Fear of the Dark (song)

"Fear of the Dark" is a song by British heavy metal band Iron Maiden. Written by Steve Harris, the band's bass player and primary songwriter, it serves as the title track to Iron Maiden's 1992 album Fear of the Dark.

"Fear of the Dark (Live in 1992)"
Single by Iron Maiden
from the album A Real Live One
B-side
Released1 March 1993
Recorded1992
GenreHeavy metal
Length7:22
LabelEMI
Songwriter(s)Steve Harris
Iron Maiden singles chronology
"Wasting Love"
(1992)		 "Fear of the Dark (Live in 1992)"
(1993)		 "Hallowed Be Thy Name (Live in 1993)"
(1993)

The single "Fear of the Dark (live)" is the 26th single released by the band. This live version of the song (as well as the live versions of "Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter", "Be Quick or Be Dead", and "Tailgunner") are taken from the live album A Real Live One. The single reached number 8 in the UK charts. The live version of "Hooks in You" was recorded at the Wembley Arena, London, UK on 17 December 1990. The initial pressing of the 7" cut-to-shape vinyl picture disc listed "Hooks in You" as the B-side but actually played "Tailgunner". This mis-press was quickly corrected by EMI on future pressings.

The song has been covered by German a cappella metal band van Canto on their album Hero, as well as the Italian metal band Graveworm on their 2001 album Scourge of Malice, by the also Italian death metal band Infernal Poetry on their 2005 album Beholding the Unpure and by the Finnish band Sturm und Drang as the bonus track on their 2008 album Rock 'n Roll Children. The song was covered by Fightstar for Kerrang! magazine's Maiden Heaven tribute album.[1]

The Flight 666 version of the song was released as downloadable content for the Rock Band video game series on 9 June 2009.

"Fear of the Dark" was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1994 in the "Best Metal Performance" category, but lost to "I Don't Want To Change The World" by Ozzy Osbourne.[2]

When the song is performed live, the audience always sings along to the instrumental melody during the softer sections, at times becoming louder than the band themselves. It has been featured on all the band's live albums since its release.

The single's cover art features Eddie playing Steve Harris' signature Fender Precision Bass.

Lyrics

The song's lyrics tell the story of a man who has always been intensely afraid of the dark. He recalls the many times he has walked alone, and recollections of the feeling of being followed while walking at night.

According to Bruce Dickinson, Steve Harris wrote this song because he himself was really afraid of the dark.[3]

Track listing
7" Poster Bag Single
Side One
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Fear of the Dark" (Live at the Ice Hall, Helsinki, Finland 27 August 1992)Steve Harris7:22
Side Two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
2."Tailgunner" (Live at the Patinoire de Malley, Lausanne, Switzerland, 4 September 1992)Bruce Dickinson, Harris4:10
7" Picture Disc Single
Side One
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Fear of the Dark" (Live at the Ice Hall, Helsinki, Finland 27 August 1992)Harris7:22
Side Two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
2."Hooks in You" (Live at the Wembley Arena, London, England, 17 December 1990)Dickinson, Adrian Smith3:45
UK CD-Maxi Single
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Fear of the Dark" (Live at the Ice Hall, Helsinki, Finland 27 August 1992)Harris7:22
2."Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter" (Live at the Ice Hall, Helsinki, Finland, 27 August 1992)Dickinson5:30
3."Hooks in You" (Live at the Wembley Arena, London, England, 17 December 1990)Dickinson, Smith3:45
Italy & Holland CD-Maxi Single
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Fear of the Dark" (Live at the Ice Hall, Helsinki, Finland 27 August 1992)Harris7:22
2."Be Quick or Be Dead" (Live at Monsters of Rock Festival, Donington Park, England, 22 August 1992)Dickinson, Janick Gers3:20
3."Hooks in You" (Live at the Wembley Arena, London, England, 17 December 1990)Dickinson, Smith3:45

Personnel

Covers

Chart performance
Chart (1993) Peak
position
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[8] 6
Irish Singles Chart 17[9]
UK Singles Chart 8[10]

References
  1. "Maiden Heaven - A Tribute to Iron Maiden". Kerrang!. Archived from the original on 25 August 2011. Retrieved 28 February 2014.
  2. "Grammy Awards: Best Metal Performance". Rock on the Net. Retrieved 27 December 2010.
  3. https://www.ironmaiden-bg.com/web/index.php/fotd-others-en/745-interview-with-bruce-dickinson-june-1992-en
  4. Encyclopaedia Metallum - Graveworm (Ita) - Scourge of Malice
  5. Sturm Und Drang - Fear of the Dark on YouTube
  6. Blaze Bayley and Doro Pesch - Fear of the Dark on YouTube
  7. Pentagram - Fear Of The Dark (Live in Izmir) on YouTube
  8. Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  9. "Irish singles archive". IRMA. irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 14 October 2011.
  10. "Top 40 Official Singles Chart UK Archive 13 March 1993". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
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