John Kennedy Toole's novels were rejected during his lifetime, and after suffering from depression due in part to these failures, he committed suicide in 1969 at the age of 31. Some years later, his mother brought the manuscript of A Confederacy of Dunces to the attention of novelist Walker Percy, who managed to get the book into print. The novel attracted much attention in the literary world and in 1981, Toole was posthumously awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
Win Butler first discovered Toole as a teenager whilst boarding at an exclusive school in New Hampshire. Neon Bible was later named after Toole's first book, which was published posthumously, after A Confederacy of Dunces had made him famous.
Neon Bible
Arcade Fire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the light they both looked the same
Poured them out on into the world
On every boy and every girl
It's in the neon Bible, the neon Bible
Not much chance for survival
If the neon Bible is right
Take the poison of your age
Don't lick your fingers when you turn the page
What I know is what you know is right
In the city it's the only light
It's the neon Bible, the neon Bible
Not much chance for survival
If the neon Bible is right
Oh God, well look at you now
Oh, you lost it, but you don't know how
In the light of a golden calf
Oh God! I had to laugh
Take the poison of your age
Don't lick your fingers when you turn the page
It was wrong, but you said it was right
In the future I will read at night
In the neon Bible, the neon Bible
Not much chance for survival
If the neon Bible is true
The opening lines of Arcade Fire's "Neon Bible" speak to a universal struggle to find hope in the midst of pain. The two vials - one of hope and one of pain - are poured out on every boy and every girl, implying that all individuals face this struggle, no matter who they are. The reference to the "neon Bible" suggests that we rely on artificial light for guidance, rather than something more natural or authentic. And yet, despite this reliance on something that may not be trustworthy, the song acknowledges that there is not much chance for survival without it.
The rest of the song builds upon this theme, pointing out the ways in which we often accept what we are told as truth, even when it may not be in our best interest. The reference to the golden calf alludes to the story in the Bible in which the Israelites create an idol to worship in place of God, demonstrating a willingness to follow what is popular or trendy over what is morally right. Overall, "Neon Bible" is a commentary on the human tendency to look to external sources for guidance, even when those sources may not be reliable.
Line by Line Meaning
A vial of hope and a vial of pain
Life contains both hope and pain, and we can't have one without the other.
In the light they both looked the same
It's hard to distinguish between good and bad - sometimes they appear to be the same.
Poured them out on into the world
We inject hope and pain into society and those around us.
On every boy and every girl
Everyone experiences life's ups and downs.
It's in the neon Bible, the neon Bible
Our society's beliefs, values, and norms are heavily influenced by mass media.
Not much chance for survival
If we buy into societal pressures, there's little chance of true individuality and autonomy.
If the neon Bible is right
If we accept and follow society's teachings, we may be setting ourselves up for failure.
Take the poison of your age
Consume and digest whatever messages or ideas are popular in your time.
Don't lick your fingers when you turn the page
Don't blindly accept everything you hear or read - examine and evaluate it critically.
What I know is what you know is right
We all have a shared understanding of what's right and wrong.
In the city it's the only light
In our busy lives, we often follow societal teachings without much reflection or thought.
Oh God, well look at you now
Our blind acceptance of societal norms can lead to disastrous consequences.
Oh, you lost it, but you don't know how
We may not realize the negative impact societal pressures have on us until it's too late.
In the light of a golden calf
We worship false idols, such as money, fame, and power, and prioritize them over true fulfillment and happiness.
Oh God! I had to laugh
It's ironic and sad when we realize we've sacrificed our true selves for societal acceptance.
It was wrong, but you said it was right
We allow societal norms to dictate what's right and wrong, even if it contradicts our own personal beliefs and values.
In the future I will read at night
We must question and re-evaluate societal teachings in order to find our true selves and make informed decisions.
If the neon Bible is true
If we fully buy into societal values and teachings, we may lose our sense of individuality and autonomy.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Jeremy Gara, Regine Chassagne, Richard R Parry, Tim Kingsbury, William Butler, Win Butler
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@NeptuneatDawn
The Goſpel that ſaues and how to be ſaued accoꝛding to the woꝛd of God :
"1 MOꝛeouer bꝛethꝛen , I declare vnto you the Goſpel which I pꝛeached vnto you, which alſo you haue receiued,and wherein yee ſtand.
2 By which also yee are ſaued , if yee keepe in memoꝛie what I pꝛeached vnto you , vnleſſe yee haue beleeued in vaine.
3 Foꝛ I deliuered vnto you firſt of all , that which I alſo receiued , how that Chꝛiſt died for our ſinnes accoꝛding to the Scriptures :
4 And that he was buried,and that he roſe againe the third day accoꝛding to the Scriptures."
- 1 Coꝛinthians 15:1-4 Holy Bible 1611
"9 That if thou ſhalt confeſſe with thy mouth the Loꝛd Ieſus , and ſhalt beleeue in thine heart , that God hath raiſed him from the dead , thou ſhalt be ſaued.
10 Foꝛ with the heart man beleeueth vnto righteouſneſſe,and with the mouth confeſſion is made vnto ſaluation.
11 Foꝛ the Scripture ſaith, Whoſoeuer beleeueth on him , ſhall not bee aſhamed.
12 Foꝛ there is no difference betweene the Iew and the Greeke : foꝛ the ſame Loꝛd ouer all, is rich vnto all, that call vpon him.
13 Foꝛ whoſoeuer ſhall call vpon the Name of the Loꝛd,ſhall be ſaued."
- Romanes 10:9-13 Holy Bible 1611
@sterlingschiftar2300
Thanks neon bible
@nonbiz1520
The interactive version was great!
@ruthdixon7807
somehow manages to depress and inspire at the same time.
@ericfoster8411
If this album was a cult, i would have joined a long time ago.
@vargr8435
Rest in peace Steven Chilton.
@laatena
Jako znowu Steven, fuckers.
@terencereed7957
Epic album. Probably their best.
@giselebrasil
This album came at a time when I was full of expectations and good vibes.
@sanchezjoshua4885
Yes. I agree.
@mrfake675
I was treeplanting when It came out. Bought it at walmart on our day off. When I would put on my tunes in my tent at night the music would take me to another place