#2: Joe McMahon is an electronic musician from the San Francisco Bay area.
1) His solo acoustic recording of "let the train whistle blow" was featured on All Aboard: a tribute to Johnny Cash, a benefit for the Syrentha Savio Endowment, a non-profit providing assistance to underprivileged breast-cancer patients. Mcmahon has also organized an acoustic benefit for bassist Karl Alvarez (All, The Descendents, The Lemonheads.).
2) He has released a number of albums, from the new age/e-jazz "Shatterday" (notably created entirely in real time on an Ensoniq VFXsd synthesizer/sequencer workstation) to his own unique take on ambient, "Ocean Music" and the pure electronic experimentalism of "Gamelan Collider". Joe's compositional approach explores the fractal edge of planning and coincidence.
Neon Lights
Joe McMahon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I′d fly towards the sun,
And I'd never return to this place
It′ s such a disgrace
I'd cut my arms and my legs off
And burn up in space
All these other worries and problems we have
But I'm too left brained
You′re still away,
And I′m still awake
So I walked to the edge of the earth
I pissed off the side,
And I cursed every name I could think of
Yours came first
I just thought you should know
I'd been thinking of you
All these other worries and problems we have
Are something I never wanted or asked for
But I′m still awake
You' re still away,
And I need a drink
So I′m walking on a Sunday night
I'm looking for a neon light to carry me home
I have no place to go
I′m no sight to see
The lyrics to Joe McMahon's song Neon Lights are quite poignant and reveal the singer's state of mind: one that is tired of life's troubles and yearns for an escape. The song begins with the line, "God I wish I were a bird / I'd fly towards the sun" - a figurative way of expressing the desire to be free from the burdens of the world. The singer wants to leave this place, which they describe as "such a disgrace," and burn up in space, emphasizing their desperation to escape.
The second half of the first verse is particularly chilling. The singer talks about cutting their arms and legs off, which again, is a figurative way of saying they want to remove themselves from this world. These lyrics show the extent of their despair and disillusionment. In the following lines, the singer laments the "other worries and problems" they never wanted or asked for but are forced to endure. The song continues in this tone of despondency, with the singer cursing and venting their frustrations.
The chorus repeats the sentiment of unwanted troubles and problems, making it clear that the singer's struggles aren't what they ever wanted or asked for. They are awake and alone, longing for the comfort of a drink. The song concludes on an eerie note, with the singer aimlessly wandering on a Sunday night, looking for a neon light to guide them home. Overall, Neon Lights is a heart-wrenching song that captures the feelings of overwhelming sadness and despair.
Line by Line Meaning
God I wish I were a bird
I wish I had the freedom of a bird to escape from the troubles of this world.
I’d fly towards the sun,
I would aim high and pursue the impossible, like reaching for the sun.
And I’d never return to this place
I'd rather die than come back to this miserable life.
It's such a disgrace
This world is full of shame and disappointment.
I’d cut my arms and my legs off
I would rather sacrifice any part of me than continue living in this unbearable way.
And burn up in space
I'd prefer to die in the vastness of the universe than to live in the smallness of this world.
All these other worries and problems we have
These trivial concerns are things we never wanted or asked for.
Are something I never wanted or asked for
These troubles are not of our own making, but they continue to burden us.
But I’m too left brained
I overthink everything and can't let go of these worries and problems.
You're still away,
The person I care about is still distant and unreachable.
And I’m still awake
I'm still conscious and unable to escape these thoughts.
So I walked to the edge of the earth
I tried to get as far away as possible from everything that bothers me.
I pissed off the side,
I vented my frustrations in the most basic way possible.
And I cursed every name I could think of
I directed my anger at everything and everyone that contributed to my misery.
Yours came first
You were the first person I thought of when I cursed.
I just thought you should know
I felt the need to let you know how much you're affecting me.
And I need a drink
I need something to numb the pain and help me forget.
So I’m walking on a Sunday night
I'm wandering aimlessly with nowhere to go.
I’m looking for a neon light to carry me home
I'm searching for any form of comfort or escape from this endless cycle of pain and despair.
I have no place to go
I'm lost and without direction in my life.
I’m no sight to see
I'm not worth looking at, just another lonely soul wandering the night.
Writer(s): joe mcmahon
Contributed by Jackson W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.