One Headlight

One Headlight
by The Wallflowers

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 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

Chorus:
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

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

(chorus)

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

(chorus)


*****


There is nothing really special about this song. It is just a song I really liked back then in school (and still like until this very day!) Sadly to say, this song have no particular story connected to my own personal experience.

The song was released in 1996. That is more than 10 years ago! I have been trying to find the song but failed. Luckily I found people with this song in their computers through Ares. Limewire failed to do so. Or maybe it wasn't the right timing.

I remembered asking a friend the title of the song. Since I didn't really know what the words are and I can't hum the tune correctly, I can only describe the song as "the one with 'Cinderella' in it." It was pretty funny as no one really get what I was trying to say.

Looking back at the lyric, it reminds me how at one time there were so many songs relating to death and loss without sounding so sad, at first you wouldn't even think the song is actually telling about someone's death. (I'm thinking of Pearl Jam's Last Kiss. For me it wasn't a sad sad song.)

Here's an interesting fact I found: the song is not related to anyone's death.

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."

But there are many people saying that the song does remind them of death of someone close. You can read people's comments on the song and it's interpretation here. Someone even left a funny remark:

"Headlight?" That makes more sense, I thought he was saying "Head lice". ("The teacher sent me hooooooome, cause I got headlice")
- Jay, Atlanta, GA