There have been multiple artists who have recorded as The Dragons.

… Read Full Bio ↴There have been multiple artists who have recorded as The Dragons.

1. The Dragons were a Los Angeles based trio consisting of three brothers Daryl Dragon, (August 27, 1942 - January 2, 2018) Doug Dragon and Dennis Dragon (d. September 2017). They were sons of composer/symphony conductor Carmen Dragon and an opera soprano. Multi-instrumentalist Daryl studied piano while growing up and briefly attended California State University at Northridge before dropping out to form an instrumental jazz trio with his brothers called The Dragons. The group released the single "Elephant Stomp"/"Troll" on Capitol Records in 1964.

Not much happened for a while in terms of releasing music and the brothers became involved with other projects. They were in late 1960s outfit Farm that recorded the soundtrack for the Australian surf film "The Innermost Limits Of Pure Fun" in 1968. In 1967 Daryl became a touring backup musician for the Beach Boys. He was dubbed "Captain Keyboard" by lead singer Mike Love because he always appeared on-stage in a yachting cap. In addition to touring with the Beach Boys, Dragon appeared on their albums of the period, including Sunflower and Holland, and he was billed as Rumbo on a British single released in 1970, "Sound of Free"/"Lady," credited to the Beach Boys' Dennis Wilson & Rumbo. "Captain" Daryl Dragon and his wife, singer/pianist Toni Tennille, scored a series of pop/rock hits in a light, romantic vein in the second half of the 1970s, the most successful of which was the first, "Love Will Keep Us Together." The couple met in the summer of 1971, when Dragon was engaged as the keyboard player for a musical revue, Mother Earth, composed by Tennille.

In the late 1960s the three brothers were living in Malibu, surfing and gigging around the Los Angeles area and having their minds blown by the music of The Beatles, Hendrix and The Doors., the Dragon brothers decide it’s time to create their own psychedelic soul/rock masterpiece. A high school friend of Dennis, Donn Landee, is working as a recording engineer at Sunwest Recording Studios in Hollywood and they begin to go there to put tracks down in “off time” often working from 3 AM, when they finish their regular gigs, until morning.

They call the sessions “Blue Forces Intelligence,” find themselves layering their instruments in new ways, adding deep, bassy vocal lines and then ramming them up against falsetto harmonies, adding organs and space age sound effects, recording spirituals and pop and crazy rock opera. The effect is increasingly spacey and weird, but also funky – a missing link between new directions others are exploring in jazz and soul as well as rock music.

Unfortunately, the suits at the West Coast offices of the major labels aren’t ready, complaining that they don’t hear a hit. After shopping the record, now called just “BFI”, for a few months, the boys become disillusioned and focus instead on their session work. They all end up working in the Beach Boys’ backing band. Doug moves to Hawaii, tours Australia. Dennis becomes a successful record producer. Daryl hooks up with Toni Tennille and experiences international chart success as “The Captain”. “BFI” is forgotten.

Jump on 37 years. Strictly Kev/DJ Food, influential mixologist and designer for Ninja Tune and obsessive record collector – picks up a new batch of vinyl from a record dealer he knows. Among them is a 500-run private pressing of the soundtrack to a surf movie called “A Sea For Yourself”. On it is a track called “Food For My Soul” by a band called the Dragons. Kev being a fan of all possible food-based puns and currently putting together the mix for his new “Solid Steel” mix CD for Ninja, drops the needle on the groove.

What he finds amazes him – a true psychedelic original from a band he’s never heard of. Using his extensive contacts in the world of vinyl mania, he manages to track Dennis Dragon down. He emails him, asks him if he can include “Food For My Soul” on the mix. Sure, says Dennis. There’s a whole album of the stuff if he’s interested. Dennis checks. Donn still has the master tapes. He converts them to mp3 and emails them to Kev. Kev is blown away. He forwards them to Ninja Tune. Ninja Tune think it’s a scam. But then they listen. And they listen again. And then, after nearly forty years sitting on a recording engineer’s shelf, Ninja Tune decide to release “BFI”.

Beautifully played and produced, full of crazy invention and a lovably naive lack of self-consciousness, “BFI” is a miniature masterpiece, a lost classic of psych-whimsy, West Coast sexiness and serious musical chops. The moral of this story is: keep your master tapes. Whatever you do, keep your master tapes.

2. The Dragons was a rock band based in San Diego, California, that released six CDs between 1991 and 2005. The band was notably fronted by singer/guitarist Mario Escovedo, whose musical family also includes Alejandro Escovedo, Pete Escovedo, Javier Escovedo, Coke Escovedo, and Sheila E. Other members of The Dragons included Ken Horne (lead guitar), Steve Rodriguez (bass guitar) and Jarrod Lucas (drums). The band played a combination of glam, garage and punk rock, similar to New York Dolls and Hanoi Rocks.

Discography:

"Pain Killer" – Scam-O-Rama Records, 1996
"Cheers to Me" – Junk Records, 1998
"Rock Like Fuck" – Junk Records, 1999
"Live at the Casbah" – Junk Records, 2000
"Sin Salvation" – Gearhead Records, 2003
"Rock n Roll Kamikaze" – Gearhead Records, 2004

On The Wall
The Dragons Lyrics

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I dig my hole, you build a wall
I dig my hole, you build a wall
One day that wall is gonna fall

Gon' build that city on a hill
Gon' build that city on a hill
One day those tears are gonna spill

So build that wall and build it stronger
We'll be there before too long

Gon' build that wall until it's sky
Gon' build that wall until it's done
But now you've got nowhere to run

So build that wall and build it stronger
We'll be there before too long

Overall Meaning

The Dragons' song "On The Wall" is a call to embrace openness and understanding towards others instead of building walls that divide us. In the first verse, the singer emphasizes being open to new ideas, experiences, and suggestions, highlighting the importance of having a receptive mind and heart. The chorus delivers the message more directly, urging listeners to build bridges instead of walls and remove barriers that separate us from one another. The second verse expands upon this theme, encouraging listeners to build trust, confidence, friendships, and peace with one another. The lyrics emphasize the importance of working together towards a shared goal and a better future for all.

The song's message is one of unity, love, and understanding. It reminds us of our shared humanity and encourages us to focus on our similarities rather than our differences. The Dragons' lyrics are a timely reminder that building bridges between ourselves and others can lead to a more compassionate, accepting, and connected world.

Line by Line Meaning

I like open arms open minds
I appreciate being open to new people and ideas

To be open to new ideas
To be receptive to novel thoughts

Be open to what's around me
Remain receptive to my surroundings

With open eyes and open ears
Be vigilant and observant without prejudice

I'm open to suggestions
I welcome opinions and advice from others

Whether great or small
Regardless of the size or magnitude

And I want to help that happen
I strive to facilitate progress and growth

Build bridges not walls
Eliminate obstacles to unity and cooperation

Build friendships, build trust
Nurture relationships and create bonds

Build faith in one another
Instill confidence and reliance in others

Build confidence build hope
Promote self-assuredness and aspirations