Darone's musical journey began in the late 80's as a founding member of the… Read Full Bio ↴Darone's musical journey began in the late 80's as a founding member of the pop-punk band, The Fiendz (whose career peak found them opening for The Ramones). He later joined The Rosenbergs, a power-pop group that toured with Echo & the Bunnymen and Tom Tom Club, among others, and whose songs were featured in shows like MTV's Undergrads and the opening theme for the CBS sitcom Accidentally on Purpose.
In 2003, Darone turned his focus on songwriting, and Suit of Lights was born. Collaborating with Trevor Dunn (Mr. Bungle), Steve Pedulla (Thursday), and Jamie Egan (Streetlight Manifesto), Darone released four critically-acclaimed albums under the Suit of Lights moniker.
Darone draws upon an eclectic range of influences including Art-rock, 60's pop, punk, new wave, metal, and baroque pop in the over 50 songs he has written.
Named after the traditional bullfighting costume (Traje de Luces), Darone considers Suit of Lights as a metaphor for life's juxtaposition of beauty and brutality and reflects that worldview in the music.

Out Of The Running
Suit of Lights Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Once an idealist
Guess i had such high hopes
So unsuspecting

Can't say i blame you
Dream of a family
Dream of perfection

It's all so tempting
It's all so empty
The life you're expecting
I wonder if it comes true
Will you be happy?

There's nothing like security
To block your view of what could be
A life of comfort reeks of mediocrity

Isn't it awful
Hiding behind a mask
Under sedation

Just like an apple
Dying under the wax
It's suffocation

It's all so tempting
It's all so empty
The life you're expecting
I wonder if it comes true
Will you be happy?

There's nothing like security
To block your view of what could be
A life of comfort reeks of mediocrity

Running
Are you out of the running
Running out
Are you running
Are you out of the running
Running out
Are you shining

Brightly shining
Burning out

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Suit of Lights' song "Out Of The Running" express a sense of disillusionment with the pressures of society to conform to a certain ideal, particularly around the themes of family and stability. The singer, who identifies as an idealist, speaks of realizing that their previous hopes and expectations were too high and ultimately unrealistic. They turn their attention to others who still hold onto these dreams, wondering if they will truly find happiness in the life they are striving for.

The chorus of the song is a repeated phrase asking if the person listening is "out of the running," suggesting that they too may have attempted to fit into the mold of societal expectations but have perhaps come to a similar realization of its shortcomings. The bridge of the song uses imagery of an apple dying under wax as a metaphor for the suffocating nature of conformism, and encourages the listener to embrace the discomfort and uncertainty of pursuing a more honest and fulfilling path.

Overall, the song promotes a message of individuality and authenticity, urging listeners to question and resist the pressures of conformity in their own lives in order to find true happiness and meaning.

Line by Line Meaning

Once an idealist
I used to be optimistic

Guess I had such high hopes
I was hopeful for great things

So unsuspecting
I didn't anticipate any disappointments

Can't say I blame you
I don't hold you responsible

Dream of a family
I wanted a family

Dream of perfection
I wanted everything to be perfect

It's all so tempting
It's alluring

It's all so empty
It's unsatisfying

The life you're expecting
The life you think you'll have

I wonder if it comes true
I question if it will actually happen

Will you be happy?
Will it make you happy?