This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
I am a man who walks alone
And when I'm walking a dark road
At night or strolling through the park
When the light begins to change
I sometimes feel a little strange
A little anxious when it's dark
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
I have a constant fear that something's always near
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
I have a phobia that someone's always there
Have you run your fingers down the wall
And have you felt your neck skin crawl
When you're searching for the light?
Sometimes when you're scared to take a look
At the corner of the room
You've sensed that something's watching you
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
I have a constant fear that something's always near
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
Have a phobia that someone's always there
Have you ever been alone at night
Thought you heard footsteps behind
And turned around and no one's there?
And as you quicken up your pace
You find it hard to look again
Because you're sure there's someone there
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
I have a constant fear that something's always near
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
have a phobia that someone's always there
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
Watching horror films the night before
Debating witches and folklore
The unknown troubles on your mind
Maybe your mind is playing tricks
You sense and suddenly eyes fix
On dancing shadows from behind
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
I have a constant fear that something's always near
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
Have a phobia that someone's always there
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
I have a constant fear that something's always near
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
Have a phobia that someone's always there
When I'm walking a dark road
I am a man who walks alone
And when I'm walking a dark road
At night or strolling through the park
When the light begins to change
I sometimes feel a little strange
A little anxious when it's dark
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
I have a constant fear that something's always near
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
I have a phobia that someone's always there
Have you run your fingers down the wall
And have you felt your neck skin crawl
When you're searching for the light?
Sometimes when you're scared to take a look
At the corner of the room
You've sensed that something's watching you
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
I have a constant fear that something's always near
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
Have a phobia that someone's always there
Have you ever been alone at night
Thought you heard footsteps behind
And turned around and no one's there?
And as you quicken up your pace
You find it hard to look again
Because you're sure there's someone there
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
I have a constant fear that something's always near
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
have a phobia that someone's always there
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
Watching horror films the night before
Debating witches and folklore
The unknown troubles on your mind
Maybe your mind is playing tricks
You sense and suddenly eyes fix
On dancing shadows from behind
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
I have a constant fear that something's always near
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
Have a phobia that someone's always there
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
I have a constant fear that something's always near
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
Have a phobia that someone's always there
When I'm walking a dark road
I am a man who walks alone
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More Featured Meanings
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Midnight
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Midnight” is a song about finding a love that is so true that it provides a calming feeling through every storm. Ed Sheeran reflects on his good fortunes in landing someone with such peace and support and speaks of not fearing the dark days because he knows they’ll all end in the safety nets of her arms.
“Well, good morning there / What a way to start the day / With everything laid bare,” Ed Sheeran sings in the first verse, enthusiastic to be waking up beside his woman. He apologizes for missing her calls in the second verse and promises to return them because for him, speaking to her is the most important thing. “Well, I get lost inside my head / In this chaos, you’re my calm / And I will find my feet again / ‘Cause еven the worst days of my life will always еnd / At midnight in your arms,” sings Ed Sheeran in the chorus, revelling in his good luck.
The song talks about a man who is strolling through the night and fears someone (whether it be a man, a demon, a witch, a vampire, an animal, etc.) watching him only to find out that no one's there. The symbolism of this story is that darkness is often misunderstood as its nature is intertwined with the unknown. So, from a simplistic perspective its perfectly understandable that the darkness and the shadows would be considered evil, scary, or sinister and the light would be considered good since they're on two sides of the same coin in terms of what is known and what is unknown. But the point that Iron Maiden is trying to get across is that this "fear of the dark" is all in people's heads and that the darkness can hold just as much good as it can bad, just as the light can hold just as much bad as it can good.
@MetalRox In the beginning, I wasnt sure, if you know what you talknig about, but the last sentence you nailed it! I totally agree!
This song is no:1 in expressing a fear in simple words. When I listen to this song I myself feel the creeps. Its descriptions are very affecting. I love this song.
I love the live version of it. When the crowd sings with them, it's so beautiful it makes my hair on my arm stand up straight.
i love the live version of this song, especially the one on Rock in Rio, the crowd is singing the melody along with Bruce, just awesome. But i didn't like the video that showed on MTV2 it was kinda stupid. UP THE IRONS!!!
Actually it's Graveworm that did a cover for this song... cof did a cover for hollowed be thy name
From a quote directly from Bruce Dickinson's biography:
"Some of his lyrics on 'Fear of the Dark' were dealing with serious issues, such as aids and the backside ofo promiscuity..."
There's some food for thought for you.
Fear Of The Dark is just WOW!! I can't think of any words to describe it, it's just amazing. As for the meaning of it, well I think everyone can relate to it; it's about feeling scared, not of the dark as such, but of whatever is/could be lurking around in the dark.
My favourite song ever! SO TRUE!!
That's the best song, of the best band, with the best singer all over the world. Fear of the dark is just the most amazing song all over the world. That's it. This song stick so well to me too, i always had a little fear of the dark, and still have.
Well, apparently Steve Harris wrote this because he, as a kid, had a fear of the dark...amazing song though the best version is definately on Rock In Rio...the whole band put so much into it...just watch the DVD