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”.

Hang Ten In East Berlin
D.I. Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm a stormtropper
Tan and and young
Riding the waves of death and having fun
Master race mayhem on the beach
The Fourth Reich is within our reach
So

[Chorus]

Hang Ten in East Berlin
Hang Ten In East Berlin
Hang Ten
Hang Ten
In East
Berlin
Hang Ten In East Berlin
Hang Ten In East Berlin
Hang Ten
Hang Ten
In East
Berlin

Well they got their boards
and they got their slaps
There's no way out, boy there's no way back
Now your out, your in the line up
Your gonna drown, you can't give up now
You can't give up
So

[Chorus]

[Chorus]

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of D.I.'s song Hang Ten in East Berlin reflect a subversive and provocative take on the history of fascism and the Cold War. The opening lines, "I'm a stormtrooper/Tan and young/Riding the waves of death and having fun," evoke the image of a soldier or a member of a paramilitary group heading toward a battleground. The choice of the term "stormtrooper" is significant, as it was used to refer to the brown-shirted SA members of the Nazi Party, who were known for their violent tactics.

The chorus, "Hang Ten in East Berlin," is an ironic twist on the surfing culture of Southern California, which was popularized in the 1960s. By placing the concept of riding waves in a city divided by the Iron Curtain, the song subverts the idea of the free-spirited surfer and highlights the tensions and anxieties of the Cold War. The references to the "Master race mayhem on the beach," and "The Fourth Reich is within our reach," reinforce the political commentary and the sense of danger conveyed in the lyrics.

The second stanza, "Well they got their boards/And they got their slaps/There's no way out, boy there's no way back/Now you're out, your in the line-up/Your gonna drown, you can't give up now/You can't give up," is an allusion to the popular surfing movie "The Endless Summer," which also inspired the slang term "hang ten." However, in the song, the waves are no longer an idyllic escape, but a treacherous challenge that could lead to drowning or loss of freedom.

Overall, the song is a commentary on the underlying ideologies and tensions of the Cold War, and a criticism of the glorification of violent and authoritarian regimes.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm a stormtropper
I am a member of a Nazi paramilitary regiment called the Sturmabteilung.

Tan and young
My skin is tanned and I am young.

Riding the waves of death and having fun
I am risking my life in a dangerous, exciting way.

Master race mayhem on the beach
I am promoting the idea of the 'master race' while causing chaos on the beach.

The Fourth Reich is within our reach
We believe that a new Nazi regime is possible and close to being realized.

Hang Ten in East Berlin
Surf in Communist East Berlin

Hang Ten
Ride the waves

In East Berlin
Within the borders of Communist East Berlin

Well they got their boards
The other surfers also have their surfboards.

and they got their slaps
They have their sunburns.

There's no way out, boy there's no way back
There is no escape or return from this dangerous situation.