In going solo, Ryan Adams, an old friend, was impressed by Malin's songs and offered to produce a record for him, in spite of having never done it before. Malin's debut, "The Fine Art of Self Destruction," was made in just under a week, and was released in January, 2003. He toured both the US and the UK in support of the album.
Malin's follow-up, "The Heat," was released in June, 2004. He released his third solo album, "Glitter in the Gutter," in March, 2007.
In 2010, Malin formed a band called Jesse Malin & the St. Mark's Social and released an album called Love It To Life; the title comes from a quote by Joe Strummer (the title was previously used on a 2007 UK release of live material on the One Little Indian label.) Featuring a more rockier approach, the album's first single was "Burning The Bowery" and next single was "All The Way From Moscow." Love It To Life was referred to as "the best album of his career" by Paste Magazine.
In December 2010, Malin, along members of Green Day, formed the band 'Rodeo Queens'. They released one song, along with a video, called 'Depression Times'. D Generation reunited in 2011 and continue to play live.
In 2019, Jesse Malin released the critically acclaimed album "Sunset Kids," in collaboration with American roots icon Lucinda Williams and Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day.
Wendy
Jesse Malin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No postcard or telephone
Wintertime down by the beach
In a jukebox bar way out of reach
She liked Tom Waits and the poet's hat
Sixties Kinks and Kerouac
Through the night her taillights fade
I don't know I don't know I don't know why
Checkin' the tears and the light in your eyes
I don't know I don't know I don't know
If my little baby will make it alone
Wendy took me with a smile
Country lips and Bacall style
Through Tangiers or to Bombay
Her self-portrait in the USA
I don't know I don't know I don't know why
Checkin' the tears and the light in your eyes
I don't know I don't know I don't know
If my little baby will make it alone
Dreams
Dyin' slowly
We don't want to be alone
Dreams
Dark and holy
We don't want to be alone
Thinking the things that I can't erase
Hole in my heart and a gun in my face
Feeling the things that I can't describe
I don't know I don't know I don't know why
Dreams
Dyin' slowly
We don't want to be alone
Dreams
Dark and holy
We don't want to be alone
Wendy
Let down
Wendy
Get down
I don't know I don't know I don't know why
The song "Wendy" by Jesse Malin is a melancholic reflection on a lost love, Wendy, who has left the singer all alone without so much as a goodbye. The first verse sets the stage: Wendy has left during wintertime, leaving the singer on his own in a jukebox bar by the beach. He remembers her musical tastes, which included Tom Waits, The Kinks, and Jack Kerouac, suggesting that they were soulmates who shared a passion for art and literature. Even so, her selection of music never played, which could indicate that despite their similarities, she was ultimately unattainable.
The second verse amplifies the sense of loss, with the singer recalling that Wendy took him places with a smile and an alluring style reminiscent of Lauren Bacall. She was his self-portrait in the USA, perhaps suggesting that she represented everything he desired in life. Unfortunately, she has left him behind without explanation, and he doesn't know if she'll make it alone. The final verses feature the repetition of the line "Dreams/Dyin' slowly/We don't want to be alone/Dreams/Dark and holy/We don't want to be alone," which expresses a universal desire for companionship and purpose. The song ends abruptly, leaving the listener with a sense of unresolved longing.
Line by Line Meaning
Wendy left me all alone
My girlfriend Wendy abandoned me and left me alone
No postcard or telephone
She didn't even bother to call or send a postcard to tell me where she was going
Wintertime down by the beach
It was winter and she went to the beach
In a jukebox bar way out of reach
She was in a bar with a jukebox that I couldn't reach or find her at
She liked Tom Waits and the poet's hat
Wendy enjoyed the music of Tom Waits and appreciated poetry
Sixties Kinks and Kerouac
She also liked music from the 1960s, such as the Kinks, and was a fan of author Jack Kerouac
Through the night her taillights fade
I watched her car's taillights fade away as she drove off into the distance through the night
Her selection never played
The song she selected on the jukebox never got played, perhaps because she left before it was played
I don't know I don't know I don't know why
I'm bewildered and confused about the situation
Checkin' the tears and the light in your eyes
I'm observing her facial expressions, trying to see if she's sad too
If my little baby will make it alone
I'm worried about whether or not Wendy will be able to survive on her own without me
Wendy took me with a smile
Wendy used to be happy around me
Country lips and Bacall style
She had a charming rural style, similar to actress Lauren Bacall
Through Tangiers or to Bombay
We traveled together to far-off places like Tangiers and Bombay
Her self-portrait in the USA
She had dreams and goals of making a name for herself in the United States
Dreams Dyin' slowly
Our dreams were fading away slowly but surely
We don't want to be alone
We don't want to be left alone without each other
Dreams Dark and holy
Our shared dreams were something significant and meaningful
Thinking the things that I can't erase
I keep thinking about things that I can't forget, no matter how hard I try
Hole in my heart and a gun in my face
I feel like I have a gaping hole in my heart, and that life is like a loaded gun pointed at me
Feeling the things that I can't describe
I have emotions that I can't fully express or explain
Wendy Let down
I feel disappointed and let down by Wendy's abandonment
Wendy Get down
I'm telling Wendy to come back and be with me
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind