Fear of The Dark – English Lyrics

• By: Iron Maiden

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a powerful tool, and Iron Maiden's "Fear of the Dark" offers a unique opportunity for English learners. The song's clear narrative and descriptive lyrics about a universal emotion – fear – make it accessible. The varying tempo, from the gentle, storytelling verses to the frantic, energetic chorus, can help learners grasp the nuances of emotional expression in English. What makes this song special for language learning is the passionate delivery and the iconic crowd participation in live versions, which can immerse you in the energy and community of the language.

[English]

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

I 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

I 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 folklores

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

I 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

I have a phobia that someone's always there

...

When I'm walking a dark road

I am a man who walks alone

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
fear /fɪər/ B1	noun - an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger or pain
alone /əˈloʊn/ A2	adjective - having no one else present
dark /dɑːrk/ A2	adjective - having very little or no light
night /naɪt/ A2	noun - the period of darkness in each twenty-four hours
walk /wɔːk/ A1	verb - to move at a regular pace by lifting and setting down each foot in turn
change /tʃeɪndʒ/ B1	verb - to become different
feel /fiːl/ A2	verb - to experience a particular emotion or sensation
strange /streɪndʒ/ B2	adjective - unusual or surprising in a way that is difficult to understand
constant /ˈkɒn.stənt/ B2	adjective - lasting for a long time or always happening
near /nɪər/ A2	adjective - not far away
watching /ˈwɒtʃɪŋ/ B2	verb (gerund) - to look at carefully over a period of time
horror /ˈhɔː.rər/ B2	noun - an intense feeling of fear, shock, or disgust
film /fɪlm/ A2	noun - a movie or a motion picture

Key Grammar Structures

• I am a man who walks alone

  ➔ Present Simple Tense

  ➔ The sentence uses the present simple tense to describe a general truth or a habitual action.

• I sometimes feel a little strange

  ➔ Adverb of frequency

  ➔ The word 'sometimes' is an adverb of frequency that indicates how often the action occurs.

• I have a constant fear that something's always near

  ➔ Present Perfect Tense

  ➔ The present perfect tense is used to express an action that has relevance to the present.

• Have you run your fingers down the wall

  ➔ Present Perfect Tense (Question Form)

  ➔ This is a question in the present perfect tense, asking about past experiences with relevance to the present.

• Because you're sure there's someone there

  ➔ Contraction

  ➔ The contraction 'you're' is a combination of 'you are', commonly used in spoken English.

• Maybe your mind is playing tricks

  ➔ Modal Verb

  ➔ The word 'maybe' is used to express possibility, indicating that something is uncertain.

• You've sensed that something's watching you

  ➔ Present Perfect Tense (Negative Form)

  ➔ This sentence uses the present perfect tense in a negative form to indicate an experience that has not occurred.

• Fear of the dark, fear of the dark

  ➔ Repetition for Emphasis

  ➔ The repetition of the phrase emphasizes the speaker's feelings and fears.