NEON
Mr. John Lyrics

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When sky blue gets dark enough
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

Tonight she's out to lose herself
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

Overall Meaning

In Mr. John's song "Neon," the lyrics describe a woman who is constantly moving and changing, likened to the bright lights of the city at night. She is portrayed as elusive and difficult to hold onto, as she goes out to lose herself in the nightlife scene. The repetition of the phrase "she comes and goes like no one can" emphasizes her independence and the fact that she cannot be tamed.

Despite the singer's desire to hold onto her, he recognizes that he cannot be her savior or keep her from burning out. He is conflicted between wanting to take care of her and accepting that he cannot control her life. The use of the metaphor "buzzing just like neon" not only compares her to the bright lights of the city, but also implies a sense of being high or intoxicated.

Overall, the song captures the transient nature of life in the city and the way in which people can get caught up in the fast-paced, exciting lifestyle, leading to a sense of impermanence.

Line by Line Meaning

When sky blue gets dark enough
When the sky turns from blue to dark enough at the end of the day

To see the colors of the city lights
The darkness is a canvas that shows the vibrant colors of the city lights

A trail of ruby red and diamond white
The colors of the lights form a trail of bright colors, like gems

Hits her like a sunrise
The sight of the colorful city lights makes her feel energized like a sunrise

She comes and goes and comes and goes
She appears and disappears frequently

Like no one can
No one else behaves in the same manner as her

Tonight she's out to lose herself
Today she plans to forget about her worries

And find a high on Peachtree Street
She is searching for a feeling of euphoria on Peachtree Street

From mixed drinks to techno beats it's always
She tries everything from cocktails to upbeat music

Heavy into everything
She is into whatever activity that elevates her mood

She comes and goes and comes and goes
She appears and disappears frequently

Like no one can
No one else behaves in the same manner as her

She comes and goes and no one knows
She enters and exits without anyone noticing

She's slipping through my hands
She is slowly drifting away from the singer

She's always buzzing just like
She always has a lively and energetic mood like

Neon, neon
The neon lights in the city have the same lively energy as her personality

Who knows how long, how long, how long
It's uncertain how much longer she can sustain her current lifestyle

She can go before she burns away
She may exhaust herself if she continues behaving in this manner

I can't be her angel now
The singer cannot be her savior

You know it's not my place to hold her down
The artist cannot coerce her into making changes in her life

And it's hard for me to take a stand
The artist finds it challenging to assert himself in the situation

When I would take her anyway I can
The artist regrets and admits that he would take her company any way he can

She comes and she goes
She enters and exits frequently from the singer's life

She's slipping through my hands
She is slowly drifting away from the artist

She's always buzzing just like
She has a lively and energetic mood like

Neon, neon
The neon lights in the city have the same lively energy as her personality

Who knows how long, how long, how long
It's uncertain how much longer she can sustain her current lifestyle

She can go before she burns away, away
She may exhaust herself if she continues behaving in this manner

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

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