One of the highlights in Richie Blackmore’s Rainbow, this song narrates an epic story with several meanings. The song has also been covered numerous times by many bands. A notable cover was done by the Scorpions as a tribute to Dio after his death.
At first glance, it is the story of a young man wh...
[Verse 1]
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
It meant the time
Had come for one to go
To the temple of the king
[Chorus]
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
(Uh uh uhh...)
[Verse 2]
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 come for the one to go
To the temple of the king
[Chorus]
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
[Guitar Solo]
[Chorus]
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 gonna see
There, in the middle of a circle it lies
Heaven help me!
Then all could see by the shine in his eyes
The answer had been found
[Outro]
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
(Uh uh uhh...)
The Temple of the King was written by Ritchie Blackmore & Dio.
The Temple of the King was produced by Ritchie Blackmore & Dio & Martin Birch.
Rainbow released The Temple of the King on Mon Aug 04 1975.