Although a well known band in Provo, the band didn't receive nationwide exposure until late 2008 when they were chosen as openers for several of The Killers' North American tour dates. Not long after, the band was signed by major record label Mercury Records in early 2009. Additionally, the group was voted Band of the Year in 2009 by City Weekly, a popular Salt Lake City publication. Although they had several prior independent releases, the band released its debut album at Mercury/Def Jam, Habits, on March 16, 2010, with "Animal" as its lead single. The band performed "Animal" during their March 23, 2010 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and the band toured opening for 30 Seconds To Mars and Mutemath throughout the Spring of 2010.
"Everybody Talk" was the first single from their sophomore album Picture Show. The single was released to Alternative Radio on December 7, 2011 and made available to digital retailers via Mercury Records on December 20, 2011. (Everybody Talks Songfacts)
Attraction
Neon Trees Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh
I was at the party
In the parking lot outside
You approached me with your silhouette
We began to talk of silly things
We loved and things we feared
And in our found connection
Everyone else disappeared
And I thought
Oh oh oh oh
You put on a show
My honest reaction
I can't stop this attraction
Oh oh oh oh
You put on a show
My honest reaction
I can't stop this attraction
I saw my reflection
In the glass when we embraced
My eyes looked like I had seen a ghost
I recognized your face
Your hands felt like the touch of God
And I could not let go
Your purity was beautiful
Your golden holy glow
Lord, help me
Oh oh oh oh
You put on a show
My honest reaction
I can't stop this attraction
Oh oh oh oh
You put on a show
My honest reaction
I can't stop this attraction
I'm a moth to your flame
And my wings are burning
Burning
Still my desire's the same
And you do this to me
Oh you do this to me
I began to realize
That nothing else makes sense
It's you and I and no one else
Tell me what happens next
Oh oh oh oh
You put on a show
My honest reaction
I can't stop this attraction
Oh oh oh oh
You put on a show
My honest reaction
I can't stop this attraction
Oh oh oh oh
You put on a show
My honest reaction
I can't stop this attraction
Oh oh oh oh
Put on a show
Stop this attraction
Attraction
Neon Trees’s “Attraction” is a song about a chance meeting between two people at a party, and the intense chemistry that develops between them. The singer describes how the other person’s silhouette caught his eye, and how they started talking about “silly things,” before feeling an instant connection. As they continue to talk, everyone else at the party seems to fade into the background, as they become more and more drawn to each other.
The chorus of the song (“Oh oh oh oh / You put on a show / My honest reaction / I can't stop this attraction”) is a reflection of the singer’s feelings. He’s aware that they’re both putting on a bit of a show for each other, but he can’t help the instant pull he feels towards the other person. When they embrace, he’s struck by the intensity of his emotions, admitting that his eyes looked like he’d seen a ghost. He compares the other person’s touch to that of God, and can’t let go despite his growing sense of being in danger (“I'm a moth to your flame / And my wings are burning / Burning…”).
Ultimately, the singer realizes that the attraction he feels towards this person is something deeper, almost predestined (“I began to realize / That nothing else makes sense / It's you and I and no one else / Tell me what happens next…”). Despite his unease about how strong his feelings are, he’s willing to go wherever the attraction takes them.
Line by Line Meaning
I was at the party
The singer was at a party
In the parking lot outside
The party was taking place outside in a parking lot
You approached me with your silhouette
A person approached the singer and their appearance was obscured
And I tried not to hide
The artist attempted to keep calm and not show fear or anxiety
We began to talk of silly things
The artist and the person talked about lighthearted topics
We loved and things we feared
The conversation deepened to discussing intimate topics like love and fear
And in our found connection
The two people bonded over their conversation
Everyone else disappeared
The artist and the person were so absorbed in their conversation that they were unaware of their surroundings
And I thought
The artist had a moment to reflect on what had happened
You put on a show
The person impressed the artist with their words or actions
My honest reaction
The singer's response was genuine
I can't stop this attraction
The artist is feeling a strong emotional pull towards the person
I saw my reflection
The singer saw their own reflection
In the glass when we embraced
The singer and the person hugged and the singer saw their reflection in a nearby mirror
My eyes looked like I had seen a ghost
The singer's eyes were wide with surprise, as if they had seen something impossible
I recognized your face
The artist realized who the person was
Your hands felt like the touch of God
The person's touch was powerful and awe-inspiring
And I could not let go
The singer did not want to leave the person's side
Your purity was beautiful
The person was virtuous and it was admirable to the singer
Your golden holy glow
The person had a radiant and divine aura
Lord, help me
The artist is overwhelmed by their feelings for the person and feels powerless
I'm a moth to your flame
The artist is drawn to the person, even though they know it could be dangerous
And my wings are burning
The singer's attraction to the person will eventually cause them pain or hurt
Still my desire's the same
Despite the risks, the artist's attraction towards the person is unchanged
And you do this to me
The singer blames the person for capturing their heart
I began to realize
The singer started to understand something important
That nothing else makes sense
The singer feels like all other aspects of their life do not matter as much as their connection with the person
It's you and I and no one else
The artist only cares about being with the person and nothing else
Tell me what happens next
The artist is unsure of what the future holds for them and the person they are attracted to
Put on a show
The person is putting on an impressive display
Stop this attraction
The singer is conflicted about their strong feelings towards the person and wishes they could make them go away
Attraction
The song is about the intense attraction the artist feels towards another person
Contributed by London V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.