Uploaded April 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
One week into the pandemic, I went out to my garage and recorded this video. I originally posted it in April 2020. One year later, I decided to remix the audio, using the skills that I had developed by recording and mixing over 50 other works during the pandemic. I didn't re-record any of the ten guitar tracks or fix the boxy sounds of the drums, just remixed the original recording with an emphasis on EQ and dynamics on the vocals.
For the video, I haven't changed anything either. When everything was shutdown and the TV was showing pictures of empty cities, I found a can of green spray paint in the garage. I promptly sprayed a white bedsheet and hung it on my garage door. Voila ... an almost functioning green screen.
When I recorded this, I tried to stay true to the original guitar work. However, the ending is extended with The Wallflower tremolo guitar solo, an amped up version of their slide solo, then a high harmony picking guitar solo, a low harmony legato guitar solo, and finally wailing lead walking up and down the neck!
"One Headlight" is definitely one of my favourite songs, off The Wallflowers’ sophomore album in 1994. Strong lyrics, gutsy vocals and tasteful guitar embellishments. Jakob Dylan tends to write with a lot of metaphors and images, but people tend to 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.' His thought was that at times, it seems like there should be a code among human beings that is about respect and appreciation. Jakob wasn't feeling like there was much support outside the band putting together the record. In the chorus, it says, 'C'mon try a little.' He didn't need everything to get through, he would still get through but a little help would be better. He could get there with 'one headlight', but wouldn't it be great if he didn't have to.
Wanna just sing (and not play guitar)? Try this version … youtu.be/xOIfP4f6elw
Wanna just play guitar (and not sing)? Try this version … youtu.be/OvcJtzW9xv0
Wanna sing and play guitar to this tune? Try this version … youtu.be/bnZov_q1M8o
Listen with headphones for MAXIMUM effect!
Here are the video highlights:
0:01 First guitar - Godin 5th Avenue with Tremolo
0:05 Enter drums
0:06 Second guitar - Epiphone Embassy 5-string bass (for those low Ds)
0:09 Third guitar - LIne 6 Variax with Phase Shifter and Chorus
0:19 Enter organ (Hammond B3, 1964 A-100 by Arturia at 08800000)
0:28 First verse
0:45 Tremolo guitar solo
1:06 Fourth guitar - 1972 Fender Stratocaster slide with reverb and delay
1:18 Fifth guitar - B.C. Rich "Bich" with heavy overdrive
1:22 Chorus
1:42 Tremolo guitar solo
1:50 Second verse
2:36 Chorus
2:56 Slide guitar solo
3:13 Third verse
3:54 Pure autotune vocals
3:59 Chorus
4:17 Tremolo guitar solo
4:33 Slide guitar solo
4:52 Harmony guitar picking
5:10 Harmony guitar legato
5:27 Overdrive guitar solo
5:46 Harmony guitar picking
One week into the pandemic, I went out to my garage and recorded this video. I originally posted it in April 2020. One year later, I decided to remix the audio, using the skills that I had developed by recording and mixing over 50 other works during the pandemic. I didn't re-record any of the ten guitar tracks or fix the boxy sounds of the drums, just remixed the original recording with an emphasis on EQ and dynamics on the vocals.
For the video, I haven't changed anything either. When everything was shutdown and the TV was showing pictures of empty cities, I found a can of green spray paint in the garage. I promptly sprayed a white bedsheet and hung it on my garage door. Voila ... an almost functioning green screen.
When I recorded this, I tried to stay true to the original guitar work. However, the ending is extended with The Wallflower tremolo guitar solo, an amped up version of their slide solo, then a high harmony picking guitar solo, a low harmony legato guitar solo, and finally wailing lead walking up and down the neck!
"One Headlight" is definitely one of my favourite songs, off The Wallflowers’ sophomore album in 1994. Strong lyrics, gutsy vocals and tasteful guitar embellishments. Jakob Dylan tends to write with a lot of metaphors and images, but people tend to 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.' His thought was that at times, it seems like there should be a code among human beings that is about respect and appreciation. Jakob wasn't feeling like there was much support outside the band putting together the record. In the chorus, it says, 'C'mon try a little.' He didn't need everything to get through, he would still get through but a little help would be better. He could get there with 'one headlight', but wouldn't it be great if he didn't have to.
Wanna just sing (and not play guitar)? Try this version … youtu.be/xOIfP4f6elw
Wanna just play guitar (and not sing)? Try this version … youtu.be/OvcJtzW9xv0
Wanna sing and play guitar to this tune? Try this version … youtu.be/bnZov_q1M8o
Listen with headphones for MAXIMUM effect!
Here are the video highlights:
0:01 First guitar - Godin 5th Avenue with Tremolo
0:05 Enter drums
0:06 Second guitar - Epiphone Embassy 5-string bass (for those low Ds)
0:09 Third guitar - LIne 6 Variax with Phase Shifter and Chorus
0:19 Enter organ (Hammond B3, 1964 A-100 by Arturia at 08800000)
0:28 First verse
0:45 Tremolo guitar solo
1:06 Fourth guitar - 1972 Fender Stratocaster slide with reverb and delay
1:18 Fifth guitar - B.C. Rich "Bich" with heavy overdrive
1:22 Chorus
1:42 Tremolo guitar solo
1:50 Second verse
2:36 Chorus
2:56 Slide guitar solo
3:13 Third verse
3:54 Pure autotune vocals
3:59 Chorus
4:17 Tremolo guitar solo
4:33 Slide guitar solo
4:52 Harmony guitar picking
5:10 Harmony guitar legato
5:27 Overdrive guitar solo
5:46 Harmony guitar picking
