The song is another good example of Mayer’s appealingly multifaceted style, with its dichotomy between a funky groove and its appealing pop sensibility.
Neon
John Mayer Lyrics
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To see the colors of the city lights
A trail of ruby red and diamond white
Hits her like a sunrise
She comes and goes and comes and goes
Like no one can
And find a high on Peachtree Street
From mixed drinks to techno beats it's always
Heavy into everything
She comes and goes and comes and goes
Like no one can
She comes and goes and no one knows
She's slipping through my hands
She's always buzzing just like
Neon, neon
Neon, neon
Who knows how long, how long, how long
She can go before she burns away
I can't be her angel now
You know it's not my place to hold her down
And it's hard for me to take a stand
When I would take her anyway I can
She comes and she goes
Like no one can
She comes and she goes
She's slipping through my hands
She's always buzzing just like
Neon, neon
Neon, neon
Who knows how long, how long, how long
She can go before she burns away, away
She comes and she goes
Like no one can
She comes and she goes
She's slipping through my hands
She's always buzzing just like
Neon, neon
Neon, neon
Who knows how long, how long, how long
She can go before she burns away, away
In this song, John Mayer describes a woman who comes and goes, slipping through his hands like no one else can. He vividly describes the nightlife of the city, as the sky turns dark and the colorful city lights emerge. He watches this woman buzz around the city like a neon light, never standing still for long and always out to lose herself in the heavy atmosphere.
Mayer’s use of color imagery is particularly striking in this song. As the sky turns dark, he notes that the “trail of ruby red and diamond white” hits this woman “like a sunrise.” The colors of the city lights seem to animate her spirit, and she becomes like a buzzing neon light, vibrant and flashy but also potentially fragile. Despite this fragility, Mayer acknowledges that “it’s not [his] place to hold her down,” and he struggles to find a way to support her without limiting her freedom to come and go as she pleases.
In summary, “Neon” uses vivid language to describe the fleeting, buzzing energy of nightlife and how it affects one particular woman, who comes and goes like a flashing neon light. Mayer recognizes her independence while also acknowledging his own desire to be there for her, leading to a complicated mix of emotions and a recognition that she may someday “burn away.”
Line by Line Meaning
When sky blue gets dark enough
As the sky turns dark, the city lights become visible
To see the colors of the city lights
The darkness makes the vibrant colors of the city lights visible
A trail of ruby red and diamond white
The lights can be seen as a trail of bright red and white
Hits her like a sunrise
The sight of the lights is like a burst of light, similar to a sunrise
She comes and goes and comes and goes
The person in question is constantly in a state of motion and unpredictability
Like no one can
They are unique in their ability to move constantly and unpredictably
Tonight she's out to lose herself
The person is looking for a way to escape reality
And find a high on Peachtree Street
She's searching for a way to feel good on Peachtree street
From mixed drinks to techno beats it's always
The atmosphere is filled with a mix of cocktails and techno music
Heavy into everything
The person is fully engrossed in their surroundings
She comes and goes and comes and goes
She remains unpredictable and constantly on the move
Like no one can
No one else can move the way she does
She comes and goes and no one knows
No one can predict when she will come and go
She's slipping through my hands
The person is struggling to hold on to her
She's always buzzing just like
She is always energized, like a buzzing neon light
Neon, neon
A comparison to bright, vibrant neon lights
Who knows how long, how long, how long
No one can predict how much longer she will remain energized
She can go before she burns away
She may not be able to sustain her energy forever
I can't be her angel now
The singer cannot protect her from harm
You know it's not my place to hold her down
It's not up to the artist to control her actions
And it's hard for me to take a stand
The artist struggles with standing up for his beliefs
When I would take her anyway I can
Despite his struggles, the artist still wants to be with her
She comes and she goes
She remains unpredictable and constantly on the move
She's always buzzing just like
She is always energized, like a buzzing neon light
Neon, neon
A comparison to bright, vibrant neon lights
Who knows how long, how long, how long
No one can predict how much longer she will remain energized
She can go before she burns away, away
She may not be able to sustain her energy forever
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: John Clayton Mayer, Douglas Clay Cook
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind