The band was already established in 1994 by Rümenapp, Ude and Poschwatta, when the vocalist Sandra Nasic joined later that year. They recorded 3 demo tapes, but their career took off in 1996 after winning the Local Hero contest for unsigned bands. They used the prize money for recording their first hit "Open Your Eyes" and shot a video for that song. They also signed to GUN/Supersonic Records.
"Open Your Eyes" was released as a single (#5 GER) and was followed by their debut album Proud Like a God in 6 October 1997. The album ranked #4 and it was certified platinum in Germany. Two other singles helped the album's popularity and sales: "Rain" (#76 GER) and "Lords of the Boards" (#10 GER). "Lord of the Boards" is performed as the closing song on every Guano Apes concert.
In 1999, they issued the stand alone single "Don't You Turn Your Back on Me" (# 50 GER).
In 2 May 2000, Guano Apes released the sophomore album, Don't Give Me Names. This #1 album in Germany was certifed gold in the same country and it was promoted by four singles: "Big in Japan" (#9 GER, #5 IT), "No Speech" (#75 GER), "Living in a Lie" (#84 GER) and "Dödel Up" (#57 GER).
In 2001, the band credited as Guano Babes featuring Michael Mittermeier, issued the stand alone single "Kumba Yo!" (#3 GER).
Their third album Walking on a Thin Line was released in 3 February 2003. The album peaked #1 and it was certified gold in Germany. Guano Apes released three singles from this album: "You Can't Stop Me" (#10 GER), "Pretty in Scarlet" (#51 GER) and "Quietly" (#51 GER).
After the very long promo tour to the WOATL album, the band decided to take a rest for a while. In 2004 they issued a Best Of album titled Planet of the Apes and the single "Break the Line". The band broke up after a final tour in February 2005. A year later, their label released the compilation Lost (T)apes, which contains previously unreleased demos, originally recorded in 1994 and 1995.
Dennis Poschwatta formed the crossover band Tamoto with his friend G-Ball and released the album Clemenza. Henning Rümenapp worked for Horus Studios in Germany. Sandra Nasic released her solo album The Signal in 2007. In 2006 Dennis, Henning and Stefan formed a new group with singer Charles Simmons, called IO. IO realeased their studio album For the Masses in 2008.
In 2009 Guano Apes reformed and played some dates including Enterro da Gata (Portugal), Rock am Ring (Germany), Nova Rock (Austria), Woodstock Festival (Poland), Sofia (Bulgaria), Bucharest (Romania). In Bucharest, Sandra announced the band is working on a new studio album.
Their fourth album Bel Air was released in Spring 2011, preceded by the single "Oh What a Night".
Official site: http://www.guanoapes.org
Running Out the Darkness
Guano Apes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And i wanna my soul just rising
Before my eyes do shut the light
So now I overcome all the rats in the house
And i wanna my soul just rising
Before my eyes do shut the light
Now I role the odd way
Running till I fade away
I would always take my own way
Running of the darkness
Running to the dawn
She cannot leave me
She cannot leave me
You cannot leave me
So now I am climbing the road up again
And I wanna my soldiers flying
Down the clouds into the sky
I wanna feel like a wave in heaven around me
I'm not waiting
I wanna catch you so man and hell have a fight for me
I'm not waiting
I wanna feel like a wave in heaven around me
I'm not waiting
I wanna catch you so man and hell have a fight for me
What about me
Now I role the odd way
Running of the darkness
Running till I fade away
I would always take my own way
Running of the darkness
Running to the dawn
She cannot leave me
She cannot leave me
You cannot leave me
So why can't (don't?) you leave me?
Yeah
So why can't (don't?) you leave me?
Yeah
lyrics taken from http://www.apescommunity.com/thread.php?threadid=2929 and edited
The song "Running Out the Darkness" by Guano Apes is a powerful narrative about overcoming obstacles, both internal and external. The song is driven by an urgency to rise above the struggles that hold the singer down. The opening lyrics, "So now we are driving the road up again," signal a new beginning, a fresh start towards a positive path. The singer's desire for their soul to rise before their eyes shut the light signifies the need to take advantage of life while they can. They speak of overcoming the "rats" in the house which could represent negative thoughts, experiences, or people. They want their soul to rise, to be lifted out of the darkness that has been holding them down.
As the song progresses, the singer takes control of their life, and it seems as though they are running towards victory. "Running Out the Darkness" becomes a motif for their determination to succeed regardless of the challenges facing them. They want to take their own way, refusing to follow society's expectations but instead, carve their path towards success. The line "She cannot leave me, You cannot leave me" suggests that the singer is speaking directly to their inner demons, refusing to let them bring them down. This line could also mean that they are afraid of losing the newfound determination within themselves.
The chorus speaks of the odd way that the singer is rolling and running out the darkness until they fade away, suggesting that they will never give up and will always fight. They want to feel like a wave in heaven, perhaps a sense of weightlessness and freedom from their past struggles. The repetition of "Why can't you leave me?" could be the singer's plea to their inner demons to let them be free from their grip. In summary, Guano Apes's "Running Out the Darkness" is a powerful anthem about overcoming obstacles, taking control of life, and refusing to give up.
Line by Line Meaning
So now we are driving the road up again
Embarking on a new journey and experiencing change
And i wanna my soul just rising
Desiring spiritual growth and personal progression
Before my eyes do shut the light
Before I reach the end of my life and time runs out
So now I overcome all the rats in the house
Conquering obstacles and challenges in life
Now I role the odd way
Taking a unique, individualistic path
Running of the darkness
Escaping from negative influences and overcoming fear
Running till I fade away
Persistently pushing forward until the end
I would always take my own way
Choosing one's own path instead of following others
Running to the dawn
Moving towards positivity and new opportunities
She cannot leave me
Holding onto someone or something important
You cannot leave me
Fearing separation or abandonment
So now I am climbing the road up again
Continued growth and progress
And I wanna my soldiers flying
Desiring a sense of empowerment and strength
Down the clouds into the sky
Rising to new heights
I wanna feel like a wave in heaven around me
Feeling surrounded by positivity and joy
I'm not waiting
Taking action and making things happen
I wanna catch you so man and hell have a fight for me
Pursuing what is desired and working hard to achieve it
What about me
Asking for personal attention and care
So why can't (don't?) you leave me?
Feeling a sense of dependency on someone or something
Contributed by Micah M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.