The lyrics to "Scared" reflect Lennon's anxieties resulting from his separation at the time from his wife Yoko Ono.
"[7] Urish and Bielen interpret the "trudging rhythm" of the fadeout as an indication that the battles Lennon sang about will not cease.
[1][5][6] Urish and Bielen feel that the guitar notes that form a counterpoint to the song's melody are based on the opening howling wolf sound.
[5] Urish and Bielen criticize the guitar and the horn overdubs for producing a "confusing emotional maelstrom" rather than the pure "exposed pain" that they feel the song would otherwise evoke.
Lennon believed that the Rolling Stones' 1978 song "Miss You" was based on "Scared", albeit taken at a faster tempo.
[4]Rolling Stone critic Ben Gerson said that "Scared" "throbs with the primal fear and sense of confinement of his earlier solo LPs.
"[9] Rogan stated that "Scared" is "another powerful statement and proof positive that the pain of [Lennon's] separation from Yoko Ono could work to his artistic advantage.
Brilliant singing and a haunting tune on a track which wouldn't have been a sore thumb on either John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band or Imagine.