Third Rate Romance

"Third Rate Romance" is a song written by Russell Smith, and first recorded by the American country rock band Amazing Rhythm Aces on its 1975 album Stacked Deck. It was the band's debut single, reaching number 11 on the U.S. country singles charts and number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100,^[1] as well as number 1 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks and Top Singles charts.

Content

The lyrics, in a detached, ironic third person that makes gentle fun of both participants, tell the story of a man and woman who meet at a restaurant/bar and depart together for what presumably will prove to be a one night stand at a motel (the "Family Inn"). At the door of the room, she nervously says more than once, "I've never really done this kind of thing before--have you?" He admits that he has, "but only a time or two."

Chart performance

Chart (1975)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles	11
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	14
Canadian RPM Country Tracks	1
Canadian RPM Top Singles	1
Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks	2

Preceded by "Say Forever You'll Be Mine" by Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner	Canadian RPM Country Tracks number-one single October 25, 1975	Succeeded by "Secret Love" by Freddy Fender
Preceded by "The Ballroom Blitz" by Sweet	Canadian RPM Top Singles number-one single October 13, 1975	Succeeded by "I'm Sorry" by John Denver

Sammy Kershaw version

"Third Rate Romance"

Single by Sammy Kershaw

from the album Feelin' Good Train

B-side

"Paradise from Nine to One"

Released

October 30, 1994

Genre

Country

Length

3:21

Label

Mercury Nashville

Producer(s)

Buddy Cannon, Norro Wilson

Sammy Kershaw singles chronology

"National Working Woman's Holiday"
(1994)

"Third Rate Romance"
(1994)

"Southbound"
(1995)

Country music artist Sammy Kershaw covered the song on his 1994 album Feelin' Good Train, from which it was released as a single in 1994. It peaked at number 2 in the United States,^[2] and number 10 in Canada. Kershaw's version features backing vocals from former Amazing Rhythm Aces member Russell Smith, who also wrote the song.

Music video

The music video was directed by Michael Merriman, and features a woman tricking an old man into going to a motel with her, but she winds up stealing his money and watch, and she winds up driving off with another man, and the old man tries to chase them down.

Chart performance

Chart (1994)	Peak position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)^{[ 1]}	10
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)^{[ 1]}	5
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)^{[ 1]}	2

Other versions

Jesse Winchester recorded the track on his 1974 album Learn to love it.
Rosanne Cash recorded the track on her 1982 album, Somewhere in the Stars.

References

↑ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 24. ISBN 0-89820-177-2.
↑ Whitburn, p. 224

External links

Full lyrics of Amazing Rhythm Aces version at MetroLyrics

v t e Sammy Kershaw

Studio albums	Don't Go Near the Water Haunted Heart Feelin' Good Train Politics, Religion and Her Labor of Love Maybe Not Tonight I Finally Found Someone I Want My Money Back Honky Tonk Boots Better Than I Used to Be All in the Same Boat

Holiday albums	Christmas Time's A-Comin' A Sammy Klaus Christmas

Compilation albums	The Hits Chapter 1 Covers the Hits The Hits Chapter 2 Big Hits: Volume One

Notable singles	"Cadillac Style" "Don't Go Near the Water" "Yard Sale" "Anywhere but Here" "She Don't Know She's Beautiful" "Haunted Heart" "Queen of My Double Wide Trailer" "I Can't Reach Her Anymore" "National Working Woman's Holiday" "Third Rate Romance" "Southbound" "If You're Gonna Walk, I'm Gonna Crawl" "Meant to Be" "Vidalia" "Love of My Life" "Maybe Not Tonight" (with Lorrie Morgan) "Better Than I Used to Be"

Related articles	Discography Mercury Records Doug Kershaw

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike; additional terms may apply for the media files.