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.
Little Girl
Dokken Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's all right
Don't you cry
Now the visions dance inside your head
What was said?
Go to bed
What have you done
What will you do
If I just leave you alone inside little girl?
No where to run
No where to hide except inside little girl
In the tapestries with faded clowns
All year 'round
Bringing you down
Trying to escape in your own ways
Not today
How can you see with your head in the clouds?
What will you do
If I just leave you alone inside little girl?
No where to run
No where to hide except inside little girl
You carry the weight of the world
No one expects you to bear that burden
If you can let it all go
Even the daze will seem so much brighter
Every night holds a surprise for you
The lyrics to Dokken’s “Little Girl” appear to be speaking directly to a young woman who has experienced some profound trauma that she hasn’t been able to let go of. The lines “Mother never told you, that’s all right, don’t you cry,” perhaps indicate that this young woman’s relationship with her mother was not a healthy or loving one allowing the opportunity for trauma to take place. It is said that the “visions dance inside your head,” which may be interpreted to mean intrusive thoughts or memories that the young woman can’t seem to shake.
The lines “What will you do if I just leave you alone inside little girl? No where to run, No where to hide except inside little girl,” exhibit a sense of tension or danger that this young woman may be confronting on a daily basis. The singer in the lyrics appears to be offering a stabilizing hand and offering help to the young woman that can’t seem to receive it from anywhere else. Dokken paints a picture of a young woman who is internally conflicted, “Trying to escape in your own ways,” yet this internal conflict doesn’t incapacitate her completely as it is evident that she is capable of carrying a significant emotional burden, “You carry the weight of the world/No one expects you to bear that burden.”
Line by Line Meaning
Mother never told you
Your mother never taught you anything about life
That's all right
It's okay that you were never taught
Don't you cry
Don't be upset about that fact
Now the visions dance inside your head
Your imagination plays tricks on you and can be overwhelming
What was said?
What did your mother tell you?
Go to bed
Your mother probably told you to go to bed and that would solve your problems
What have you done
You've probably tried to solve your problems yourself
Done to yourself?
Did you make things worse for yourself?
What will you do
How will you cope with things?
If I just leave you alone inside little girl?
If nobody helps or understands you?
No where to run
There's nowhere to go for help
No where to hide except inside little girl
You feel alone, trapped and scared
In the tapestries with faded clowns
You find yourself in a world of faded dreams
All year 'round
This feeling persists all year
Bringing you down
It's depressing you
Trying to escape in your own ways
You're trying to find ways to cope and escape
Not today
But it's not happening right now
How can you see with your head in the clouds?
How can you see a way out when you're stuck in your own imagination?
No where to run
There's no escape from your own thoughts
No where to hide except inside little girl
No one is coming to help you, it's up to you to get yourself out of this
You carry the weight of the world
You feel like all the problems of the world are on your shoulders
No one expects you to bear that burden
Nobody should expect you to solve all their problems
If you can let it all go
If you can stop caring so much
Even the daze will seem so much brighter
You'll start to see life in a more positive way
Every night holds a surprise for you
The future can hold good things for you, even if you can't see them yet
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Don Dokken, Kelly Keeling, Mick Brown
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jamesl.anderson1384
🎸 Guitar Rock
🥁Drum Beat
🎸 Bass Guitar
James L. Anderson Lead Vocal: 👨🏾🎤🎤 🎵Staying out all night 🕺🏻💃🏻You can't keep them at 🏠 , no She'll tease and 😀 She'll play for a while She's got it under control, yeah I hope it's me tonight She's looking for Oh, sweet young girls I love them all 🎵
(James Leigh Ann Luke Jo Lynn & Stokely) 🎶Young girls Driving me crazy Young girls I love them all🎶
James L. Anderson: 🎵The 🧑🏻⚕️ says I must slow down I gotta leave them alone, yeah All I know if I'm gonna die What way to go I hope it's me tonight She's looking for Oh, sweet young girls I love them all🎵
(James Leigh Ann Luke Jo Lynn & Stokely) 🎶Young girls You're driving me crazy Young girls I love them all Young girls Beautiful ladies Young girls I want them all🎶
🎸 Guitar Solo
James L. Anderson: 🎵I hope it's me tonight She's looking for Oh, sweet young girls I love them all 🎵
(James Leigh Ann Luke Jo Lynn & Stokely) 🎶Young girls You're driving me crazy Young girls I love them all, yeah Young girls Beautiful ladies Young girls I want them all, yeah Young girls Those beautiful ladies Young girls I love them all Young girls Oh yeah Young girls How old you anyway? I hope it's me tonight She's looking form Oh, sweet young girls I love them all🎶
@fivestring65ify
The Crue owes Dokken some royalties.
@Deimos101
She's got looks that kill!
@all4Hisgloryalone2Tim215
yep the Crue ripped off Dokken
@isMike999
yes they did
@Dreaklock
Yeah, but it sounds better from Motley Crue.
@mwbrada
Shamelessly they did but at least Don and Crue had better lyrics. :D
@musicman1977
Hey but George Lynch then ripped off Into the fire’s main riff from Some heads are gonna roll by Judas Priest
@kimberlyj.sullivan9304
His voice still shakes my heart up to this day! I could never imagine the 80's without Dokken.
@standarddef8769
now listen up! she's razor sharp
@all4Hisgloryalone2Tim215
yep the Crue ripped off Dokken