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.
Best Of Me
Dokken Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've Been Travelin
Trying To Find My Way Back Home
Along The Way I Fell Upon Hard Times
Think I Lost My Way
I Was Searchin
For A Love
Guess I'll Keep Looking
Watching The Sunrise
Lying All Alone
Wondering Where Have You Gone
I Know That You Don't Love Me No More
You Know You Got The Best Of Me
And In The End When It's All Said And Done
You'll Know You Got The Best Of Me
In The Darkness
Waiting For The Sun
As I Look Out My Window
A Sea Of Gray Shadows Fall
As I Search For A Way
I Was Searchin For A Love
Guess I'll Keep Lookin For An Answer To It All
Watchin The Sunrise Lyin All Alone
Wonderin Where Have You Gone
I Know That You Don't Love Me No More
You Know You've Got The Best Of Me
And In The End When It's All Said And Done
You'll Know You Got The Best Of Me
Your Were The One That Left Me Here
Now All That's Left Is A Thousand Tears
The lyrics to Dokken's song “Best of Me” tell the story of a personal journey the singer has been on trying to find their way back home after falling on hard times. The lyrics express the singer’s struggle to find their place, their search for love, and their wondering where it all went wrong. The song paints the picture of the singer watching the sunrise, lying all alone and wondering where their love has gone.
Despite their efforts to find answers and make things work, the singer knows deep down that the person they loved has moved on and no longer feels the same. The lyrics "You know you got the best of me" and "All that's left is a thousand tears" capture the singer's feeling of being used and hurt in the relationship. Ultimately, the song leaves the listener with a sense of lost hope and acceptance that the one they loved is gone.
Overall, “Best of Me” is an emotionally charged song that speaks to the universal experience of love, loss, and searching for something that feels right. The lyrics are relatable, and the melody enhances the emotional connection between the listener and the message being conveyed.
Line by Line Meaning
Such A Long Road
The journey has been long and tiresome
I've Been Travelin
I have been moving around
Trying To Find My Way Back Home
I am trying to return to a place where I belong
Along The Way I Fell Upon Hard Times
I faced difficulties during my journey
Think I Lost My Way
I feel like I am lost
I Was Searchin
I was looking for something
For A Love
I was looking for love
Guess I'll Keep Looking
I will continue searching
For An Answer To It All
I am still seeking answers
Watching The Sunrise
I am observing the sunrise
Lying All Alone
I am alone
Wondering Where Have You Gone
I am thinking about someone who is no longer with me
I Know That You Don't Love Me No More
I am aware that the person I loved doesn't love me anymore
You Know You Got The Best Of Me
You took advantage of me
And In The End When It's All Said And Done
When everything is over and done with
Your Were The One That Left Me Here
You are the reason I am alone
Now All That's Left Is A Thousand Tears
All I have now is tears
Contributed by Maya R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.