Continuing a countdown of my favorite albums of 2005…
#9 – Rebel, Sweetheart – The Wallflowers
I’m a massive fan of The Wallflowers’ 2000 album Breach, their third studio release and first after 1996’s breakthrough Bringing Down the Horse. But I had one foot out of the bandwagon after their uninspired follow-up, 2002’s Red Letter Days.
That made Rebel, Sweetheart a pivotal next entry in their discography. And fortunately, it was a return to form.
This album once again finds Jakob Dylan and crew writing catchy, resonant alternative rock songs, with thought-provoking lyrics and radio-ready melodies.
Listening to Rebel, Sweetheart for this blog entry, I realized how much I miss these guys. This is the sort of music people aren’t really making anymore. Even in 2005, it felt a bit like a throwback to the 90s rock scene that made songs like these hits on a regular basis.
I always say the same thing about these Decades posts — I treasure them because they force me to go back and listen to albums that once dominated my time but have since fallen off my radar. This rootsy beauty is a perfect example.
Here comes your drunken marionette
Dragging his mess of threads
There at the bar pulling smoke to his lungs
He says, who will ignore me when you’re gone?
Now come on, lift me up
Well, I wanna dance by your tin cup
Your tower of beauty with a split in your tongue
Who will ignore me when you’re gone?
He says, who will ignore me when you’re gone?
[Chorus 1]
Here he comes
Here he comes
He’s still the wooden heart
That wouldn’t ever part
With the drunken marionette
[Verse 2]
Been mainlining bad thoughts
Been drinking things I wish I’d not
Intoxicated with sad songs
Who will forgive you when I’m gone?
They sing Auld Lang Syne
I’ve got mutiny on my mind
A guilty conscience means at least you’ve got one
Who will forgive you when I’m gone?
He says, who will forgive you when I’m gone?
[Chorus 2]
Here he comes
Here he comes
He’s still the wooden heart
That wouldn’t ever part
He’s waiting on a spark
That hasn’t happened yet
For the drunken marionette
[Bridge]
Now carry on
And turn the lights low when you go
In the hours left
I hope you feel the things that I know I won’t
[Verse 3]
What you give is what you get
These days I’m worried ’bout your debts
Who carries evil out evil will come
Who will defend you when I’m gone?
He says: who will defend you when I’m gone?
[Chorus 3]
Here he comes
Here he comes
He’s still the wooden heart
That wouldn’t ever part
He’s waiting on a spark
That hasn’t happened yet
Now, here he comes
Here he comes
He’s still the wooden heart
That wouldn’t ever part
He’s waiting on a spark
That hasn’t happened yet
For the drunken marionette
Meet Me In Montauk 
I like the Wallflowers’ sound, even if my familiarity with the band pretty much begins and ends with “One Headlight.”