No Surprises
Radiohead Lyrics
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A job that slowly kills you
Bruises that won't heal
You look so tired, unhappy
Bring down the government
They don't, they don't speak for us
I'll take a quiet life
A handshake of carbon monoxide
And no alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises
Silent, silent
This is my final fit
My final bellyache
With no alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises, please
Such a pretty house
And such a pretty garden
No alarms and no surprises (get me out of here)
No alarms and no surprises (get me out of here)
No alarms and no surprises, please (get me out of here)
The lyrics of Radiohead's song No Surprises are a haunting portrayal of the monotony and routine of everyday life, a life that seemingly holds no excitement or joy. The opening lines with "a heart that's full like a landfill" reads as though the singer is burdened by the weight of their life and the things that don't make them happy. The next line reads "a job that slowly kills you" and it is clear that the singer's job is not bringing them any sense of satisfaction, as is shown by the line "bruises that won't heal." The singer is visibly unhappy and looks so "tired and unhappy."
The next lines suggest that the only way out of this unhappiness is by bringing down the government, as the government doesn't speak for the people. However, the singer reconciles that this isn't a feasible solution for them and instead chooses to take a "quiet life" filled with "no alarms and no surprises" and a "handshake of carbon monoxide." This suggests a desire for a peaceful death.
The final verse talks about a "pretty house" and "pretty garden" that seemingly aren't enough for the singer. The repetition of the lines "no alarms and no surprises" and "get me out of here" reinforce the singer's longing for escape from this bleak existence, one they find neither fulfilling nor satisfying.
Line by Line Meaning
A heart that's full up like a landfill
My heart is weighed down with garbage, like a landfill
A job that slowly kills you
My job is slowly draining the life out of me
Bruises that won't heal
The emotional wounds I've suffered won't go away
You look so tired, unhappy
You appear worn out and miserable
Bring down the government
It's time to overthrow the oppressive government
They don't, they don't speak for us
The government doesn't represent or care about us
I'll take a quiet life
I long for a peaceful existence
A handshake of carbon monoxide
Death by poisoning seems like an easier way out
And no alarms and no surprises
I just want life to be predictable and without any unexpected shocks
No alarms and no surprises
I really mean it, no shocking revelations please
No alarms and no surprises
It's not a joke, I don't want any alarming or surprising news
Silent, silent
Please, just peace and quiet
This is my final fit
This is my ultimate episode of frustration
My final bellyache with
The last of my complaints, ever
No alarms and no surprises
I repeat: No sudden events or startling revelations
No alarms and no surprises
Seriously, I'm being totally straightforward
No alarms and no surprises, please
For the last time, I am begging you not to make things complicated or difficult
Such a pretty house
Everything looks great on the surface
And such a pretty garden
The exterior doesn't reveal the internal turmoil
No alarms and no surprises (get me out of here)
Please, no shock or turmoil. I need to leave this place
No alarms and no surprises (get me out of here)
I am serious about wanting no drama, I need to get out of this situation
No alarms and no surprises, please (get me out of here)
I will do anything to avoid turmoil, so please let me leave
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, O/B/O DistroKid, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Colin Charles Greenwood, Edward John O'Brien, Jonathan Richard Guy Greenwood, Philip James Selway, Thomas Edward Yorke
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Me me
The way i interpret the lyrics: ; Once excitement of youthful perspective,, hopes, dreams are broken, into an almost nihilistic acceptance of patterns world, we coast,….. become a part of the dull hum we swore we never would become part of. Time pulls us forward, wears and tears until we accept. Can not fight against the current yet knowing we swore we would never.
@astral2151
The stages of grief regarding a dystopian society.
0:25 - shock/denial. Describing society's effects on the heart and body. Also a state of realization.
0:51 - anger. A desire to dismantle what's causing the narrator pain, or what he thinks it is.
1:17 - bargaining. The narrator wants to bargain with what's causing him pain by wanting a quiet life with no alarms/surprises (leaving him alone in a loud unpredictable world; wants predictability & comfort over reality).
Water rises up to 'sedate' him when he bargains.
2:00 - Depression. "My last fit and belly ache". Narrator goes into a state of depression that's metaphorically represented by the water submerging him (can be interpreted by taking something that makes him forget his reality/circumstances).
2:56 - acceptance. Narrator rises from the sedation and views his reality from a different perspective "such a pretty house and garden", smiling. Night & day difference from the first verse. However the voice in the background repeats "get me out here" so it's likely he just drowned out his psyche, hence the representation of water.
Last thing i want to point out is notice that he's in a bubble looking at a screen (reflected off the glass). Represent's a person's enclosed worldview through what media they consume, whether it be television or on your phone. Song and music video are a genius artistic representation of people creating their own realities and going through stages of grief over and over again because they cannot find any true meaning/satisfaction; encapsulated in a bubble, waiting for the inevitable rise of water to temporarily drown/sedate them again to make it all seem okay. A loop of internal chaos.
@eirinikaratefighter5
I don't know where I should begin with.
Ever since i discovered the song, i remember it when i am sad.
I struggle with depression.
I have a lot of regrets.
Most of the memories of the past are negative.
I know that i am never going to be a priority to anyone.
I just want to disappear.
Time passes fast.
I just exist. I am not living.
Whoever reads this, I am proud of you.
@shriooo
A heart that's full up like a landfill
A job that slowly kills you
Bruises that won't heal
You look so tired, unhappy
Bring down the government
They don't, they don't speak for us
I'll take a quiet life
A handshake of carbon monoxide
And no alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises
Silent, silent
This is my final fit
My final bellyache
With no alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises, please
Such a pretty house
And such a pretty garden
No alarms and no surprises (get me out of here)
No alarms and no surprises (get me out of here)
No alarms and no surprises, please (get me out of here)
@FrostTheBlueDemon
Lyrics in case someone hasn’t posted it
A heart that's full up like a landfill
A job that slowly kills you
Bruises that won't heal
You look so tired, unhappy
Bring down the government
They don't, they don't speak for us
I'll take a quiet life
A handshake of carbon monoxide
No alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises
Silent
Silent
This is my final fit
My final bellyache with
No alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises, please
Such a pretty house
And such a pretty garden
No alarms and no surprises (get me out of here)
No alarms and no surprises (get me out of here)
No alarms and no surprises (get me out of here)
Please
@gelialba
🖤LYRICS
A heart that's full up like a landfill
A job that slowly kills you
Bruises that won't heal
You look so tired, unhappy
Bring down the government
They don't, they don't speak for us
I'll take a quiet life
A handshake of carbon monoxide
And no alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises
Silent, silent
This is my final fit
My final bellyache
With no alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises, please
Such a pretty house
And such a pretty garden
No alarms and no surprises (get me out of here)
No alarms and no surprises (get me out of here)
No alarms and no surprises, please (get me out of here)
@RyanLivesForGodAlways
God loves y’all, have a great night or day and be safe, Jesus is King! read the Bible! and Give thanks to God! And credit to God also! and tell others about the Lord our God! the Most High! Amen!
Proverbs 24:34 - and proverty will come on you like a thief
and scarcity like an armed man. Amen!
Proverbs 22:24 - 25
24 Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person,
do not associate with one easily angered,
25
or you may learn their ways
and get yourself ensnared. Amen!
@RyanLivesForGodAlways
@@welsyia God loves y’all, have a great night or day and be safe, Jesus is King! read the Bible! and Give thanks to God! And credit to God also! and tell others about the Lord our God! the Most High! Amen!
Proverbs 24:34 - and proverty will come on you like a thief
and scarcity like an armed man. Amen!
Proverbs 22:24 - 25
24 Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person,
do not associate with one easily angered,
25
or you may learn their ways
and get yourself ensnared. Amen!
@RyanLivesForGodAlways
@@nobodynose123 God loves y’all, have a great night or day and be safe, Jesus is King! read the Bible! and Give thanks to God! And credit to God also! and tell others about the Lord our God! the Most High! Amen!
Proverbs 24:34 - and proverty will come on you like a thief
and scarcity like an armed man. Amen!
Proverbs 22:24 - 25
24 Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person,
do not associate with one easily angered,
25
or you may learn their ways
and get yourself ensnared. Amen!
@Beebeek_7
Lyrics
A heart that's full up like a landfill
A job that slowly kills you
Bruises that won't heal
You look so tired, unhappy
Bring down the government
They don't, they don't speak for us
I'll take a quiet life
A handshake of carbon monoxide
No alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises
Silent
Silent
This is my final fit
My final bellyache with
No alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises, please
Such a pretty house
And such a pretty garden
No alarms and no surprises (get me out of here)
No alarms and no surprises (get me out of here)
No alarms and no surprises (get me out of here)
Please
@mondayjohn8605
A heart that's full up like a landfill
A job that slowly kills you
Bruises that won't heal
You look so tired, unhappy
Bring down the government
They don't, they don't speak for us
I'll take a quiet life
A handshake of carbon monoxide
No alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises
Silent
Silent
This is my final fit
My final bellyache with
No alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises, please
Such a pretty house
And such a pretty garden
No alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises
No alarms and no surprises, please
@rrgaming8248
People are like this song.
We all put on a fake facade on our faces, hence the happy instrumental, that secretly put aside and hide the deep truth of our mental state, the truth of the sad lyrics that people will never uncover.
People who will never realize how much you are truly struggling because they can only listen to the background music. While the lyrics stuck in your head carve your brain painfully within.
I broke up with my emotionally abusive ex a while ago and this music is what keeps me going, it represents who I am.
Please open up.
Don’t sing a song without including the most important part: the lyrics (how you truly feel)…
@neilfan1016
this song sounds like despair, no hope left just acceptance. it feels like what it feels like to be absoloutly crushed, tears streaming down your face but somehow everything is ok
@itdoesntmatteranymore3550
This!!!!
@BlackAlbino2000
It definitely brings up emotions of sadness and despair and your life being crushed . I always thought it’s about the realization that these socially accepted conforming norms of what we see as having a happy life are merely going to make you more miserable and dull and end up drowning you slowly till your time’s up . If I’d put it very direct , a life lived without surprises is like slow suicide but if you seek further than these norms you get curious about what really matters in your life and this brings you true happiness .
@almightcarrot7481
L BOZO
@bugcatchertimothy7380
Doesn't this song portray a suicidal thought? He is thinking of ending it all without flashy appearance.
@pauls3392
I’ll edit the very end of your awesome comment…”somehow everything is going to be okay” 🤖
@Mandude4200
I love how his smile at the end is completely genuine because if you watch behind the scenes clips of making this video you see how incredibly frustrated he was in how many attempts it took to hold his breath that long, so when he finally got it he couldn’t help but smile
@svevessve5627
who asked L radiohead fan ratioed on youtub
@thechamp879
@@svevessve5627 go outside and touch grass