"One Headlight"
Single by the Wallflowers
from the album Bringing Down the Horse
B-side
ReleasedJanuary 27, 1997 (1997-01-27)
Genre
Length
  • 5:13 (album version)
  • 4:38 (single version)
LabelInterscope
Songwriter(s)Jakob Dylan
Producer(s)T Bone Burnett
The Wallflowers singles chronology
"6th Avenue Heartache"
(1996)		 "One Headlight"
(1997)		 "The Difference"
(1997)

"One Headlight" is a song by American rock band the Wallflowers. The song was written by lead singer Jakob Dylan, and produced by T Bone Burnett. It was released in January 1997 as the second single from the band's second studio album, Bringing Down the Horse (1996).

The song is notable for being the first single to reach No. 1 on all three of Billboard's rock airplay charts: the Modern Rock Tracks chart, the Mainstream Rock Songs chart, and the Triple-A chart. "One Headlight" also stayed at No. 1 in Canada for five weeks. In 2000, the song was listed at No. 58 on Rolling Stone and MTV's list of the "100 Greatest Pop Songs of All Time",[3] and Billboard ranked it as No. 1 on its 2021 list of the "Greatest Adult Alternative Songs".[4][5]

Background

The song was written by lead vocalist Jakob Dylan, and is the second to be written during the recording of Bringing Down the Horse in Los Angeles. Dylan has stated that the song is about "the death of ideas".[6]

Music video

The music video was filmed in New York City in February 1997 and features the band performing.[7]

Chart performance

Although the song did not chart on the US Billboard Hot 100 due to the chart rules at the time, it was a significant radio hit. It spent five weeks at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart and a total of 70 weeks on the chart.[8] In March 1997, it became the first song to top all three of Billboard's rock airplay charts—the Modern Rock Tracks, Mainstream Rock Songs and Adult Alternative Songs charts.[9] In Canada, the song reached No. 1 on the RPM Top Singles chart, staying there for five weeks and was also the third-most-successful song of the year.[10][11] Outside North America, the song reached No. 14 in Australia and became a moderate hit in Germany and the United Kingdom.[12][13][14]

Accolades

The song won two Grammy Awards at the 40th Annual Grammy Awards, Best Rock Song[15] and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group.[16] The song was performed live at the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards with Bruce Springsteen, where the music video was nominated four times, including for Viewer's Choice.

Year Association Category Result
1998 Grammy Awards Best Rock Song Won
Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals Won

Track listings

Australian CD single; UK 7-inch and CD single[17][18][19]

  1. "One Headlight" (radio edit) – 4:38
  2. "6th Avenue Heartache" (acoustic) – 4:47
  3. "Angel on My Bike" (live) – 4:46

European CD single[20]

  1. "One Headlight" (radio edit)
  2. "Angel on My Bike" (live)

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[35] Gold 35,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States January 27, 1997 Contemporary hit radio Interscope [36]
United Kingdom June 30, 1997
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • CD
 [37]
Japan September 22, 1997 CD [38]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Ranking: Every Alternative Rock No. 1 Hit From Worst to Best". March 28, 2016. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  2. ↑ Waldman, Scott (April 3, 2020). "10 Best Pop-Rock Songs of the '90s". Loudwire. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
  3. ↑ Rolling Stone & MTV: '100 Greatest Pop Songs': 51-100 (compiled by VH1 in 2000)
  4. ↑ Bain, Katie (February 19, 2021). "Jakob Dylan on 25 Years of 'One Headlight': 'I Can Still Listen to It & Say 'Damn, That Was Pretty F–king Good"". Billboard. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Greatest of All Time Adult Alternative Songs". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 11, 2023. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
  6. ↑ Songfacts: One Headlight by The Wallflowers
  7. ↑ "Billboard". 22 February 1997.
  8. 1 2 "The Wallflowers Chart History (Radio Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
  9. ↑ "Red Hot Chili Peppers' 'Dark Necessities' Only 4th Song to Top Mainstream Rock, Alternative & Adult Alternative Charts". Billboard. Retrieved August 8, 2017.
  10. 1 2 "Top RPM Singles: Issue 3176." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
  11. 1 2 "RPM '97 Year End Top 100 Hit Tracks". RPM. Retrieved August 17, 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  12. 1 2 "The Wallflowers – One Headlight". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  13. 1 2 "The Wallflowers – One Headlight" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  14. 1 2 "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
  15. ↑ "Winners: Best Rock Song". Grammy.com. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  16. ↑ "Winners: Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal". Grammy.com. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  17. ↑ One Headlight (Australian CD single liner notes). The Wallflowers. Interscope Records. 1997. INTDS95532.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. ↑ One Headlight (UK 7-inch single sleeve). The Wallflowers. Interscope Records. 1997. INS 95532.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. ↑ One Headlight (UK CD single liner notes). The Wallflowers. Interscope Records. 1997. IND-95532.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. ↑ One Headlight (European CD single liner notes). The Wallflowers. Interscope Records. 1997. IND 97516.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  21. ↑ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (24.4. '97 – 30.4. '97)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). April 25, 1997. p. 16. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
  22. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
  23. ↑ "The Wallflowers Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
  24. ↑ "The Wallflowers Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
  25. ↑ "The Wallflowers Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
  26. ↑ "The Wallflowers Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
  27. ↑ "The Wallflowers Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
  28. ↑ "The Wallflowers Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
  29. ↑ "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 1997". ARIA. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
  30. ↑ "The Year in Music 1997: Hot 100 Airplay". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 52. December 27, 1997. p. YE-36.
  31. ↑ "The Year in Music 1997: Hot Adult Top 40 Singles & Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 52. December 27, 1997. p. YE-83.
  32. 1 2 "The Year in Music 1997". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 52. December 27, 1997. p. YE-73.
  33. ↑ "Best of '97: Top 40/Mainstream Singles". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 5, no. 52. December 28, 1997. p. 38.
  34. ↑ "Best of '97: Triple A Tracks". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 5, no. 52. December 28, 1997. p. 28.
  35. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1997 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
  36. ↑ "New Releases" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1180. January 17, 1997. p. 44. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
  37. ↑ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. June 28, 1997. p. 25. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
  38. ↑ "ワン・ヘッドライト | ザ・ウォールフラワーズ" [One Headlight | The Wallflowers] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
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