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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The Night We Met
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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,
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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.