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.
Fade Away
Dokken Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What Have You Done
My Sweet Little Sister
Are You Still On The Run
I Wanna Save You
But Your Hearts In His Hands
I Wanna Take You To Another Land
I Know It 's Not For Me To Say My Love
Don't Let It Fade Away
My Little Darlin
Like An Illusion
What Can I Say
And In A Sense So Real
But It's Startin To Fade
I Taste Your Tears
Like A Bitter Rain
I Know It's Not For Me To Say My Love
Your Life Is Your Own
Don't Let It Fade Away
Fade Away Fade Away
Your Not An Illusion
Don't Let It Fade Away
The lyrics of Dokken's song Fade Away seem to be addressing a sister who is going through a tough time with a man who has her heart. The singer, likely the brother or a close friend, wants to save her from this situation but is struggling because the sister's heart remains in the hands of the man who is causing her pain. The singer believes that the sister's life is her own and it's not his place to interfere, but he can't help feeling like he wants to take her to a happier place. The lyrics suggest that the sister is fading away, slipping further into her troubles, and the singer doesn't want her to lose herself completely.
The song presents a strong sense of helplessness and sadness, evident in the lines "I taste your tears like a bitter rain" and "Your life is your own, don't let it fade away." The lyrics express a desire to help the sister, but ultimately, the decision is hers to make. The repeated refrain of "Fade Away" emphasizes the importance of not losing oneself in a difficult situation and holding on to one's sense of self and autonomy. The song presents a poignant reminder that our choices have consequences and we should be mindful of how we live our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Sweet Little Sister
Addressing the subject of the song
What Have You Done
Asking about the actions taken
My Sweet Little Sister
Reiterating the addressee
Are You Still On The Run
Asking if the addressee is still fleeing
I Wanna Save You
Expressing the desire to rescue the addressee
But Your Hearts In His Hands
Acknowledging the addressee's heart belongs to someone else
I Wanna Take You To Another Land
Expressing the will to take the addressee away from her troubles
I Know It 's Not For Me To Say My Love
Admitting that it is not the artist's place to make decisions for the addressee
Your Life Is Your Own
Recognizing that the addressee is responsible for her own life
Don't Let It Fade Away
Encouraging the addressee to hold onto her life and not let it slip away
My Little Darlin
Endearing term for the addressee
Like An Illusion
Describing the situation as dreamlike and unreal
What Can I Say
Expressing the difficulty in finding words
And In A Sense So Real
Despite seeming like an illusion, the situation has a distinct reality to it
But It's Startin To Fade
Acknowledging that the situation is slipping away
I Taste Your Tears
Feeling the emotional pain of the addressee
Like A Bitter Rain
Comparing the emotional pain to a harsh rain
Your Not An Illusion
Reiterating that the addressee is real
Don't Let It Fade Away
Repeating the plea to hold onto her life
Fade Away Fade Away
Emphasizing the urgency of the situation
Writer(s): Jonathan Daniel Levin Copyright: Songs Of Universal Inc., Notting Hill Music Inc., Notting Hill Music (Uk) Ltd.
Contributed by Reagan I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.