anonymous February 2nd, 2006 11:02PM  
Some time ago, my husband went to a Wallflowers concert. Between songs, a woman from the audience yelled "One Headlight!"

Jakob Dylan said from the stage calmly, "That song is about living the past. Are you living in the past?"

Because of this story, it's clear the meaning is about living in the past. "And I can't break away from this parade/But there's got to be an opening/Somewhere here in front of me". He can't get the parade of thoughts out of his mind. He can't forget the past. He can't move on, even though he knows he should be able to.

My interpretation of the song has expanded to believe that the headlights represents two people who care for each other very much (family members, platonic or romantic). Only one is now alive... one headlight. The one living will carry the memory of what they both had together alive, and drive it home with one headlight until his time comes, too.

anonymous April 27th, 2006 05:20PM  
I think that he is already dead and that is why "she died of a broken heart disease as he listened through the cemetary trees" she would always go visit him when she was alive that is why he says "it always seemed like such a waste she always had a pretty face so I wondered how she hung around this place" meaning that she would visit his grave but he doesn't understand why she would waste her time there. In the end she commits suicide "she hit the end-it's just her window ledge" the love of her life died so she's left with nothing but the broken heart disease

anonymous August 8th, 2006 07:39AM  
Vh1: do you hear a lot of weird interpretations of your songs?

Dylan: I used to always have to hear about who people thought died in “one headlight.” there was never anybody who died in “one headlight.” but I actually encourage that. Countless times you hear an artist explain what their songs are about and you’re disappointed. I prefer people to listen. If they like the drumbeat, i’m okay with that. Whatever moves people.

meri87 March 29th, 2007 01:11AM  
I'm not sure if this makes sense, since the person singing is a guy, but when I listened to the song it almost made me think that the singer is talking about a part of himself. "That's when they say I lost my only friend." That person that the singer refers to might just be himself. This can be solidified at the end of the song when he states, "I'm so alone, I feel just like somebody else. Man, I aint changed, but I know I aint the same." A part of himself died, and that's what's missing.

I'm sure there are several more interpretations, but this was my thought.

anonymous June 30th, 2007 10:59AM  
"Hey, come on try a little
Nothing is forever
There's got to be something better than
In the middle
But me & Cinderella
We put it all together
We can drive it home
With one headlight"

Always thought the reference to Cinderella was their daughter. The only-friend was the wife who died in some way - perhaps drugs as has been mentioned. Drive it home with one headlight would then refer to moving ahead as a family without mom. "In the middle" is that state where the family is grieving, but must move on.

anonymous October 23rd, 2007 08:32PM  
I just interpreted it as it applies to me.

I think it's about a break up. There's a boy and a girl who love eachother, but they let their relationship break down for unstated reasons ("so long ago...I lost my only friend"). The girl is heartbroken ("they say she died easy of a broken heart disease"), especially because the boy could have done more to smooth it out ("as I listened through the cemetary trees" implies that he stood by and watched).

The chorus is explaining how the boy thinks that, even though they are not together and don't have what they used to, everything is going to be okay.

The second verse is talking about how the girl can't get over the boy ("can't break away from this parade") even though she is trying to. No matter how hard she tries, she never makes any progress ("ran until she's out of breath...she hit the end, it's just her window ledge").

The last verse is the flashforward of the boy reminiscing over the event and regretting what he did (hence all of the negatively connotated language).

That's just my thoughts.

anonymous December 15th, 2007 09:21AM  
Ok, these are all great guesses but I found it.

Jakob Dylan: "I tend to write with a lot of metaphors and images, so people take them literally. The song's meaning is all in the first verse. It's about the death of ideas. The first verse says, 'The death of the long broken arm of human law.' At times, it seems like there should be a code among human beings that is about respect and appreciation. I wasn't feeling like there was much support outside the group putting together the record. In the chorus, it says, 'C'mon try a little.' I didn't need everything to get through, I could still get through -- meaning 'one headlight."

anonymous January 22nd, 2008 08:38PM  
Since the headlight seems to be the big dispute, I felt like the song is about losing the first love but the one headlight seemed kind of like the one light you see when you die. You always follow the light and when you reach home (or heaven) you finally catch up to the light against the house.
Thats just what the headlight meant to me.

anonymous June 22nd, 2008 12:48PM  
The meaning behind this poem is not going to be found on the surface. Dylan is not speaking of a real person who died, rather it is Lady Liberty who has died. The middle-class of America (there's got to be something better than in the middle) which has been eroded and marginalized.

Freedom has been trapped in a symbolic shroud which is the patriotic fervor which the world has not seen since the late 1920's early 1930's in Europe. Lady Liberty is trapped in a meaningless parade which has been subverted into a "maze of ugliness and greed" which can be read as Madison Avenue packaging useless products to sell in an effort to make those trapped in the maze believe they need to be better than they feel. Buy the American dream. There is no dream. Each person has worth beyond what they realize and will never find it by owning the newest, biggest or better product.

As sad as the poem is, there is a sense of hope. We can move forward, even if our view is limited because we only have one eye (headlight) with which to see.

m320753 June 23rd, 2008 12:14PM  
To all you out there, here is something to chat about. What if me and Cinderella is the Cinderella his father sang about in desolation row. or maybe she is his mother Sara and he is telling dad that mom is a headlight and the one that is out is Bob Dylan and that he and mom will make out o.k. How about them apples?

robmove July 4th, 2008 04:50PM  
This song is about Bob Dylan being such a lousy parent and how Jakob and his sister can make it home with just one parent. Bob Dylan once said that parents are like headlights illuminating the way for their children.

m320753 July 14th, 2008 08:30AM  
Back to bob being the broken headlight. I read in a book perhaps behind the shades that the defining moment in the failure of their marriage was when sara came down for breakfast one morning and found bob sitting at the table with the children and his latest girlfriend, mistress or groupie which could account for THE FUNERAL AT DAWN THEY SAY I LOST MY ONLY FRIEND because most boy young children their father is their best friend

anonymous July 14th, 2008 02:28PM  
Theres A Video Behind The Song As Well. Not Many Songs Have Videos With Meanings Behind Them. you'll notice the American flag in the background of the music video. leads up to a controversy with his lyrics.

My interpretation is. That its not a girl that has died, but rather lady liberty. If you look at the lyrics or rather listen to them you can understand why I see whats behind them.

(So long ago, I don't remember when
That's when they say I lost my only friend)
-Its been so long since liberty has truely been seen-

(The long broken arm of human law
Now it always seemed such a waste
She always had a pretty face
So I wondered how she hung around this place)
-The judicial system has long been corrupt
and it seems points... whos really getting judged for their true crimes, when they have power behind them.
-bring it back down to how liberation from tyranny was a beautiful thing, but in this country its a joke, why is it even a word in this country?-

(There's got to be something better than
In the middle)

-But just when it seems like he's questioning the methods of this country he points out that there's hope towards finding something that works-

-hence the chorus and song name-
(We can drive it home
With one headlight)

The Second verse runs deeper into explaining his thoughts on out society.

(It feels like Independence Day
And I can't break away from this parade)

-on independence day, its the day all Americans come together, and you're not an American if you don't celebrate it, meaning your forced into others believes in freedom, so you won't be judged by "patriots," you can't break away from it.

The most influential lyric I've read from the song that brings out my beliefs on it is...

(Through this maze of ugliness and greed)

-Our country is based on being the best,at everything, but in a materialistic way,buy the best car, best house on the block, best Fireworks, best clothing, best education... and when it comes to your hard work in life, you get paid off, no longer with acknowledgment or pride in your achievements. but with cold hard cash, that you refuse to give away to those who suffer. ugliness and greed.

(Well this place is old
It feels just like a beat up truck)

-Is self explanatory... :D

(Man, I ain't changed, but I know I ain't the same
But somewhere here in between the city walls of dyin' dreams
I think her death it must be killin' me)

-an old motto in America has always been 'good old fashion American,' ... your truck is classic American made... American made steel... I feel he changes course and turns his story to a first person point... America is not the same since its first days, but they claim it hasn't changed.

Dying dreams is an American dream if you look at it.... or it can be a dream of liberty... cause either or in the end..... They're both dead..and it's killing those with opened eyes-

In closure.... This is a very political song

anonymous October 22nd, 2008 11:25PM  
I'm not sure if this is right, this is just what I get out of it. And even if it is wrong, I think it's okay to interpret and see songs the way you want to.

Before I begin I just want to say that I think it relates to a very personal experience and I don't think its outwardly political or has to do with issues with the world, government, etc.

For some reason I think the woman he's talking about is his mom and maybe, no matter how hard she tries to keep the family life together and keep things in order, it's just not working and she's trying so hard, maybe people don't see how hard she's working and how much love she's putting into her work.

"Broken heart disease" means maybe she was so depressed about SOMETHING, I don't know what, that she couldn't stand to live with anymore so slowly died away somehow (or maybe suicide).

anonymous November 10th, 2008 05:34AM  
You know how when you first start dating someone and there is that one song that randomly plays ALL the time...well that is this one for me and my ex. It seemed as if the song was reflecting our situation in the beginning, mostly because I would not date him because I had recently went through a nasty break up. Our relationship was somewhere in between "just friends" and "together"; This song would come on and it was so awkward: Hey, come on try a little Nothing is forever - Try to get over the past, because the pain isn't going to last forever anyway, so why not just try the idea of being with a new person. There's got to be something better than In the middle - There has to be something better than almost committed to each other, this whole "friends" deal is not going to be enough. But me & Cinderella We put it all together We can drive it home With one headlight - Basically, this is the part where he is telling her that he doesn't care if she can only half love him now. He wants to be with her regardless, and he is okay with the fact that she may be broken from the past, in fact he will help her pick up the pieces and move on together.

sharingHISgrace January 31st, 2009 01:33AM  
Cindarella in Bob's song Desolation Row is probably Sara. The best bet this song is about Bob and Sara's divorce. If the "in the past" quote of Jacob is correct then Bob and Sara are on better terms now.

anonymous April 13th, 2009 02:03AM  
He moved on and she hit the windowsill. She could not see beyond the frame of her window. This song is about a man having to leave a friend, a loved one behind, while he pursues his dream of sorts. No suicides here, but a death of a relationship.

anonymous January 11th, 2010 10:34PM  
I think that the song sort of talks about a friend who's close friend/crush/love dies, most likely through suicide, because "She died so easy of a broken heart disease" seems to me like saying depression (broken heart disease) and the she died so easy seems to point to a suicide to me, but I might be wrong