The Wallflowers: One Headlight Meaning
One Headlight Lyrics
That's when they say I lost my only friend
Well they said she died easy of a broken heart disease
As I listened through the cemetery trees
I seen the sun comin' up at the funeral at dawn
The long broken...
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1TOP RATED
#1 top rated interpretation: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." -
2TOP RATED
#2 top rated interpretation: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. -
3TOP RATED
#3 top rated interpretation: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 -
100% Support patriotism US Navy girl here and did not know what was said behind this song until I read the writings and for a while now I've tried to remember the lyrics to this amazing song but now that I know how it all fits... WOW I will never forget them. GOD bless you, GOD bless the USA.
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I believe this song is about someone he loved who died but her ghost is still with him and it's driving him crazy that he has her but not physically but it's better than nothing . He also feels guilty that she hasn't moved on to the after life.
This was always my interpretation of this song. -
I relate to it as not being able to move forward. Living in the past realizing that it's been a battle throughout the years and as much as I wanted to beleive she was going to be here.... All I wanted was for her to live a little... All I have are memories and in my sleep dreams with her.
One headlight -
One Headlight represents Ones Self. Things you go through in life. But you can make it even with One Headlight. Two Headlights are better than one. But you manage with one source. It can reprsent spirtually your own salvation. Standing alone with God. You are responsible for your own Soul & Salvation. Their can be a spouse/ friend/ family member that you can’t lead to Christ. Single parent / Single life/ or even a unequally yoked marriage. You feel like you are standing alone with your Finances - your relationship. But if you have the support of a special person in your life. You will not fall even with one headlight.
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well.... here's the actual answer, directly from the writer:
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." -
depression is a disease that will kill you. affects energy and organs. you will sleep all the time. the house is a mess because she just can't do it anymore.
(there is a comparison between the mess and his memories of her).
but she tried to reach the sunset with him. he knows she made it because the sun comes up at her funeral and he can feel her spirit and peace (the agopy).
he don't fit in with the funeral crowd either.
then their is a pause for change of thought.
he repeats the dawn metaphor but the lyrics are from another point a view (the gossip) they cant see she loved him and they killed her.
the one head light is a metaphor and reality. its an example of how hard they lived. also how he always found a way. hes still heading to their sunset. they are the real deal and going to be together forever.
my wife's mother died when we were just taking off in high school, father died before birth, my parents wernt helpful. 16 and 18 we raised eachother. I turned down my scholarship and went straight into the work force. I chose us and a lot like this song. going into public can be a downer. we cant afford fad, only what is essential. and that is what gets us from one disaster to another.
the long broken arm is a metaphor of how people use law and social holding to control & oppress. its another ghetto story. we are but flesh and blood. when you have something sacred/godly as their love, its always going to be a battle.
the world was created to envy the son (this time Adam). -
One headlight is a motorcycle. I often listen to this song on long rides on my bike and for some reason, it explains the freedom and life you can find in the solitude of oneself.
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I have heard this song a hundred times and could never figure out why it made me feel the way it does. I hear it and think back to a time of innocence in my teenage years. I feel love, hope, and oblivious to the world around me. But then as the song goes on I understand that things change and todays world is hard and cruel. In so few words it captures so much, youthful bliss(Cinderella/youngerself), struggling transition to early adult hood (present self). You finally figure it out and let the past be and remain a beautiful memory but move forward. And when Dylan says "we can drive it home with one head light" it means even though we're still learning we will be alright we will make it and we will be successful. This is a truly subliminal piece of art... Beautiful.
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to me, the story is about past regrets; notice how, except for the last verse, everything is in past tense? like he was reliving past events, and then he looked at his present life, and to him, even that felt old and broken ("like a beat up truck"). to me, it sounds like he was trapped in a circle of regretting the past and disliking the present because he can't change the past; in short, he can't get over losing her...
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Jacob is right when he says it's about metaphores and images. This song says more about oneself than an actual story.
For me it's a song about the past, and about somebody else.
Then it's about your own decisions and coming to terms with them. And also about someone else's decisions about about one's effort to cope with them.
It also plays with the idea of the actual values and bonds that make a relationship matter, hence one headlight actually means, "the stuff that matters".
Finally i read about over complexity and over simplicity.
If i listen to it 100 times i get 100 different, somewhat similar though, meanings.
My favorite song -
I think that this song is about a guy who realized he loves a girl who is over him.
"That's when they say I lost my only friend
Well they said she died easy of a broken heart disease
As I listened through the cemetery trees"
He lost her she is done, she is just over waiting for him to come around. She was the only one that ever truly loved him, which is why she was his only friend, and listening through the cemetery trees is him hearing the things he doesn't want to, because no one wants to here conversation at a funeral.
"She said it's cold
It feels like Independence Day
And I can't break away from this parade
But there's got to be an opening
Somewhere here in front of me
Through this maze of ugliness and greed
And I seen the sun up ahead
At the county line bridge
Sayin' all there's good and nothingness is dead
We'll run until she's out of breath
She ran until there's nothin' left
She hit the end-it's just her window ledge"
This whole verse is what makes me believe my interpretation is right. He was greedy took her love for granted. He expected her to stick around, he put her through a maze he hoped she would never find her way out of.
We've all been there. None of us want to go back. -
I think there is really a lot going on in this song. The first words of the song are:
So long ago, I don't remember when
That's when they say I lost my only friend
Well they said she died easy of a broken heart disease
As I listened through the cemetery trees
Meaning: A long time ago the singer and the girl in the song were involved in a relationship, they broke up and a part of the girl doed in the relationship.
the next verse goes:
I seen the sun comin' up at the funeral at dawn
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
Meaning:Time has passed and the singer is now at the girl's funeral The long broken arm of human law refers to how the girl was maybe involved in an abusive relationship but because maybe she married or had children with the abuser she was compelled to remain in the abusive relationship. She always had a pretty face so I wondered why she hung around this place means He always found the the girl to be an attractive person but the girl lacked self-confidence and felt she could not do better, and it was the singers way of saying the girl could have done better.
The chorus says: 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
Meaning: The singer tried many times (which is why the chorus is repeated numerous times) to convince the girl to go move on with her life,(possibly with the singer) they could piece her life back togather even though it would not be perfect it would work (hence the "drive it home with one headlight" reference.
The next verse says: She said it's cold
It feels like Independence Day
And I can't break away from this parade
But there's got to be an opening
Somewhere here in front of me
Through this maze of ugliness and greed
And I seen the sun up ahead
At the county line bridge
Sayin' all there's good and nothingness is dead
We'll run until she's out of breath
She ran until there's nothin' left
She hit the end-it's just her window ledge
Meaning: Finally the girl decides to get out of the abusive relationship, she takes off with the singer (this is the reference to "the opening ahead of me" and the county line bridge symbolizes they keep running but the abuser always finds her."
The last verse says: Well this place is old
It feels just like a beat up truck
I turn the engine, but the engine doesn't turn
Well it smells of cheap wine & cigarettes
This place is always such a mess
Sometimes I think I'd like to watch it burn
I'm so alone, and I feel just like somebody else
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
Meaning: The girl and the singer are tired of running from the abuser,(reference to the "beat up truck" and how they "turn the engine, but the engine doesnt turn" Finally the abuser kills the girl, the singer stays around but his depression has led him to alcohol("this place smells of cheap wine and cigarettes" reference. The singer wants to forget about the girl referring to "this place is such a mess, sometimes I'd think I'd like to watch it burn" is his way of saying he wants to forget and move on but he cannot. The singer then talks about being "alone" and how he is not the same but hasn't changed meaning a part of him died with her and nothing will ever be the same at the same time nothing can be done to change the situation either. The reference to "her death it must be killing me" is the singers way of saying his intentions are to commit suicide.
All in all this song is extremely powerful and has more of a deeper meaning, possibly referring to a similar event in Jakob Dylan's life. -
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." (thanks, Shirl - Bay Area, CA)
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Someone in my family said that the song is about the guy's best friend who got her heart broken and she killed herself. Then he found out he loved her and was saying they could have been together and made it work.
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This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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