Dokken - Breaking the chains - Meaning of the song
The title track to Dokken's debut album, "Breaking The Chains" was inspired by the song "Balls To The Wall" by the German metal band Accept. On that one, lead singer Udo Dirkschneider sings: They believe slaves always lose And this fear keeps them down Watch the damned They're gonna break their chains Dokken frontman Don Dokken got a sneak preview of the song in 1981 when he was in Germany working with the Scorpions. That's when he wrote the song. Dokken told the story: "Accept was in the studio, and I remember Udo doing that thing, 'We're going to break the chaaains!' And I thought, 'That's cool.' He kept doing it over and over again trying to get the right vibe, and I thought, 'What a great phrase, 'break the chains.'' The Scorpions were in there recording, Accept was in there recording, and I was in there recording."
Part of the lyric finds Don Dokken breaking free of a toxic relationship once and for all, but he viewed the song on another level. "The title 'Breaking The Chains' was my way of esoterically saying, 'It's now or never. This is my shot. I've got a record deal. It could be over in a month,'" he told Songfacts. "How many bands have put out a record and thought they were going to be big rock stars and you never see them again?"
Breaking the chains - Lyrics
Sit there thinkin' In your room You feel the pressure You're goin' crazy too The walls around you Closin' in You need a change Claustrophobic Feelin' scared You need somebody But no one seems to care A one way ticket A change of pace You've had enough Can't take no more [Chorus 1:] Breaking the chains around you Nobody else can bind you Take a good look around you Now you're breaking the chains Got this letter Came today From my baby Who left me yesterday Said she loves She'll come back She wants to try I won't let her She'll be upset I know it's better Than somethin' I'll regret She's been dishonest And insincere I lost my mind Twenty times a year [Chorus 2:] Breaking the chains around me Nobody else can bind me Take a good look around me Now I'm breaking the chains [Solo] Woke up today I'm alone I look around But baby you were gone But I don't mind And I don't worry I will survive I'm alone Now that you're gone Don't need nobody To hold or tie me down I broke the chains So let me be I've gotta be free [Repeat Chorus 2] [Repeat Chorus 2]