"Tequila!" was written by the saxophone player Danny Flores, although he was credited as Chuck Rio because he was under contract to another record label at the time. Flores, who died in September 2006, was known as the "Godfather of Latino rock." Flores' "dirty sax" and his low-voiced "Tequila!" are the hallmarks of the song. Flores signed away the U.S. rights to the song but retained worldwide rights until his death.
There are many cover versions of the tune, including a jazz version by guitarist Wes Montgomery in 1966. It has also been recorded by rappers A.L.T. and XL Singleton. The Champs also had success with instrumentals such as "Limbo Rock" and "El Rancho Rock". In 1985 "Tequila" featured prominently in the film Pee Wee's Big Adventure.
The Champs also recorded a sequel to Tequila entitled "Too Much Tequila".
The Third Man Theme
The Champs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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 is paying homage to Vienna, the city of music. The melody is played on the zither, a traditional Austrian instrument. The haunting sound of the zither evokes memories of Vienna's rich cultural past, and captures the allure of the city. The lyrics reflect on the nostalgia the melody brings, taking the listener back to their happy memories of love and life. Even if one has never been to Vienna, they can still feel the magic of the city through this song.
The lyrics speak of the ability of the melody to transport the listener to a different time and place. As the melody plays, thoughts of past love and memories of Vienna fill the mind, making the listener feel like they are there once again. The use of Ferris wheels, parasols and carousels evoke images of a bygone era, where life was simpler and full of joy. These images are reinforced with the mention of the Danube River, candle-glow and Strauss waltzes.
Line by Line Meaning
When a zither starts to play
As the zither starts to play, memories of the past arise in one's mind.
You'll remember yesterday
The sound of the zither brings back memories of a time long gone.
In its haunting strain
The melody of the zither is deeply captivating and eerie.
Vienna lives again
The sound of the zither transports one back to Vienna, reliving its past glory.
Free and bright and gay
The memories of Vienna are lively, colorful, and joyous.
In your mind a sudden gleam
The melody of the zither evokes a vivid image in one's mind.
Of a half forgotten dream
The melody revives a distant memory that has been somewhat neglected over time.
Seems to glimmer when you hear the third man theme
The memory of the past becomes more prominent and vivid as the zither continues to play.
Once again there comes to mind
The zither music brings back memories of a person from one's past.
Someone that you left behind
The melody triggers memories of someone who is no longer in one's life.
Love that somehow didn't last
The person one remembers was once a lover who they've separated from.
In that happy city of the past
The person in question was from Vienna, during a time when things were happy and carefree.
Does she still recall the dream
The singer wonders if the person from their past still remembers their shared dreams.
That rapture so supreme
The incredible feeling of love and joy that they once shared.
When first she heard the haunting third man theme?
The third man theme was a part of their shared memories and experiences in Vienna.
Carnivals and carousels and Ferris wheels and parasols
The zither melody evokes memories of the delightful sights and sounds of Vienna.
The Danube nights, the dancing lights again will shine
The memories of the beautiful nights on the Danube come back to life, as if they're happening once again.
The zither's sweet refrain
The zither melody is captivating and soothing, like a sweet song.
Keeps swirling in your brain
The melody continues to play in one's mind and heart.
Like new may wine
As if drinking a new bottle of fresh and delicious wine, the zither's melody becomes even more intoxicating.
Strauss waltzes, candle-glow
Memories of the enchanting Strauss waltzes and candle-lit dances come flooding in.
And the laughter of long ago
The joyous sounds of laughter from the past are relived once again.
Fill the magic chords and make it seem like today
The zither's melody carries the magic and beauty of Vienna, making it feel as if one is there once again.
You never knew that you could be
The singer is surprised by the fact that a melody could evoke such deep emotions and vivid memories.
Enchanted by a melody
The singer realizes that this particular zither melody has an enchanting and bewitching quality that they were not aware of before.
The years will never drive it out
The memories and emotions evoked by the zither melody will never be forgotten, even as years go by.
You don't know why
The singer is unsure about why this particular melody triggers such deep emotions and vivid memories.
It's something you can't live without
The zither melody has become an integral part of the singer's life, something they cannot let go of.
You hear it in the twilight hush
The melody comes back to the singer during quiet moments of the day such as dusk.
And in the morning traffic rush
The singer is taken back to Vienna during the hustle and bustle of daily life.
A song that's always new
The zither melody may be old, but every time it's heard, it feels new and exciting.
In your heart a part of you
This zither melody has become a part of the singer's identity and being.
Oh, shines so brightly when you hear the third man theme
The singer is deeply moved by the memory of the third man theme, as it shines brightly in their mind and heart.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANTON KARAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind