One day in the year of the fox
Came a time remembered well
When the strong young man of the rising sun
Heard the tolling of the great black bell

One day in the year of the fox
When the bell began to ring
Meant the time had cometh for one to go
To the temple of the king

There in the middle of the circle he stands
Searching, seeking
With just one touch of his trembling hand
The answer will be found

Daylight waits while the old man sings
Heaven help me
And then like the rush of a thousand wings
It shines upon the one
And the day had just begun

One day in the year of the fox came a time remembered well
When the strong young man of the rising sun
Heard the tolling of the great black bell

One day in the year of the fox
When the bell began to sing
It meant the time had cometh for one to go
To the temple of the king

There in the middle of the people he stands
Seeing, feeling
With just a wave of a strong right hand
He's gone
To the temple of the king

Far from the circle at the edge of the world
He's hoping, wondering
Thinking back from the stories he's heard
Of what he's going to see

There in middle of the circle it lies
Heaven help me
Then all could see by the shine in his eyes
The answer had been found

Back with the people in the circle he stands
Giving, feeling
With just one touch of a strong right hand
They know
Of the temple and the king


Lyrics submitted by han2

The Temple Of The King Lyrics as written by Ronnie James Dio Ritchie Blackmore

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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The Temple Of The King song meanings
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  • +2
    My Interpretation

    I think the song is about a young man trying to make sense of death. The great black bell rings, warning of an impending death. He studies an old man begging for heaven as his life is coming to an end. The old man dies, and the young man touches him with a trembling hand, and day breaks, shining on him as he begins to understand that death is inevitable and not to be feared.

    The next time he hears the bell, it symbolizes that he (the one) is near death himself. He's seeing and feeling how it felt to be that old man he witnessed dying. He accepts his death willingly and waves goodbye without fear as he's beginning to lose consciousness whilst thinking about what awaits him and all he's heard about the after life. Just then he espies the old man who begged for heaven and is comforted. He dies with a look of joy in his eyes, and those who follow after him in death, he gives welcome to, as the old man did for him, and then they too know of the temple and the king.

    EricArthurBlairon May 17, 2018   Link

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