats diminished
They be pullin the mic out that ass when I get finished
Administrative assistant I'm not, yo, I'm the principal
Nigga, takin shots, like I'm invincible
Figure me to be hardcore, my input cuts your jaw
For real, for short, do you want more?!!!??!
Yo, Philly in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
South Philly in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
West Philly in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
North Philly in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
G-Town in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
Mount Airy in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
Oaklane in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
Lodan in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
Jersey in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
Uptown in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
Brooklyn in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
Manhattan in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
The Boogie Down in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
L.I. in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
Come on, Queens in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
DC in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
West Coast in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
Down South in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
London in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
Germany in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
Tokyo in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
Africa in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
Puerto Rico in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
Yeah, we in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
Come on
(*beatbox scratch* You want more, an encore)(until end)
(Do you want more?!!!??!)(repeated 4X)
Well I'm a fly Philly nigga, finger on the trigga
MCs repent from sins, God's comin again
Original (what?), visionary individual
Original (what?), visionary individual
I proceed, as I give ya whatcha need
Like I'm a medical doctor, watch the damage
I inflict properly, ain't nobody risin on top of me
I be droppin more plot in my mic monopoly
Got to be, got to be reality, Stevie Wonder see
Black Thought be me, I groove ba-by
Or I clue they say baby
Would you get with this? Not even maybe
It's the mister gravy and shit
To explain what's goin on inside my brain
You're scared, jealous
No analyst can maintain or handle this...
Mind train, yo
I'm on some old snap a rapper neck shit
You know what I'm sayin?
So niggaz best get out of my path
Kid, I'm on point like a gat
The basket case, I waste MCs with rapture taste
Facing these leads to cats diminished
They be pullin the mic out that ass when I get finished
Administrative assistant I'm not, yo, I'm the principal
Nigga, takin shots, like I'm invincible
Figure me to be hardcore, my input cuts your jaw
For real, for short, do you want more?!!!??!
Yo, Philly in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
South Philly in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
West Philly in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
North Philly in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
G-Town in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
Mount Airy in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
Oaklane in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
Lodan in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
Jersey in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
Uptown in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
Brooklyn in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
Manhattan in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
The Boogie Down in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
L.I. in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
Come on, Queens in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
DC in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
West Coast in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
Down South in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
London in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
Germany in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
Tokyo in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
Africa in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
Puerto Rico in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
Yeah, we in the house y'all (Do you want more?)
Come on
(*beatbox scratch* You want more, an encore)(until end)
(Do you want more?!!!??!)(repeated 4X)
Lyrics submitted by shut
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More Featured Meanings
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Sunglasses at Night
Corey Hart
Corey Hart
In the 1980s, sunglasses were a common fashion for people who wanted to adopt a "tough guy" persona (note all the cop shows from that era -- Simon & Simon, Miami Vice, etc. -- where the lead characters wore shades). So I think this song is about a guy who wears shades as a way of hiding his insecurity after learning that his girlfriend is cheating on him. He's trying to pretend that he's a "tough guy" to hide the fact that his girlfriend's affair is disturbing him.
Dope, black thought kills it in this classic