The Fear

What is the fear that is coming closer every year? To me that sounds like old age encroaching and inevitable death. But it is also says the fear is here, as in now and coupled with the focus on waking up next to someone makes me think this is about finding the person you want to live with forever. The song shows that it is a trial and error process, not always just a "tadaa" moment. Being with anyone is a respite from being alone - making life easy for a little bit - but it also a way to finding what you truly need in "the one".

I would have thought it was the fear of break-up, over something seemingly petty, yet unavoidable and difficult. Observe "I would like to see you in the morning". He doesn't want any kind of difficult situation in this partnership, so he's pleading for her to "make it easy for a little longer". All the trees forgot to wake, and the leaves were falling off. The trees are still there, but without their warm coating, those small things that make them whole. I think it's about breakup.

I see what you mean bobo ... it does seem to be about wanting the comfort of a relationship to go on. A desire to enjoy the feeling of the easy life, waking up next to someone. But I think "The Fear" is still a fear of loneliness and uncertainty about finding someone you are truly comfortable with because the song suggests that the relationship is not perfect but it makes life "easier for a little bit longer."

Of course. It's quite a deep one, though, isn't it? I think the best of songs are like that. Not like the shallow bull that I write about.

could those be the best opening lyrics in a song...yes, yes they could

What if the fear is finaly finding someone that you love, and you fear losing them. People get married and divorced the man in the song may just feel hey i found someone and now he doesn't wanna loss them. And this feeling causes him fear to get close to the girl he loves.

my own personal opinion though all these are great pondering thoughts...i think that the song is about a regained past love or a want to regain a past love, and man's hope that it will not leave him again, in a way a break up, but not really just someone he once loved, that is gone. this is my favorite song on the man who, and i find myself listening to it on repeat constantly, it's so beautiful, and i agree those are the best god damn opening lyrics ever, the song just catches from the start, whether it relates to you in a direct way or not, i think all who hear, relate to it in some way, maybe not in a love related, but it's defiantly a song of strong emotion, and deep want and need, a dependency.

When I saw them live they did a rock version of this and it was fantastic! I think theres some brilliant poetry in it with "hottest summer in a hundred years,summer didn't bother getting up this morning so all the trees forgot to wake they were dropping all the leaves on the ground below them."

I agree with l0ki86!! This is abt the fear of losing the spark in love, which unfortunately does not stay for eternity, only the emotion lives. Although he wants to roll over (in the bed) to have her for a little longer, but alas! the charm is fading....he is waking up early in the morning to find the trees shredding the leaves, as if the winter has arrived!! He is in fear of losing it.....love is fading away.

I agree with l0ki86!! This is abt the fear of losing the spark in love, which unfortunately does not stay for eternity, only the emotion lives. Although he wants to roll over (in the bed) to have her for a little longer, but alas! the charm is fading....he is waking up early in the morning to find the trees shredding the leaves, as if the winter has arrived!! He is in fear of losing it.....love is fading away.