“One Headlight” by The Wallflowers
According to the writer of the song Jakob Dylan, most of his songs include metaphors which confuse his fans especially when they take the lyrics literally but this song is about the “death of ideas”.
First Verse
In the first verse, the singer talks about losing his dear friend to disease. However, as aforementioned, this isn’t meant to be interpreted literally. The death of his friend symbolizes ideas dying.
Chorus
In the chorus, he urges the listeners to not give up because nothing is forever. He encourages people to believe in the arrival of a better day.
Second and Third Verses
When you listen to the second part, it feels like the song is also about depression. He talks about struggling to break away from the coldness of life. He hopes for a way out of it, out of the mess of life. However, he is not willing to give up, he intends to keep pushing until he breaks through. And despite ultimately feeling alone, he is hopeful for a better day. This hope is apparently what keeps him going.
“One Headlight” wins Grammys
At the Grammy Awards held in New York City in 1998, this was one of the many songs that took home multiple awards that night. It actually clinched victory in the following categories:
- “Best Rock Performance by Duo or Group”
- “Best Rock Song”
Winning the aforementioned categories made this song one of the biggest winners of the Award’s night.
Writing and Production Details of “One Headlight”
Jakob Dylan (who is best known as the lead singer of the band) wrote this Grammy-winning song.
Record producer and musician T-Bone (who is best known for his membership of Bob Dylan’s band) produced “One Headlight”.
Release Date and Album
Interscope Records released this award-winning tune on 24th February, 1997. It appears on the band’s “Bringing Down the Horse” album. Actually it was one of the 4 singles the album spawned.
Did “One Headlight” chart?
Interestingly, despite being one of the biggest hits of 1997, this multiple Grammy winning song didn’t make it into the Billboard Hot 100. However, it did make it into multiple other Billboard charts, including the Adult Top 40 and Mainstream Rock charts. It actually topped these charts. It also was a number one single in Canada.
Driving on, regardless of what stands in the way.
Failure is not an option.
Because in the end we all die.
I thought the chorus “one headlight ” was referring to a motorcycle.
I thought it was referring to a relationship that was finally working out after settling differences.
The beautiful thing about metaphors is that people can interpret them to fit whatever they’re imagining. For me it’s about a girl I knew and lost a lot of sleep over. She was kinda special to me… and has been for over 50 years now. There were moments, and as uncomfortable as it often is, it has been 51 years of unrequited love. Great song; kind of describes how I feel these days, yet somehow has a bit of optimistic look at the past. Ah, well…
really a motorcyle. is that what you got out of it
Please tell me that you are not taking a human how they should feel about a song?!🤦🏽♀️ yes if they thought it was about a motorcycle good on them for sharing their personal opinion and SHAME ON YOU. If you know why I’m posting this then you know if you don’t sit down and shut up!
Always liked this song and assumed the one headlight was a car with one light not working. The idea being things are not perfect but we’ve got this, we’ll get it done. To be honest the motorcycle image just popped into my head hearing the song today. Of course there is no ‘correct’ interpretation on this one, it’s poetic and the lyrics overall are not about a literal chain of events. So yeah, no need to denigrate someone else’s reaction to what’s a fairly abstract lyric to begin with.
Motocycle is the perfect interpretation. Having just lost his only friend he now uses a vehicle that is almost exclusively for a single person. Great metaphor. Like middle-aged guys go from family car to motorcycle/2-seat sports cars. Alone.
One of many songs from my youth I could feel. Like a lot of the good ones that stuck in my mind, this song resonates later in my life. Carrying so much weight with it, I love it. But I feel the steel crack like it did when I heard this song so many years ago…
“I feel the steel crack” you mean?
It means that hearing the song makes him feel vulnerable
OMG is all I can say. I love his metaphors and the way he brings them through his songs! 👍🏻
Wow! I love the way he sings his metaphors through his music! 👍🏻❤
Like many great songs it can mean, inspire, different thoughts and meanings for people at different times and circumstances. My spouse had passed away in ‘95 leaving me with 2 young children to care for. To me this song encouraged me to do singularly what we had planned to do together.
After reading how this song inspired you at such an indescribably painful time in your life, I listened to it again and it brought tears to my eyes. Now I will always remember your story when I hear it. Wow!
I’ve known this song and have been singing along to it for years, but I’ve never been able to grasp what the lyrics are trying to say. After reading this explanation I went back and read the lyrics without any music and I cried. I never realized how deep this song actually is and how relevant it is to my life right now. Truly an underrated piece of work.
Jacob is so deep in his song writing just like his dad was.
My go to song when I need an “oh damn” moment, helps me reload my brain, I’m ready to face the world after this song, and 5 minutes of reflection.
This song made me feel as if I was not alone while living in an abusive relationship for 10 years. It made me realize I could do much better even if I was alone with 2 young sons. That being said, I’ve never told anyone that. I left the relationship and have been happily married for over 23 years now to my soul mate!!
I always imagined it was about losing a close family member as a youngster and the thoughts that youngster might think picking up bits of conversation from translating that through the mind of a child.
It’s supposed to be a motorcycle but I think a car with one broken headlight is better
I think it’s about a person who’s been hurt by life events who can go on in spite of that. The one headlight is what that person lost, physically, emotionally or spiritually. And trying to deal with the vast greed in our society that reduces people to cogs in a machine. And trying to escape that.
I think the one headlight has a double meaning as a metaphor. The first is the idea of a broken down car, barely functional, but working enough to drive home.
I feel like the other meaning is referring to hope. The idea being that it’s a head “light” that allows you to see ahead through the darkness, to keep going, and the fact the song’s character needs just one hope to make it home through the night.