"The Third Man Theme" | |
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Single by Anton Karas | |
Released | 1950 |
Label | Decca (UK) London (U.S.) |
Writer(s) | Anton Karas |
"The Third Man Theme" (also known as 'The "Harry Lime" Theme') is an instrumental written and performed by Anton Karas for the soundtrack to the film The Third Man (1949).
Karas was working as a zither player when director Carol Reed, during location scouting for the film, heard him playing in a beer garden. Reed wanted music that wasn't a waltz but would be appropriate to the city of Vienna, in which the film was set, so he asked Karas if he would write and record the film's score. Karas agreed, and he wrote the theme based on a melody in a practice book. The zither had not previously been widely used in English or American music, but the theme became popular with audiences of the film soon after its premiere.
The tune was originally released in the U.K. in 1949, where it was known as 'The "Harry Lime" Theme.' Following its release in the U.S. in 1950 (see 1950 in music), "The Third Man Theme" spent eleven weeks at number one on Billboard's U.S. Best Sellers in Stores chart, from April 29 to July 8.[1] Its success led to a trend in releasing film theme music as singles.
A guitar version by Guy Lombardo also sold strongly. Four other versions charted in the U.S. during 1950.[2] According to Faber and Faber, the different versions of the theme have collectively sold an estimated forty million copies.
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The full soundtrack album was ready for release when The Third Man came out, but there wasn't a lot of interest in it. Instead, labels focused on the catchy main theme and released it as a single.
"The Third Man Theme" was used in a 1982 TV mail-order record collection, Aerobic Dancing [Parade LP 100A], with Sharon Barbano.
"The Third Man Theme" is informally known in Japan as the "Ebisu Beer Theme," which is still used in Ebisu beer commercials to this day. For this reason, it is also used at Ebisu Station on the JR Yamanote line to inform passengers of incoming trains.
Preceded by "If I Knew You Were Comin' (I'd've Baked a Cake)" by Eileen Barton |
U.S. Billboard Best Sellers in Stores number-one single April 29, 1950-July 8, 1950 |
Succeeded by "Mona Lisa" by Nat King Cole |
Preceded by "Music! Music! Music!" |
Cash Box magazine best selling record chart number-one record April 22, 1950–July 1, 1950 |
Succeeded by "Bewitched" |