Following nearly fifteen years of major commercial success despite being an enormously popular live draw, the J. Geils Band broke through in a major way with the release of their album Freeze-Frame in late 1981. By tempering their blues and R&B-based sound in a more pop-friendly direction, the group saw the album and lead single "Centerfold" become #1 smashes, as well as subsequent singles "Freeze-Frame" and "Angel In Blue" become US Top 40 hits.

However, at the height of the success, tensions between lead singer Peter Wolf and primary songwriter Seth Justman increased to a point that, in 1983, as the band was working on Freeze-Frame's followup, Wolf left the band. Wolf, who had once been briefly married to actress Faye Dunaway, quickly set out as a solo artist, releasing his debut Lights Out in the late summer of 1984.

The title track became a rock radio favorite upon its release as a single. Originally entitled "Dancing In The Dark," the song's title change was necessitated by Bruce Springsteen who, earlier in the summer, had released his own song of the same name. Names aside, ""Lights Out" was irresistible, featuring Wolf's playful vocal and a singalong chorus made for summer nights. In late July, "Lights Out" became Wolf's first solo US Top 40 hit.

With its infectious groove, "Lights Out" was popular in clubs as well as crossing over to pop radio. It would spend nearly three months in the Top 40, peaking at #12 for a pair of weeks in late September. Its success would be made sweeter for Wolf when the J. Geils Band released their first album without him that fall and become a commercial and critical failure.

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