D.O.A. (song)
| "D.O.A." | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Single by Bloodrock | |
| from the album Bloodrock 2 | |
| B-side | "Children's Heritage" |
| Released | 1971 |
| Recorded | 1970 |
| Genre | Psychedelic rock, Hard rock |
| Length | 8:30 (album version) 4:32 (single version) |
| Label | Capitol |
| Songwriter(s) | Rutledge, Pickens, Grundy, Taylor, Hill, Cobb[1] |
| Producer(s) | Terry Knight |
"D.O.A." is a song by Texas hard rock band Bloodrock released by Capitol Records in early 1971.
Synopsis[edit]
The song is sung from the perspective of a man who has, temporarily, survived a mid-air collision. In his dying words, he describes in graphic detail what he remembered of the collision and his current condition: his arms have been severed, his co-pilot is already lifeless beside him, blood is rapidly leaving his body and pooling underneath him, and a paramedic indicates that no medical intervention can save him from imminent death. Ambulance sirens are heard at several points in the song; at the end, the music slows down and drops in key, simulating the narrator's loss of consciousness and death.
The initials D.O.A. stand for dead on arrival.
Background[edit]
The motivation for writing this song was explained in 2005 by guitarist Lee Pickens. “When I was 17, I wanted to be an airline pilot,” Pickens said. “I had just gotten out of this airplane with a friend of mine, at this little airport, and I watched him take off. He went about 200 feet in the air, rolled and crashed.” The band decided to write a song around the incident and include it on their second album.[2]
Chart performance[edit]
The version of "D.O.A." released as a single is roughly half the length of the long album version found on Bloodrock 2. In March 1971, many US radio stations and high schools banned "D.O.A.".[citation needed] Despite a lack of airplay, the single still reached number 36 on the Billboard chart.[3]
The song was later included in a compilation album entitled Death, Glory and Retribution in 1985 that consisted of death, protest and "answer" songs by various artists.[4]
Track listing[edit]
- "D.O.A." - 4:32 (single version)
- "Children's Heritage" - 3:31
Cover versions[edit]
- Manilla Road on The Courts of Chaos
- The Fuzztones on Monster A-Go-Go
- Virgin Steele on Nocturnes of Hellfire & Damnation (The Samhain Suite bonus CD)
References[edit]
- ^ "www.discogs.com". www.discogs.com. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
- ^ Wheeler, Lisa (March 18, 2005). "Grapevine: I Remember . . . Bloodrock Reunite". Goldmine. No. 31. pp. 10, 51.
- ^ "D.O.A. - Bloodrock". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 14, 2011.
- ^ "Death, Glory and Retribution: Various Artists". Allmusic. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
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