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.
Yes, star-crossed in pleasure, the stream flows on by
Yes, as we're sated in leisure, we watch it fly, yes
And time waits for no one, and it won't wait for me
And time waits for no one, and it won't wait for me
Time can tear down a building or destroy a woman's face
Hours are like diamonds, don't let them waste
Time waits for no one, no favors has he
Time waits for no one, and he won't wait for me
Men, they build towers to their passing
Yes, to their fame everlasting
Here he comes, chopping and reaping
Hear him laugh at their cheating
And time waits for no man, and it won't wait for me
Yes, time waits for no one, and it won't wait for thee
Drink in your summer, gather your corn
The dreams of the nighttime will vanish by dawn
And time waits for no one, and it won't wait for me
And time waits for no one, and it won't wait for me
No, no, no, not for me, no, not for me
Yes, as we're sated in leisure, we watch it fly, yes
And time waits for no one, and it won't wait for me
And time waits for no one, and it won't wait for me
Time can tear down a building or destroy a woman's face
Hours are like diamonds, don't let them waste
Time waits for no one, no favors has he
Time waits for no one, and he won't wait for me
Men, they build towers to their passing
Yes, to their fame everlasting
Here he comes, chopping and reaping
Hear him laugh at their cheating
And time waits for no man, and it won't wait for me
Yes, time waits for no one, and it won't wait for thee
Drink in your summer, gather your corn
The dreams of the nighttime will vanish by dawn
And time waits for no one, and it won't wait for me
And time waits for no one, and it won't wait for me
No, no, no, not for me, no, not for me
Lyrics submitted by spliphstar
Time Waits for No One Lyrics as written by Mick Jagger Keith Richards
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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When I was a kid I thought that this song was just a cliche, with the constant refrain of the chorus: time waits for no man, rolling through my head. I never gave it much thought or appreciation until I began listening to the stones religously again. Wow. What a mistake to state the obvious.
Star crossed in pleasure the stream flows on by. As were sated in leisure, we watch it fly. Wow. F+ing wow. I can almost see someone younger not able to truly appreciate or grasp time or the good things in life, that when we are in our youth we're just taking it all for granted and watching it go by like the stream, not realizing that we are in the stream and that it has a beginning and an end.
But the best line:
Men, they build towers to their passing yes, to their fame everlasting. Here he comes chopping and reaping, hear him laugh at their cheating.
I see the egyptian pyramids and greek acropolis and hear the god of time's blade cutting it all down bit by bit as he is laughing. Laughing at how they tried to cheat him, how they tried to cheat time. For isn't time just a different shade of life and death?
this song is so much more than just the chorus. I am almost convinced it was written purposefully with so many choruses to lull the casual listener, and hide the deeper meaning. Its brilliant, and nothing like the tripe on the radio today. Songs about bling and cars and women, all about blowing up and how great they are... don't you hear that? Here he comes chopping and reaping, laughing at their cheating!!!