Table For One

Passenger's song "Table For One" is a poignant exploration of loneliness, regret, and the passage of time. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a man sitting alone at a table, reflecting on his life and the choices that have led him to this solitary moment. The opening lines, "So I sit on this table for one / And pour me a drink that'll last," immediately set the tone of isolation and introspection. The man is not drunk but rather nostalgic for his youth, lamenting how quickly he has aged and how life has passed him by.

The song delves into the man's relationships, particularly with his wife and children. He describes his wife as someone who "breaks and bends" and his children as not understanding him. This sense of being misunderstood and invisible is a recurring theme, as he mentions coming to the table in search of a friend but feeling like "the invisible man." The lyrics, "I've swallowed my tongue / And I've polished my gun / And I've sat on my secrets for years," suggest a life of suppressed emotions and unspoken truths, further isolating him from those he loves.

The man reflects on the lessons he learned from his parents, wishing they could see the mess he feels he has made of his life. The song's chorus, with its stiff upper lip and hidden tears, encapsulates the struggle to maintain composure while dealing with deep-seated regrets. The final verses reveal the man's emotional distance from his children, who don't know him at all. He whispers "I love you" to them as they sleep, but his words go unheard, symbolizing the emotional walls he has built. The song ends with a poignant question about the value of dreams, highlighting the man's disillusionment with the life he has led.