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.
Hunter
Dokken Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And then the feeling comes, it comes on again
You know desire burns like a fire, fire of sin
Oh, will I ever learn
You're the only one I could call my own
But then the shadows fall and I'm gone again
I'm a hunter
On these lonely streets again
I'm the hunter
Searching for things
That I might never find again
Care for you, you know that I always will
I know it's hard for you, my taste for the kill
But then it calls to me when the moon rises full in the sky
You know it's not denied
Will I ever find love and peace of mind
On these streets again, will it ever end
I'm a hunter
Searching for love
On these lonely streets again
I'm the hunter
Searching for things
That I might never find again
You know desire burns like a fire, fire within
I guess I'll never learn
You're the only one I could call my own
But when the shadows fall, you know I won't be home
I'm a hunter
Searching for love
On these lonely streets again
I'm the hunter
Searching for the things
That I might never find again
I'm a hunter
Searching for love
I'm the hunter
Searching for the things
That I might never find again.
The lyrics to Dokken's "The Hunter" speak to the restless search for love and fulfillment that often plagues individuals throughout their lives. The imagery of clouds rolling by and the moon rising in the sky evoke a sense of cosmic unrest and longing, as the singer grapples with his desire and need for romance and connection. There is a tension between the singer's love for a particular person, referred to as "you," and his compulsion to seek out new experiences and new partners.
The repeated refrain of "I'm the hunter, searching for love on these lonely streets again" serves to underscore the singer's restlessness and insatiable hunger for something that always seems to elude him. The reference to "hard...taste for the kill" suggests that there may be some dark impulses driving the search for love, or perhaps that the singer feels a sense of danger or excitement in the pursuit of romance.
Ultimately, the song paints a picture of a complex and troubled individual, grappling with the joys and the torments of love in a world that can seem both beautiful and dangerous. The lyrics evoke a sense of ambiguity and conflict, capturing the vagaries of the human heart in all its raw and tangled glory.
Line by Line Meaning
Clouds roll by as I look to the sky
The person observes the sky as they feel something stirring within them.
And then the feeling comes, it comes on again
The person is feeling a familiar sense of longing.
You know desire burns like a fire, fire of sin
The person is aware that their desire feels illicit and excessive.
Oh, will I ever learn
The person is tired of feeling this way and wants to change.
You're the only one I could call my own
The person feels a deep connection to someone they love.
But then the shadows fall and I'm gone again
The person's desire and restlessness starts to take hold again.
I'm a hunter
Searching for love
On these lonely streets again
The person compares themselves to a hunter, searching for love and companionship in a lonely world.
I'm the hunter
Searching for things
That I might never find again
The person acknowledges that what they're searching for may be elusive and difficult to find.
Care for you, you know that I always will
The person loves and cares for their partner deeply.
I know it's hard for you, my taste for the kill
The person recognizes that their insatiable desire can be difficult for their partner to understand and cope with.
But then it calls to me when the moon rises full in the sky
The person's desire becomes particularly strong during certain times, such as when the moon is full.
Will I ever find love and peace of mind
On these streets again, will it ever end
The person questions whether their search for love and fulfillment will ever come to an end, or if they'll simply keep wandering the same streets and feeling the same way forever.
You know desire burns like a fire, fire within
I guess I'll never learn
The person acknowledges that their desire is a constant and intense part of who they are, and may never change.
But when the shadows fall, you know I won't be home
The person's desire and restlessness can cause them to leave their loved one and pursue their search once again.
Lyrics ยฉ Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DON DOKKEN, GEORGE LYNCH, JEFF PILSON, MICK BROWN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@danlc95
I was 8 years old then! I wouldn't start playing drums for another year.
I didn't really get heavy in to hard rock until 88-90. By the time I started getting in bands the who9acene changed.
It was like I was super cool for a couple years with girls chasing me through the halls, only to have depressed, angry Nirvana types make the girls ugly and sullen. That was my 9/10th grade years.
In 9th I did start a metal band with a childhood friend that endures to this day. It will be 30 years in 2022!
Yeah, I've had plenty of opportunities, but I never loved any music more than Hard Rock. Looking back that 89/90 year was surreal. All my favorite songs were played on the radio and MTV.
Glad you got to experience it!
I did play drums in an 80's hair band tribute called RockStar in Detroit from 2009-2014. The singer we hired took over the band after I left. One of my very best friends plays drums with them currently. Back in the day we'd have epic drum jams. He'd bring his set over to my house and vice versa. We played all those great songs!
@MFShokre
Dokken - The Hunter
Clouds roll by as I look to the sky
And then the feeling comes, it comes on again
You know desire burns like a fire, fire of sin
Oh, will I ever learn
You're the only one I could call my own
But then the shadows fall and I'm gone again
I'm a hunter
Searching for love
On these lonely streets again
I'm the hunter
Searching for things
That I might never find again
Care for you, you know that I always will
I know it's hard for you, my taste for the kill
But then it calls to me when the moon rises full in the sky
You know it's not denied
Will I ever find love and peace of mind
On these streets again, will it ever end
I'm a hunter
Searching for love
On these lonely streets again
I'm the hunter
Searching for things
That I might never find again
You know desire burns like a fire, fire within
I guess I'll never learn
You're the only one I could call my own
But when the shadows fall, you know I won't be home
I'm a hunter
Searching for love
On these lonely streets again
I'm the hunter
Searching for the things
That I might never find again
I'm a hunter
Searching for love
I'm the hunter
Searching for the things
That I might never find again
@pineymusiccol
This solo from Lynch will be put on the most greatest guitar solos of all time. Simple magic!
@j7cc
Dokken had real magic. Great band. 100% 80s metal.
@doesitmatter6462
Barely known though. Too ten to me but
@luisgr9611
George Lynch el mejor guitarrista de estรก banda me gustarรญa tener la guitarra de George para tocar estรก canciรณn
@steviewattssinger
This is Dokken's best song! It kicks a**.....
@jgamez5023
Agreed
@bags5150
Lynchs playing ,tone ,phrasing , technique is still amazing after 40 years !!!!! The Master !!!!!
@rushingbrouillette
And Eddie van Halen got all the press ha
@brianwaller2022
It's KING GEORGE !!!
@user-de1tp3yz1l
โ@@rushingbrouillette yes I was just watching a documentary about this with Eddie Van Halen and Randy Rhoads. Randy Rhoads claimed George Lynch was the true talent for the 80s hair metal scene before it took off over Eddie Van Halen but Van Halen was simply more successful and famous. Radio, press, etc. It swayed over to Van Halen compared to a lot of other bands but Randy believed George Lynch to be better than Eddie.