fitter happier

By Jacob Churosh

The poem (this isn't really a song) starts off as a sort of recipe for a happy and successful life. By the end, though, it's become pretty clear that this is the perfect life for a soulless automaton--it describes modern life in terms of goals, possessions, happiness and achievements, and things that all Well-Adjusted People are supposed to do. Devation from the norm will result in rejection, but that seems preferable to being "a pig / in a cage / on antibiotics." And the soullessness of it all is emphasized by having a computer voice speak the lyrics. For additional meaning, checj the very first page inside the CD booklet: "Every day in every way I am getting better and better."
By Angela

i think the song is about losing yourself to others on the outside, who are trying to control you. you try to become someone, not yourself, but some one that you think theyll like better. The movie that the "panic office" quote comes from (3 Days of the Condor was the title at my beatnik blockbuster- pretty good movie, actually) is about a movie of being betrayed by those who are supposedly there to help you, but then stumbling on to something completely random, but ultimately far more substantial and emotionally fulfilling. the song shows how, if you live your life the way the outsiders want you to, or at least the way you think they do, then you will just be another cog in the machine. you have to believe in yourself & trust your instincts to eventually succeed at becoming an individual and amounting to someone in this life.
By Marcelo

i see a connection between 'fitter happier' and george orwell's book '1984'. it seems to me like the diagnosis of the main character after he's brainwashed at miniluv. read it or watch the movie, sure tom did it.if you like movies with the same atmosphere, watch 'brazil' also.
By Jason Hale

To me the track refers to the hopelessness of modern day life and how we loose sight of hopes , dreams and even sometimes faith that life has meaning. The massproduction of mindless busy-bodies. (more productive) The track really says alot about going through life doing what we are told to do. Go to work everyday and never question your existance, make the most of the day but don't forget someday your going to be food for worms.
By Becky

this is a really sad song, because this poor bloke is forced(probably through medication) to believe that all this shit is right. he started off as an individual but they got to him and made him think that he was wrong because the majority of people didn't agree with him, so they must be right. he was pressurised until he became one of them. he has the stereotypical life of a 'normal' person. 'a pig in a cage on antibiotics' shows how he is like a laboratary animal with no rights and no ability to think for himself. he has no control, and is completely powerless. but the real point in this song is not too fee sorry for this man, but to show that it didnt just happen to this man, it is happening to all of us, and we dont have a choice.
By Karl Kühn

Fitter Happier seems to be a composition of advices. Advices that may help you to be a better member of society. Thoese advices help you to be fitter, happier and more productive. In a world where everyone lives concerning the idea of fitter happier is no aggression, there are no fights, no accidents and no sadness. It is a perfect world. But the last lines "a pig in a cage..." shows us, that living in this way would destroy your personality. In such a world you'd have to do what you are supposed to do, and what you are expected to do. In everyone of us lives the pig, the animal, full of primitive desires ans thoughts. This animal, this wild beeing in us is locked in a cage to keep this world lovely. But if we live like this, hiding our aggressions and real desires, so to say, we also hide feelings like love. The line "fond, but not in love" makes this visible. We "still kiss with saliva" becasue we are suposed to do so. The world in fitter happier is a better one at the surface, but if we dive deep into it, we recognize, that such a perfect world has is disadvantages, like in Huxley's Brave New World: Everyone does what he is supposed to, there is no aggression, no sadness, no illness, no fights,... but there is also no love. This is the important point; If we hide our "bad" emotions, we hide our "good" emotions to. Withour evil, there is no good. That's what I think (perhaps - I'm not sure about it).
By abcdeasy

im possibly repeating everyone here cause i only scan read the interpretations up...

thom wrote this late at night/early in the morning whilst drunk, apparently. it was supposedly his way of clearing up some emotions he had floating about.

in my opinion it shares a similar concept with No Surprises. it is based on a sentiment i can best explain with the use of some footage of a film. everybody remember edward scissorhands? (if not, watch it- class film :) now think back to the beginning; the bit where ALL the houses and ALL the cars and ALL the people look the same (more or less). all very pretty, but not the sorta place youd want to stay-creepy.

the song (oh yes it is a song! listen to the music, it beautiful!!!) is a cynical look on what we're supposed to be and live to become. it could never EVER be sung, the whole point is that the mac voice is practically sneering with its words, but its speech is lacking in all emotion.

the first time i heard it was the one of the most amazing experiences of my life; i had to listen to it. thom's lyrics play with you-the song tells you not to be predictable, and then proves that you are, think about it, the line "Like a cat, tied to a stick thats driven into frozen winter shit" now hands up all those of you who DIDNT laugh the first time you heard that... none of you? now "The ability to laugh at weakness" you just did laugh at weakness you damn sadists!

thom wrote a piece a lot cleverer than he probably could if he tried, and i worship the man!

it challenges you to think, so does the rest of the album, but this is the most forceful example.

listen to it for your own good
By Hillary

I think this song is, at first, a list of things that the ideal conformist has. He has a safe car and he is average. He has obliterated all his old quirks and problems. He doesn't drink, he works out, he is a good kisser, he does not show emotion when somewhere, deep inside his conventional heart, he is actually feeling something. The thing that matters the most is his baby, his normality.

This all changes after "a cat, tied to a stick" et cetra. He looses the calm repression of his feelings. He kisses with saliva, cries at movies. His baby, a metaphor for his absolute normality, is lost to him despite the safety all around him. He is no longer the hollow shell he was, no longer a pig in a cage.