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.
Now I've got a question baby
What makes you cry?
'Cause I haven't seen any water
In the corners of your eyes
For a day, or a week
Or a month, or a year
Haven't seen much of you
Since you left me my dear
Can't you see that I'm hurting
How I'm falling apart
Don't you care about my drinking
Or my poor lonely heart
I thought you liked football
You didn't mind those videos
And my dog didn't mean
To ruin your clothes (he can't help it)
Now you won't take my phone calls
You sent my letters back
You're paying for a lawyer
To stab me in the back
Then I saw you on the street
You looked happy, that's a fact
I'm impressed - it's a hell of an act
Angel - admit it, admit it
Darlin' - admit it, admit it
Your love for me didn't die
It's just sleepin'
Now I hope you can hear me
Wherever you are
In a cheap hotel room
Or the back seat of a car
I make up those situations
I don't know if they're true
But I'll tell you, for now, they'll do
Angel - admit it, admit it
Darlin' - admit it, admit it
Your love for me didn't die
It's just sleepin'
And it wakes every night
To your weeping'
Now I've got a question baby
What makes you cry?
What makes you cry?
'Cause I haven't seen any water
In the corners of your eyes
For a day, or a week
Or a month, or a year
Haven't seen much of you
Since you left me my dear
Can't you see that I'm hurting
How I'm falling apart
Don't you care about my drinking
Or my poor lonely heart
I thought you liked football
You didn't mind those videos
And my dog didn't mean
To ruin your clothes (he can't help it)
Now you won't take my phone calls
You sent my letters back
You're paying for a lawyer
To stab me in the back
Then I saw you on the street
You looked happy, that's a fact
I'm impressed - it's a hell of an act
Angel - admit it, admit it
Darlin' - admit it, admit it
Your love for me didn't die
It's just sleepin'
Now I hope you can hear me
Wherever you are
In a cheap hotel room
Or the back seat of a car
I make up those situations
I don't know if they're true
But I'll tell you, for now, they'll do
Angel - admit it, admit it
Darlin' - admit it, admit it
Your love for me didn't die
It's just sleepin'
And it wakes every night
To your weeping'
Now I've got a question baby
What makes you cry?
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
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/
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
Surprised that there are no comments on this song,,a brilliant no nonsense take of a couple splitting up and how the guy deals with it,,,love it.
Very good song!