Time Table

The lyrics reflect on the rise and fall of human societies through the image of an old oak table. At first, it recalls a grand past of kings, queens, honour, and conflict. Later, the room is dusty and neglected, its treasures scattered and its former rulers gone. The repeated questions shift the mood from nostalgic to troubled: the speaker wonders why people fight and why they keep believing their group was greater than others.

Several images suggest that time erases status and glory. The tarnished silver and faded carvings show how riches and achievements can decay. The line about each face retaining “the mask it wore” implies that, despite changing names and eras, people may keep the same roles or habits. “Suffer each race to believe” suggests that group pride can persist even when it encourages rivalry. The question about needing to die or kill for an answer links certainty with violence.

The song does not simply praise the past: its account of valour is also a world of strife, where right and wrong are decided by weapons. The abandoned room may suggest that power is temporary, while human patterns endure. Still, the final image is ambiguous: the “mask” might mean familiar human weaknesses, or it might point to identities people adopt. The lyrics raise questions rather than offering a clear solution.