The Third Man Theme
Chet Atkins Lyrics
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You'll remember yesterday
In its haunting strain
Vienna lives again
Free and bright and gay
In your mind a sudden gleam
Of a half forgotten dream
Seems to glimmer when you hear the third man theme
Once again there comes to mind
Someone that you left behind
Love that somehow didn't last
In that happy city of the past
Does she still recall the dream
That rapture so supreme
When first she heard the haunting third man theme?
Carnivals and carousels and Ferris wheels and parasols
The Danube nights, the dancing lights again will shine
The zither's sweet refrain
Keeps swirling in your brain
Like new may wine
Strauss waltzes, candle-glow
And the laughter of long ago
Fill the magic chords and make it seem like today
You never knew that you could be
Enchanted by a melody
The years will never drive it out
You don't know why
It's something you can't live without
You hear it in the twilight hush
And in the morning traffic rush
A song that's always new
In your heart a part of you
Oh, shines so brightly when you hear the third man theme
When a zither starts to play
You'll remember yesterday
In its haunting strain
Vienna lives again
Free and bright and gay
In your mind a sudden gleam
Of a well remembered dream
Seems to glimmer when you hear the third man theme
Once again there comes to mind
Someone that you left behind
Love that somehow didn't last
In that happy city of the past
Does she still recall the dream
That rapture so supreme
When first she heard the haunting third man theme?
Carnivals and carousels and Ferris wheels and parasols
The Danube nights, the dancing lights again will shine
The zither's sweet refrain
Keeps swirling in your brain
Like new may wine
Strauss waltzes, candle-glow
And the laughter of long ago
Fill the magic chords and make it seem like today
You never knew that you could be
Enchanted by a melody
The years will never drive it out
You don't know why
It's something you can't live without
You hear it in the twilight hush
And in the morning traffic rush
A song that's always new
In your heart a part of you
Oh, shines so brightly when you hear the third man theme
The Third Man Theme by Chet Atkins is a tribute to the city of Vienna and its culture. The song reflects upon how hearing the zither, which is often associated with Viennese music, can awaken memories of the past. The lyrics tell a story of nostalgia, longing, and enchantment as the melody of the Third Man Theme brings the city to life in the listener's imagination. The song describes the joy and wonder of remembering the enchanting melody of the zither, which lingers in one's heart and soul.
The verses of the song depict the power of music to transport the listener to another time and place. The haunting strains of the Third Man Theme evoke memories of a past love, and the lyrics ask if she too remembers the rapture of that time. The song celebrates the magic of Vienna's culture with vivid descriptions of the city's famous carousels, Ferris wheels, Danube nights, dancing lights, Strauss waltzes, and candle-glow. The imagery and metaphorical language of the song convey the profound impact that music can have on our emotions and memories.
Overall, The Third Man Theme is a beautiful and evocative tribute to Vienna and the power of music.
Line by Line Meaning
When a zither starts to play
When a zither instrument starts to play music
You'll remember yesterday
The melody of the zither will remind you of the past
In its haunting strain
The music is melancholic and eerie
Vienna lives again
The music brings back the memories of Vienna
Free and bright and gay
Vienna is remembered as a happy and carefree city
In your mind a sudden gleam
The music ignites a memory in your mind
Of a half forgotten dream
A dream or memory that was almost forgotten
Seems to glimmer when you hear the third man theme
The music acts as a catalyst to bring back memories
Once again there comes to mind
The music reminds you of something or someone from the past
Someone that you left behind
A person who was left behind in the past
Love that somehow didn't last
A love that didn't endure
In that happy city of the past
The memory of a city where happy times were spent
Does she still recall the dream
Wondering if the person from the past still remembers the memory
That rapture so supreme
The joy felt at that time was unparalleled
When first she heard the haunting third man theme?
The music was unforgettable the first time it was heard
Carnivals and carousels and Ferris wheels and parasols
The music brings back the memories of the fun-filled events
The Danube nights, the dancing lights again will shine
The festival-like atmosphere will return
The zither's sweet refrain
The music played by the zither is beautiful
Keeps swirling in your brain
The melody continues to play in your mind
Like new may wine
The music is as fresh and intoxicating as new wine
Strauss waltzes, candle-glow
The memory of the beautiful Strauss waltzes and candlelight
And the laughter of long ago
The memory of happy times spent in the past
Fill the magic chords and make it seem like today
The music has the power to make the memory come alive
You never knew that you could be
You never realized that music could have such a profound impact on memory
Enchanted by a melody
The power of the music is enchanting and mesmerizing
The years will never drive it out
The memory associated with the music will always be present
You don't know why
The reason why the music is so powerful is unknown
It's something you can't live without
The music has become an essential part of life
You hear it in the twilight hush
The music is heard in quiet moments at dusk
And in the morning traffic rush
The music is also heard during chaotic times, such as morning traffic
A song that's always new
The music retains its freshness and impact
In your heart a part of you
The music is intimately linked to memories, thoughts, and feelings
Oh, shines so brightly when you hear the third man theme
The music triggers a powerful and bright memory of the past
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Anton Karas
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Richard Skola
Only the guitar master, Chet Atkins could do such a great performance of the Third Man Them..
Rachelstorrersings
Best guitarist ever! I would listen to my grandfathers old Chet records. He was pure magic ❤
Guy X-1
He's so good, it sounds like there is more than one instrument being played.
Lots of great photos and impressive software to present it.
Nice homage!
john landis
yeah- Chet could play duets by himself!
Richard Skola
***** Go to you tube and watch the video of Anton Karas, composer of the Third Man Theme, play it on a Zither. It even looks like a one man duet. The Zither is a complex instrument.
Jack Baker
This is Chet at his best. Tasteful and heartfelt playing. Chet never rushes as so many on certain sites dedicated to Chet often do. They just don't seem to get the humility and grace that Chet possessed...Jack Baker NYC
DougsGuitarStuff
Jack Baker
Absolutely.
aditya mehta
Referring to Mr Tommy maybe
john landis
as always: amazingly well- done
blueagate
My tune that keeps with me has always been Yellow Bird the version on Caribbean Guitar. This is one is lovely and so are the pictures of the great man. Thanks Doug!