What does One Headlight mean?

The Wallflowers: One Headlight Meaning

Album cover for One Headlight album cover

One Headlight Lyrics

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

I seen the sun comin' up at the funeral at dawn
The long broken...

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  1. anonymous
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     Jun 22nd 2008 !⃝

    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.

  2. anonymous
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     Jan 22nd 2008 !⃝

    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.

  3. anonymous
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     Oct 23rd 2007 !⃝

    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.

  4. anonymous
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     Oct 16th 2007 !⃝

    I heard it's about domestic violence. The girl was his best friend,and I guess his only when.the first verse he's talking about her funeral they said she died slowly of a broken heart disease, the long broken arm thing also makes me think of domestic violence. In the second verse she ran until she's out of breathe she ran until there's nothing left she hit the end its just her window ledge.he tried to help her get out of the relationship but she didn't really get that far but her house.

    All of the interpretations are crazy and who knows which is true but the writer.

  5. anonymous
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     Jun 30th 2007 !⃝

    "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.

  6. meri87
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     Mar 29th 2007 !⃝

    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.

  7. anonymous
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     Dec 22nd 2006 !⃝

    Well I think that it is about a love of his that he had and broke up with and both still had feelings for each other and it tore the girl up so much and she'll killed herself and he says its sad but he has to go on.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  8. anonymous
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     Aug 8th 2006 !⃝

    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.

  9. anonymous
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     Jun 19th 2006 !⃝

    Yes, I think that the man singing is dead--but he doesn't know it. "I'm so alone, and I feel just like somebody else. Man, I ain't changed, but I know I ain't the same" He's confused.

  10. anonymous
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     Apr 27th 2006 !⃝

    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

  11. anonymous
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     Mar 27th 2006 !⃝

    Alright. Honestly, I don't think there really meaning anything about he One Headlight, that maybe even though you have trouble you can still make it through with just the little bit of life you have left even with a disability or like small hinderence.

  12. anonymous
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     Mar 9th 2006 !⃝

    I think this song portrays the tragic story of some guy's "first love".

    The chorus paints his desperation as he knows he's already lost her.

    But he can't let go and insists on fighting to keep the relationship, as he has too much to loose - he has never opened up his heart to anyone before her. Cinderella on the other hand already knows her fairytale is over and can't see any other way but out.

    The three verses are very clever metaphors depicting the motions he goes through. The first verse describes the realisation from the guy that her heart isn't in the relationship anymore. The second verse paints the struggle to keep the relationship alive, and the third verse is about the aftermath.

    The whole song is about a guy who cannot let go or mend his broken heart. It could even be the stereotypical old man sitting at the bar telling the story about the one that got away.

    People come and go in our lives but we will never be the same.

  13. kajon69
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     Jan 7th 2006 !⃝

    I think the song has always been about alcoholism. One person singing about a once good looking women that dies of mourning herself over a broken heart and alcohol in an everyday nieghborhood bar. The one headlight is meaning driving home one eye open, one eye closed trying to focus on the road ,like we have all done, the end sings of him wasting away in the same bar on the same stool, drunk ,singing about a change that will never come, the city walls of dying dreams pertains to the bar that never changes everyday is the same they all run together, he thinks of death pertains to the alchol killing him like his once only friend. That's what I think but, what do I know?

  14. funkbomb
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     Nov 3rd 2005 !⃝

    As explained by the artist of the song, "One Headlight" has no real intended meaning. However, there are a few situations that best explain the words. One of which involves the death of a girl because of a car accident that occurred near a bridge.

    "So long ago, I don't remember when" - Suffered a concussion in the accident

    "That's when the say I lost my only friend/They say she died easy of a broken heart disease" - Not really subject to interpretation, could suggest a relationship issue.

    The rest of the song follows suit.

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