A Wallflowers Return

What’s not to like about the Wallflowers? On a recent podcast, the band’s lead, Jakob, mused on about being Bob Dylan’s son. An unexpected answer came. I mean, his dad is arguably the most influential songwriter of a generation. Highway 61 is often considered in the list of top ten albums of all-time, if not Number 1. Like a Rolling Stone. Desolation Row.

Pressure, right?

Yet, if you’re on the dance floor and One Headlight starts to roar over the speakers, given a choice, would you want another song? Sure, Highway 61 is considered perfection. But when the crowd screams and starts singing, “Hey-ey-ey, come on try a little …” Admit it, you jump in and throw your arms in the air. You can always call out the true fan; they know all the lyrics and don’t hum after in the middle. Da … Da … Da …

For reference to those who want to be pure of heart:

Hey-ey-ey Come on try a little Nothing is forever Got to be something better than in the middle

Me and Cinderella We put it all together We can drive it home With one headlight

After the song ends and the last call is long past, one only hopes 6th Avenue Heart Break smooths the set out, a perfect end, but, usually, Closing Time blares. A subtle cliché to call the night over. But, does the adventure have to end? Maybe not; we all cling to our memories and illusions.

And so, after a lengthy wait, the Wallflowers reappear with Exit Wounds. Nine years since the last and almost thirty from the start, there is a Dive Bar In My Heart. Glad to spin a record that sounds like old times but is new all the same.

References

• The conversation appeared on The Moment with Brian Koppelman (May 5, 2021). Your podcast player of choice should surface it quickly.
• A quick search turns up the full lyrics to “One Headlight”—it still holds up.
• Revisit the Wallflowers discography for the band’s catalogue.