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.
Ah, is there room for both of us?
Both of us apart?
Are we bound out of obligation?
Is that all we've got?
I get the words, and then I get to thinkin'
I don't wanna think, I wanna feel
And how do I feel?
And how do I
If you're the only one, will I never be enough?
Hail, hail the lucky ones, I refer to those in love
Swore I'd love you till the day I die, and beyond..
Are we going to the same place? if so, can I come?
It's egg rolling thick and heavy
All the past you carry
Oh, I could be new, you underestimate me
If you're the only one, will I never be enough?
Hail, hail the lucky ones, I refer to those in love
I sometimes realize I could only be as good as you'll let me
Are you woman enough to be my man?
Bandaged hand in hand
I find it on the run in a race that can't be won
All hail the lucky ones, I refer to those in love
If you're my only one, so could you only one?
I want to be your one, enough
You won, your one, your hun
Both of us apart?
Are we bound out of obligation?
Is that all we've got?
I get the words, and then I get to thinkin'
I don't wanna think, I wanna feel
And how do I feel?
And how do I
If you're the only one, will I never be enough?
Hail, hail the lucky ones, I refer to those in love
Swore I'd love you till the day I die, and beyond..
Are we going to the same place? if so, can I come?
It's egg rolling thick and heavy
All the past you carry
Oh, I could be new, you underestimate me
If you're the only one, will I never be enough?
Hail, hail the lucky ones, I refer to those in love
I sometimes realize I could only be as good as you'll let me
Are you woman enough to be my man?
Bandaged hand in hand
I find it on the run in a race that can't be won
All hail the lucky ones, I refer to those in love
If you're my only one, so could you only one?
I want to be your one, enough
You won, your one, your hun
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
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.
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.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
I sang this song tonight at Karaoke. This song rocks, therefore, I rock.
Probably my facorite song ever. It's romantic, it's serious, it's cynical. Hail Hail Pearl Jam, Hail Eddie.
"Are you woman enough to be my man?" - It's got nothing to do with Eddie, Stone wrote it.
For those of you wondering about the line: "Are you woman enough to be my man" I always took it like Eddie was saying, "Are you woman enough to be my best friend" after all isn't that a huge part of a marriage and making it work? This song is about his divorce after all....just my 2 cents.
funny coz eddie divorced in 2002 or so and this song was written in 1996
I have been visiting this site for some years, but never felt compelled to create an account until reading these comments.
"I sometimes realize I could only be as good as you'll let me. Are you woman enough to be my man? Bandaged hand in hand."
I think it has nothing to do with being homo, or speaking as a woman, I think it is simply about a relationship where the woman is bossy(I sometimes realize I could only be as good as you'll let me.) and ends up being the "man" in the relationship(Are you woman enough to be my man?).
I think it is pretty clear that all the song is about a guy who has been dumped by a girl, who he feels is too much for him, although she was the one that pulled him down from what he could be...
Just my way of looking into it...
Hope to have made my point clear, any language related problems are due to the fact that I'm Portuguese.
this is one of those moments in a relationship when youre so pissed at each other that you cant even think of why youre together in the first place ("are we bound out of obligation? is that all we got?") when you think of of happier times or other happy couples, you just get jealous of them ("hail hail the lucky ones, i refer to those in love") you dont even want to win the argument, you just want to end it and have things back to normal (i want to be your one. enough! you won!")
Wow, your comment is 10 years old.
yeah max definately hail hail eddie and PJ. this is one of my favourite pearl jam songs, it just seems to flow so well and is so easy on the ear. to me Hail Hail deals with two people, one of which is questioning them being together. he knows that they are not working together and that he is perhaps 'not good enough' for the relationship. (that your the only one and ill never be enough) yet he could not bare to be away from her. (are we bound out of obligation, is that all weve got) watever the case this is truly a great piece...
Definately a staple Pearl Jam song in just about everyone's book. This song rocks. I think it's about feeling a relationship should be more than a sense of duty.
"Are you woman enough to be my man?" - I never got that, is it because Eddie didn't have a strong male role model?
Don't assume that it's about Eddie. He often writes from the perspective of others. My feeling is that it's a woman talking in this song.
Huh. "Gossard, Vedder, Ament, McCready". I didn't know Stone solely wrote it?
Anyhow, when you're in a relationship gone stale. This is an accurate account. PJ nailed it as usual.