D.O.A. was a hardcore punk band from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. T… Read Full Bio ↴D.O.A. was a hardcore punk band from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. They are often referred to as the "founders" of hardcore punk, along with Black Flag, The Germs, Negative Trend, and Middle Class. Their second album Hardcore '81 was thought by many to have been the first actual reference to the second wave of the American punk sound as hardcore. Singer/guitarist Joey "Shithead" Keithley is the only founding member to have stayed in the band throughout its entire history. However, original bassist Randy Rampage has been active in the band in recent years and has played on one of the band's last three albums, although he is not in the current lineup. D.O.A. has often released music on Jello Biafra's Alternative Tentacles Records, and they have released an album with Jello Biafra titled Last Scream of the Missing Neighbors.

D.O.A. has always maintained an uncompromising leftist political stance. The band is known for its outspoken political opinions and has a history of performing for many causes and benefits. Its slogan is "Talk minus Action equals Zero." The band has been active on many issues, including anti-racism, anti-globalization, freedom of speech, and the environment.

D.O.A.
D.O.A. Lyrics

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sunken eyes and rabid head. fuck you baby, you think i'm dead. look in the mirror and what do you see. you don't like it but it's me. your d.o.a. you should have got out while you could. before the rot set in for good. your locked in, you gone too far. there's no escape from what you are. your d.o.a.

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of D.O.A.'s song D.O.A. create a vivid image of a person with sunken eyes and a rabid head, suggesting someone who is physically and mentally deteriorating. The next line is aggressive, as if the singer is challenging someone to deny their existence. The following lines suggest that the singer is someone who is not well-liked or even hated by others, and is locked in an undesirable situation. In fact, the situation is so bad that the singer's fate is sealed; they are "D.O.A.," or dead on arrival.

The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "your D.O.A." several times, suggesting that the singer is completely powerless and can't do anything to alter their fate. The song ends on a haunting note, with the words "there's no escape from what you are," which sums up the theme of the song. It's a bleak and brutal track that explores the idea of being trapped in an irreversible situation.

Line by Line Meaning

sunken eyes and rabid head.
My appearance is deteriorating and my mind is consumed with anger.

fuck you baby, you think i'm dead.
You have written me off and counted me out, but I'm still here and I'm not going anywhere.

look in the mirror and what do you see.
When you confront yourself, what do you honestly see looking back at you?

you don't like it but it's me.
You may not want to accept it, but the person in the mirror is who I truly am.

your d.o.a. you should have got out while you could.
Your fate is sealed, you're a lost cause. You should have tried to escape while you still had a chance.

before the rot set in for good.
Before your situation became irreversible and corrupt.

your locked in, you gone too far.
You're trapped now, you've gone too deep and there's no way to turn back.

there's no escape from what you are.
You can't run away or change who you really are at your core.

your d.o.a.
You're already dead, in a metaphorical sense. Your fate is sealed and there's no saving you now.

Contributed by Hunter P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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