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.
No Answer
Dokken Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You know I'm looking down
The ones at the top
You know they're gonna pave the way
Watchin' as my world's burnin' down
Should I stand here and watch it all fall away?
Watchin' the clock runnin' down
We gotta take a stand
Or they're gonna take us down
We gotta take a stand
Or they're gonna take us down
Take us down
All of the questions
They need an answer, no reply
All of the whispers so we don't hear them
But we still hear
I'm standing on the abyss
Lookin' down
I'm watchin' the world
Spinnin' round
We gotta take a stand
Or they're gonna take us down
We gotta take a stand
Or they're gonna take us down
Take us down
Take us down
The song "No Answer" by Dokken touches on themes of frustration, fear, and uncertainty related to the future. The lyrics paint a picture of the singer standing on the abyss and looking down, unsure of what to do. They are watching as their world burns down and question whether they should just stand and watch it all fall away. This sense of helplessness is compounded by the feeling that time is running out and the clock is ticking down.
The song seems to be a call to action, a push for people to take a stand before they are taken down. The chorus emphasizes the importance of taking action and not letting others have control over our lives. The questions that need answers and whispers that we don't listen to, suggest that there are deeper issues that need attention and resolution.
Overall, "No Answer" is a powerful song that captures the feeling of desperation and urgency related to uncertain times. It highlights the need for action and stands as a call to action to take control of our lives and our future.
Line by Line Meaning
Standing on the abyss
Feeling at the verge of hopelessness and desperation
You know I'm looking down
Feeling powerless in the face of challenges
The ones at the top
Those who hold power and influence in society
You know they're gonna pave the way
They are the ones who shape the future
Watchin' as my world's burnin' down
Witnessing a world in disarray, chaos and destruction
Should I stand here and watch it all fall away?
Feeling the urge to take action and not be a passive bystander
Is our time almost over?
Wondering about the fate of humanity
Watchin' the clock runnin' down
Sensing the urgency to act before it's too late
We gotta take a stand
We need to take action and make a difference
Or they're gonna take us down
Otherwise, we will become victims to oppression and exploitation
All of the questions
Mysteries and uncertainties that need urgent resolution
They need an answer, no reply
The urgency to solve problems without any ambiguity or delay
All of the whispers so we don't hear them
Subtle hints and warnings that often go unnoticed
But we still hear
We are aware of the warnings but ignore them
Lookin' down
Feeling despondent and helpless
Spinnin' round
The world is spinning out of control
Take us down
The inevitability of negative consequences if we don't act now
Contributed by Lila P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@robertagodsil7951
The message fits the moment.
Hang tough!
I learned a few things about Dream Warriors recently .
George crashing through the wall.
That smile from Patricia Arquette and the quick little smile back from Lynch..
I'd suspected something was up at that moment, Could not quite put a pin on it.
Then I looked into it about a month ago.
That video captured and captivated the mid -late 80's and much the entire X Generation! ; )
One of the top vids ever for me.
Fun times : )
@doesitmatter6462
Standing on the abyss
You know I'm looking down
The ones at the top
You know they're gonna pave the way
Watchin' as my world's burnin' down
Should I stand here and watch it all fall away?
Is our time almost over?
Watchin' the clock runnin' down
We gotta take a stand
Or the're gonna take us down
We gotta take a stand
Or they're gonna take us down
Take us down
All of the questions
They need an answer, no reply
All of the whispers so we don't hear them
But we still hear
I'm standing on the abyss
Lookin' down
I'm watchin' the world
Spinnin' round
We gotta take a stand
Or they're gonna take us down
We gotta take a stand
Or they're gonna take us down
Take us down
Take us down
@nicolemegyeri5267
I started listening to Dokken before they went mainstream and have been a fan ever since . I can't believe I'm 50 yrs old because I don't feel/ look like it , I'm still young at heart . I will be jamming to these guys when I'm in my 80's and 90's.
@godwillguideme.3773
What did u think of this lost track?
@D.Z.A.-kp8lf
When did they go mainstream?
@naturallawman2965
@@D.Z.A.-kp8lf lol. Yeah they were on MTV and were on the cusp of being headliners... Then they "Walked Away".
@nicolemegyeri5267
@@naturallawman2965 Dream warriors is when I thought they went mainstream .
@nicolemegyeri5267
@@godwillguideme.3773 I don't like it
@SuperHemiDodge426
58 and still rockin 2 dokken
@ProjectCreativityGuy96
I may be this millennial type of guy or whatever, but when i was a kid back in 2008, i fell in love with DOKKEN!!!!
@nonrevnosnibormetalbeerrev6251
2008 😂😂😂😂😂
@rocknroll4ever05
I'm 14 now and I fall in love with Dokken and I'm proud of it☺