Introduction
History and Context of “Where the Neon Lies”
“Where the Neon Lies” is a heartfelt country duet by rising artist Triston Marez featuring Ronnie Dunn of Brooks & Dunn. It was released in March 2021 as part of Marez’s self-titled debut album, which officially dropped on April 16, 2021 .
The song was co-written by Triston Marez alongside seasoned songwriters Chris DuBois and Lynn Hutton. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of heartbreak—centered on the illusions that neon-lit bar rooms and booze can conjure when longing for a lost love .
Inspired by his own personal experience—Marez was going through a breakup with someone from West Texas who was attending college—he captured the hopeful yet heartbroken sentiment of thinking “maybe she’ll come back” while sitting alone at the bar .
When it came time to record, Marez’s manager suggested bringing Ronnie Dunn on board, joking that Dunn’s voice would suit the track perfectly. To their delight, Ronnie responded to the idea—and within weeks, he recorded his part, adding a deeply authentic and emotionally resonant quality to the track.
The collaboration received warm attention from country outlets. CountryTown named it “Song of the Day,” highlighting its neo-traditional country vibe and ‘90s influence . Wide Open Country praised Marez, noting how this duet with “a king of tear-soaked barroom anthems” reaffirmed his honky-tonk credibility . The music video—a barroom performance—further emphasizes the song’s emotional setting, with Marez alone at the bar watching others while the jukebox plays on .
Video
Lyrics
The cold hard truth
Lives inside these four walls
Her shadow’s in every room
She echo’s down these halls
Her memory’s too strong to fight
Reality’s too hard to face
So I spend every night
In a barstool kind of place
Where the neon lies
Everything’s alright
Whiskey melts a cold goodbye
Yeah, the jukebox plays
And my heart don’t break
‘Cause I believe that she’ll come back in time
Where the neon lies
She won’t find someone else
‘Cause she’ll miss me way too bad
In here I convince myself
Oh, she’ll want what we had
Beer after beer
I chase this whiskey down
In this buzzin’ blue light atmosphere
The truth don’t hang around
Where the neon lies
Everything’s alright
Whiskey melts a cold goodbye
Yeah, the jukebox plays
And my heart don’t break
‘Cause I believe that she’ll come back in time
Oh, where the neon lies
Yeah that jukebox plays
So my heart don’t break
Oh, ’cause I believe that she’ll be back in time
I start seein’ things in a different light
Where the neon lies
Where the neon lies
Oh, where the neon lies