Dokken was initially composed of founder Don Dokken on vocals, George Lynch on lead guitar, Juan Croucier on bass, and Mick Brown on drums. The southern California group pursued a heavy yet melodic sound reminiscent of prior bands such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, finding success in the 80s hard rock and metal boom. The band recorded and released 'Breaking the Chains', their first studio album, in 1983. Though their fortunes struggled somewhat in the United States, they picked up a big popular response in Europe.
In 1984, Croucier left Dokken in order to join Ratt. He was replaced by multi-instrumentalist Jeff Pilson, who soon became a rock idol alongside Don Dokken and George Lynch. Their next several albums and singles showed them to be a powerful commercial force, particularly winning fans with their music videos (their one for "Dream Warriors" even featured the band facing off against Freddy Krueger himself). Their 1988 live album 'Beast from the East' earned them a Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance as well. However, Don Dokken's and George Lynch's creative differences, as well as their growing personal conflicts, brought about tension and even caused the group to break-up in 1988, though they had released multi-platinum work appealing to numerous hard rockers and metalheads.
The band has faced many changes over the years since. It wasn't until 1995 that the group resurfaced and released new material, facing a rather tepid response. As time went on, only Dokken and Brown remained from the original line-up. After several personnel alterations on guitar, Dokken's former attorney Jon Levin even stepped in to fill the role in 2004. In 2009, Sean McNabb (formerly of Great White and Quiet Riot fame) took the bass guitar slot. Mark Boals (formely of Yngwie J. Malmsteen's Rising Force) then took McNabb's position in 2014.
A series of successful web commercials for Norton Internet Security 2010 put the group back in the spotlight, the comedic spots depicting the band as a malicious computer virus. Dokken's tenth studio album, titled 'Lightning Strikes Again', was released on May 13, 2008 via Rhino Records. Several critics recommended the work as a comeback to their 'classic' sound. Their 11th album was released in 2012, 'Broken Bones'.
In 2023, Dokken, now consisting of frontman and founder Don Dokken, guitarist Jon Levin, bassist Chris McGarvill and drummer BJ Zampa, unveiled 12th album, 'Heaven Comes Down', which will be released via Silver Lining Music on October 27, 2023.
Back for the Attack
Dokken Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So now i'm back
Rollin' the dice
Could leave you flat
I win, you lose
You're in trouble
'cause i'm back
You know that i've got somethin'
I can give to you
And i'll give it to you
Face to face
Now i'm gonna show you
What you've got to lose
When i give it to you
Can't keep waitin' for you
All night, all night
You're in trouble
'cause i'm back
Back for the attack
Now i'm back
'cause you could not let me go
Back for the attack
Easy lovin'
It will be as easy
As you thought it would be
When you give it to me
All or nothin'
Cards are on the table
No one plays for free
It's just you and me
Can't keep waitin' for you
All night, all night
You're in trouble
'cause i'm back
Back for the attack
Now i'm back
'cause you could not let me go
I'm back
Back for the attack
Now i'm back
You're in trouble
Back for the attack
I'm back
Back for the attack
Now i'm back
'cause you could not let me go
Now i'm back
Back for the attack
I'm back
You're in trouble
'cause i'm back
Back for the attack
Now i'm back
And i'm gonna set you straight
'cause i'm back
Back for that attack
I'm back
You're in trouble
Back for the attack
The song "Back for the Attack" by Dokken appears to be about the return of an ex-lover who left because they weren't getting the love they needed. The lyrics suggest that the singer has come back to try and win their love interest over again, despite the possibility of rejection. The first verse highlights the stakes of the situation: the singer is "rollin' the dice" and "could leave [their love interest] flat." However, the singer is confident that they will win this time around and that their love interest is in trouble because the singer is back.
The second verse seems to suggest that the singer has something special to offer their love interest that they didn't have before. The singer wants to give this something face to face and show their love interest what they're missing out on. The chorus repeats the idea that the singer is back for the attack, and that their love interest is in trouble because they couldn't let the singer go. The bridge of the song describes a relationship where things will be "all or nothing" and that everyone will have to play their cards.
Overall, the song is about reclaiming love and showing the person you love what they're missing out on. The singer is confident they can win their love interest over this time, but there are still risks involved.
Line by Line Meaning
You needed love
You wanted my affection and attention
So now I'm back
I have returned to fulfill your desire for love
Rollin' the dice
Taking a risk and potentially failing
Could leave you flat
May result in disappointment or failure
I win, you lose
I will succeed, while you fail
You're in trouble
You are in a difficult situation
'Cause I'm back
Because I have returned
I'll set you straight
I will tell you honestly how it is
You know that I've got somethin'
You are aware I have something to offer
I can give to you
I have something that you desire
And I'll give it to you
I will provide you with what you want
Face to face
In person, directly
Now I'm gonna show you
I will demonstrate to you
What you've got to lose
What risks you may face by not accepting my offer
When I give it to you
When I provide you with what you desire
Can't keep waitin' for you
I cannot wait for you indefinitely
All night, all night
Throughout the entire evening
Easy lovin'
Affection that is simple to obtain
It will be as easy
Obtaining love from me will require little effort
As you thought it would be
It will be as simple as you anticipated
When you give it to me
When you reciprocate my feelings
All or nothin'
It is a high-stakes situation where the outcome will be one of two extremes
Cards are on the table
Everything is made clear and out in the open
No one plays for free
There are always consequences, it is not without cost
Just you and me
Only the two of us
And I'm gonna set you straight
I will make sure that you understand where you stand and what the situation is
Back for the attack
I have returned with the intention of succeeding
Now I'm back
I have returned
'Cause you could not let me go
You were unable to move on without me
You're in trouble
You are in a difficult situation
I'm back
I have returned
Contributed by Molly S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.