Coming out of the streets of Fullerton California, DI was formed in the sha… Read Full Bio ↴Coming out of the streets of Fullerton California, DI was formed in the shadows of The Adolescents back in 1983 in a studio behind a pawn shop. The Adolescents, Social Distortion, Agent Orange and several other local early punk rock pioneers were the breeding ground from which DI was born. DI branded their own form of punk rock that complemented the Orange County Punk scene in sound and attitude. DI was thrown to the forefront after the band performed "Richard Hung Himself" with the original line up that recorded the bands first EP in the 1984 movie, "Suburbia", directed by Penelope Spheeris who's previous production was "Decline of Western Civilization." When the band went through a line up change after the first EP titled Team Goon, members of emerging Fullerton band Almost 21 became the backbone for the sound that DI is known for today. During that line up change, front man Casey Royer known for his cutting and outrageous social commentary through humor is joined by Rikk Agnew of The Adolescents on guitar. Rikk brought to DI a handful of songs written in previous years, such as "Falling Out" and "OC Life" which were featured on Rikk Agnew's solo album, "All By Myself" and were made wildly popular though Casey Royer's style and personality. Over the many years that DI has been on the scene, the band has went though a lot of line up changes that has made DI a very incestuous family of players. Most of the former and present members were all part of the Fullerton and north Orange County Punk scene which proved to be the key ingredient to keeping the personality that makes DI what it is. DI has toured extensively throughout North America and Europe, and everywhere they performed DI left the audience not wanting the show to be over. The current line, which many have stated could very well be the hardest hitting and most cohesive line up ever, made up of Casey Royer on vocals, brothers Eddie and Joey Tatar as the rhythm unit of bass and drums, Chickenhead on rhythm guitar and brought together by lead guitarist Clinton Calton.
DI is proud to bring you the band’s 8th release, “On The Western Front”.

Colors and Blood
D.I. Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

My brother's life was over with a flash of light
The gun was sure to have seen him comin'
Don't know how much you're gonna have to pay
He shot him dead at the signal when the light was red
It's just the way it's always been and you know now what has to be
Cause where you live life there's no rules
Makes today a good day for dyin'
Goin' down i don't need a reason

In the eyes of fools
Livin' by these rules
Colors and blood are all I have
I don't care if you kill me
Colors and Blood are all I have
Whether I die or live
Colors and Blood are all I have
I don't care about tomorrow
Cause tomorrow may never come
May not ever see the sun
I heard him say as he turned and walked away
This is my way ain't gonna be no other

Don't try to talk to me don't bother
He's not a man unless he's killed with a gun in his hand

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to D.I.'s song "Colors and Blood" are a bleak portrayal of a world where violence reigns supreme and life is cheap. The opening lines describe the sudden and senseless death of the singer's brother at the hands of unknown assailants. The violence seems to be a part of daily life, as the singer laments that "where you live life there's no rules."

The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "Colors and Blood are all I have," which can be interpreted in a number of ways. It could be a reference to gang culture, where colors and symbols are used to represent different groups. It could also be a commentary on the fact that violence and bloodshed are the only constants in a world where everything else is uncertain. The line "I don't care about tomorrow" suggests that the singer has given up hope for a better future and is resigned to a life of violence and despair.

The final lines of the song suggest that the singer sees the ability to kill as a defining characteristic of manhood. This reinforces the notion that in the world of the song, violence is not just accepted but celebrated. The overall message of the song is a grim warning about the dangers of allowing violence to become an integral part of our culture.

Line by Line Meaning

My brother's life was over with a flash of light
My brother was killed suddenly and violently.

The gun was sure to have seen him comin'
The killer had planned and prepared to take my brother's life.

Don't know how much you're gonna have to pay
The price for living in a neighborhood where violence and murder are common is high and uncertain.

He shot him dead at the signal when the light was red
My brother was killed in a public place, without warning or mercy.

It's just the way it's always been and you know now what has to be
Violence and murder are an accepted part of life in this neighborhood, and everyone living here knows it.

Cause where you live life there's no rules
In this neighborhood, there is no justice or safety.

Makes today a good day for dyin'
The constant threat of violence makes every day feel like it could be your last.

Goin' down i don't need a reason
My fate has already been decided by the constant violence and danger of this neighborhood.

In the eyes of fools
To those who do not understand the life we lead here, our choices may seem foolish or misguided.

Livin' by these rules
To survive in this neighborhood, you must follow the unwritten rules of violence and intimidation.

Colors and blood are all I have
The only things that define my life here are the colors of the gang I belong to and the constant threat of violent death.

I don't care if you kill me
Death no longer holds any fear for me, as it seems to be the only release from the constant fear and danger of living in this neighborhood.

Whether I die or live
My fate has already been decided by the neighborhood where I live; whether I die or live is irrelevant.

I don't care about tomorrow
The future holds no promise or hope for me in this neighborhood.

Cause tomorrow may never come
The constant danger and violence surrounding me could end my life at any moment, so I cannot afford to think about the future.

May not ever see the sun
Death feels so close and constant that it seems like the sun may never rise again for me.

I heard him say as he turned and walked away
The killer showed no remorse or regret for what he had done to my brother.

This is my way ain't gonna be no other
The killer is committed to a life of violence and murder and sees no other options.

Don't try to talk to me don't bother
Those who do not understand or accept the life of violence and intimidation in this neighborhood should not waste their time trying to reason with those who do.

He's not a man unless he's killed with a gun in his hand
In this neighborhood, masculinity is defined by the ability and willingness to harm others with a weapon.

Contributed by Gavin T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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