"D.O.A." is a song by Texas hard rock band

Bloodrock Bloodrock was an American hard rock band based in Fort Worth, Texas, that had success in the 1970s. The band emerged from the Fort Worth club and music scene during the early to mid-1970s. Early career Bloodrock initially formed in Fort Worth ...

released by

Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007) is an American record label distributed by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-based record label of note ...

in early 1971.

Synopsis

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

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.

Chart performance

The version of "D.O.A." released as a single is roughly half the length of the long album version found on ''

Bloodrock 2 ''Bloodrock 2'' is the second album by the Texas rock band Bloodrock. It was released on Capitol Records in October 1970 and produced by Terry Knight. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA in 1990. In early 1971, the gory extended track "D.O ...

''. In March 1971, many US radio stations and high schools banned "D.O.A.". Despite a lack of airplay, the single still reached number 36 on the Billboard chart. 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.

Track listing

# "D.O.A." - 4:32 (single version) # "Children's Heritage" - 3:31

Cover versions

Manilla Road Manilla Road was an American heavy metal band from Wichita, Kansas, founded by Mark "The Shark" Shelton (vocals and guitar) and Scott "Scooter" Park (bass guitar). Beginning in 1977, the early years of Manilla Road were spent playing mostly pro ...

on ''

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'' * The Fuzztones on ''Monster A-Go-Go'' * Virgin Steele on '' Nocturnes of Hellfire & Damnation'' (''The Samhain Suite'' bonus CD)

References

American rock songs 1971 singles Capitol Records singles 1970 songs {{1970s-single-stub