Lyrics for Neon Tiger as interpreted by ShotgunXXWedding

Neon Tiger Lyrics
Far from the evergreen of old Assam
Far from the rainfall on the trails of old
So I gone straight from the poster town of scorn and ritz
To bring you the wilder side of gold and glitz

Run neon tiger there's a lot on your mind
They promised just to pet you, but don't you let them get you
Away, away, away
Under the heat of the southwest sun

Took to the spotlight like a diamond ring
Came from the woodwork with the hopes they might
Redeem themselves from poor decisions to win big

Run neon tiger there's a lot on your mind
They'll strategize and name you, but don't you let them tame you
You're far too pure and bold
To suffer the strane of the hangman's hold

I don't wanna be kept, I don't wanna be caged, I don't wanna be damned, oh hell
I don't wanna be broke, I don't wanna be saved, I don't wanna be S.O.L.
Give me rolling hills so tonight can be the night that I can send them up a thousand thrills
Mister, cut me some slack
I don't wanna go back, I want the new day and age
Come on girls and boys, everyone make some noise!

Run neon tiger there's a price on your head
They'll hunt you down and gut you, I'll never let them touch you
Away, away, away
I'm begging you neon tiger roar

Under the heat of
Under the heat of
Under the heat of the southwest sun

Neon Tiger
There's a lot on your mind

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  • 45 Comments
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citizenerased19
08-06-2008

Rated +1 
It's definitely not "strategize" but rather "they tried to cut you down and get you"

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3 Replies
pallando14
08-12-2008

Rated 0 
I'd say it's:
Far from the evergreen of all the songs
...
Came from the woodwork in the hopes they might
...
They try to get you down and cut you but don't you let them touch you
...
Under the (?) neon tiger roar

Great song though, and it seems to get better the more I listen to it.

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pallando14
08-14-2008

Rated +1 
He sometimes also seems to sing

Under the neon tiger sun

?

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emmeriffic
09-28-2008

Rated -2 
i saw them live at the end of july and they played this songgg. it was my favoriteeee.

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MarkieP
10-19-2008

Rated +1 
Run Neon Tiger, there's a price on your head.....favorite line. I think about someone being used for someone elses profit maybe?

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Karkian
10-20-2008

Rated -1 
Seems like quite a good song live...
the 3rd verse "i dont wanna be kept..." is my fave part.
not sure wat ita about but once the album comes out the lyrics will be much clearer on it!

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Karkian
10-20-2008

Rated -1 
Seems like quite a good song live...
the 3rd verse "i dont wanna be kept..." is my fave part.
not sure wat ita about but once the album comes out the lyrics will be much clearer on it!

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go4thegusto
10-28-2008

Rated +1 
This song is about the myth of Las Vegas.

In the first verse, the song draws a portait of Las Vegas vastly being different from remote areas of the world where time had stood still. The song states that Las Vegas draws poeple in by the supposed glamour and glitz.

In the chorus, a warning is issued, heeding people not to get caught up in myth of Las Vegas about getting rich. The neon tiger represents the hunger of the young peoples and their preceptions of Las Vegas.

In the second verse, this becomes very clear about the myth of getting rich in Las Vegas:

"Came from the woodwork with the hopes they might
Redeem themselves for poor decisions to win big"

The breakdown in the song breaks the 4th wall by vocalizing the oppositional veiw of the warning. The breakdown represents us falling into the Las Vegas myth.

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2 Replies
whitlock1843
10-29-2008

Rated -1 
Well the killers said that sams town was about like, the real side of vegas, and that day and age was more the glitzy side.
I think this is saying how someone so proud and wild (like a tiger) cna be completely crushed beneath the stereotypes and glitz there.
But also, i think tige would be like, yunno those white tigers they ahve in shows there? like in the simpsons? how those tihngs that are so wild have their spirits crushed in vegas, coz they become idolized and live for the show etc, not fdor themselves.

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poorlilrockstar
11-04-2008

Rated +1 
"To suffer the strain of the pain that’s old???" is "To suffer the strain of the hangman's hold," I think.

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gohanss2aero
11-14-2008

Rated +1 
It's "rainfall" instead of "break fall"
And on the last chorus it's:
"They'll hunt you down and gut you, I'll never let them touch you"

haha but anyways, I have no idea what this song means
I like it though

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jeremygrim
11-16-2008

Rated +2 
CORRECT LYRICS:

Far from the evergreen of old Assam
Far from the rainfall on the trails of Saigon
Straight from the poster town of scorn and ritz
We bring you the wilder side of gold and glitz

Run, neon tiger, there's a lot on your mind
They promised just to pet you, but don't you let them get you
Away, away, away
Under the heat of the southwest sun

You took to the spotlight like a diamond ring
You came from the woodwork with the hopes they might
Redeem themselves from poor decisions to win big

Run, neon tiger, there's a lot on your mind
They'll strategize and name you, but don't you let them tame you
You're far too pure and bold
To suffer the strain of the hangman's hold

I don't wanna be kept, I don't wanna be caged, I don't wanna be damned, oh hell
I don't wanna be broke, I don't wanna be saved, I don't wanna be S.O.L.
Give me rolling hills, so tonight can be the night that I can send them upon a thousand thrills
Mister, cut me some slack, 'cause I don't wanna go back, I want a new day and age
Come on girls and boys, everyone make some noise!

Run, neon tiger, there's a price on your head
They'll hunt you down and gut you, I'll never let them touch you
Away, away, away
I'm begging you neon tiger, roar

Under the heat of
Under the heat of
Under the heat of the southwest sun

Neon Tiger
There's a lot on your mind

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ajisdabomb88
11-19-2008

Rated +1 
if you have ever been to the strip in vegas or even driven around the outskirts, big neon scrolling billboards (those fancy ones with like movies playing on them) are everywhere, and a lot of them are advertising siegfried and roy's tiger magic show at The Mirage hotel & casino.

this was always one of the main attractions of the "glitzy side" of las vegas, so the band was definitely influenced by the giant tigers roaming above the streets and sidewalks all through the night, which is never dark in vegas. there is always some kind of show going on

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acg1219
11-20-2008

Rated +1 
i think more than being about vegas, it's about flowers specifically. i look at him as the "neon tiger" and he's talking about his rise to fame and then about the negative criticism he got for sam's town from certain critics (ahem rolling stone, who i usually love but did not give the album a good review). especially when he says "mister, cut me some slack cuz i don't wanna go back i want a new day and age" i think he's talking about how a lot of people responded negatively to their new sound on that album, but while hot fuss was an amazing album, they were ready for a new sound and don't want to just reproduce the same music over and over.

love him, love the band, love day and age.

keep on rockin' brandon :-)

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mooaura
11-21-2008

Rated +2 
What does S.O.L. stand for?

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1 Reply
pallando14
11-21-2008

Rated +1 
it's definitely "in the hopes", not "with the hopes", for reasons unknown.
i also wonder what's S.O.L. tho...

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citizenerased19
11-22-2008

Rated +2 
SOL stands for Shit Outta Luck.

Also songmeanings is bullshit cos it takes ages to correct the damn lyrics. Best bet is lyricwiki dot org as it's updated instantly.

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mooaura
11-22-2008

Rated +1 
Thanks ctizenerased19. Nice name by the way :)

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youngdirector
11-25-2008

Rated 0 
I think this song is about a person who was famous in the past for doing something that wasn't them. Possibly a hooker who has become more mature and wants to live a normal life?

"Neon Tiger" Obviously the main character is standing out brightly.

"They promised just to pet you, but don't you let them get you" This could mean that it was someone who got carried away in doing something, a smart guy who noticed his sense of humor and lost contact with the professional world, a nice girl who ended up being a slut, or maybe something else.

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MathiasCronqvist
11-25-2008

Rated 0 
I think its about animals being caged and not being able to live free. They strategize (catch you) and name you (usually to make money), most animals not being in there native land or weather etc.
Theres a price on your head (many species are going extinct or in danger of becoming) due to poachers etc.
Im sure it could be interpreted differently as well.

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Camomile
11-26-2008

Rated +1 
I love you Brandon,please continue writing such beautiful songs.

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coldwindblowing
12-08-2008

Rated -2 

Win Butler is in a band called the Arcade fire.

They made a record called neon bible.

He is from a rich town in texas called the woodlands.

I think Brandon is a touch jealous of him...

The wind section is reminiscent of the one on the song neon bible, as is the little guitar riff at the end... I have no doubt it was more than intentional.

Neon tiger on the run? Maybe his percieved religious beliefs boldly put forth on the album....

SOL? sick of life...

Southwest sun?

California? If neon bible was a song about capitalism vs consumerism, perhaps the killers are saying that christianity is dying and capitalism is the game... cali is the home to all things fake, and the sun is bearing down.







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coldwindblowing
12-08-2008

Rated -1 
and of course, 'to win big'....

pretty blatant.

Indie rock guanin all hip hop!!!



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Jay1251
12-08-2008

Rated 0 
I think this song can be interpreted in many ways but personally the first time I heard it, it sounded like it was about becoming famous and then inevitably getting criticised when you fall off music's cool list, but you shouldn't let it get to you because it means they are winning and you should carry on doing your thing hence the whole "I dont wanna be caged" part, basically the band want their ideas and creativity (their minds) to live free and not be controlled by external influences. I'm probably completely wrong and I may interpret it another way in a few weeks time but that's how I see it at the moment.

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Musefan4life
12-08-2008

Rated 0 
I'm not here to shoot down anyones opinions... the beauty of music is that it means something different to everyone... However... Brandon has been quoted as saying that he wrote this song when he was trying to write a song that sounded like something MGMT would write... he totally failed at writing a song that MGMT would write... but he did write an incredible song!

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