# Theme from "The Third Man" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [September 3, 2024, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theme-from-the-third-man/1006706 "2024-09-03T22:02:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![alfonzos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4bbf92/32.png) [@alfonzos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alfonzos)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2024, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theme-from-the-third-man/1006706/1 "2024-09-03T22:02:54Z")
Would someone please tell me who recorded a rock and roll version of “The Third Man” theme? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2024, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theme-from-the-third-man/1006706/2 "2024-09-03T22:06:32Z")
Is it recent (ie the last 30 years) or something older? The whole song or part of it? ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2024, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theme-from-the-third-man/1006706/3 "2024-09-03T22:09:22Z")
aka “That Goddam Zither Music” The wikipedia article about the music lists several versions, including by Chet Atkins and Eddie Cochran. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2024, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theme-from-the-third-man/1006706/4 "2024-09-03T22:09:36Z")
Here’s all the versions wiki lists. None of them seem particularly rock and roll to me. The Shadows and Chet Atkins are probably the closest. > **[The Third Man Theme](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Third_Man_Theme?useskin=vector#Other_versions)** > > "The Third Man Theme" (also written "3rd Man Theme" and known as "The Harry Lime Theme") is an instrumental written and performed by Anton Karas for the soundtrack to the 1949 film The Third Man. Upon release the theme proved popular, spending eleven weeks at number one on Billboard's United States Best Sellers in Stores chart. Multiple versions have been performed and recorded, selling tens of millions of copies, and its success influenced the release strategy of later film singles. > The Third M... ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2024, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theme-from-the-third-man/1006706/5 "2024-09-03T22:11:19Z")
I didn’t find anything, but I’d be curious if Jack White/The White Stripes have done it. IIRC, he named his record company (Third Man Records) after the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Jaycat.again](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat.again/32/11525_2.png) [@Jaycat.again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaycat.again)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2024, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theme-from-the-third-man/1006706/6 "2024-09-03T22:12:14Z")
The Band did a version. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2024, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theme-from-the-third-man/1006706/7 "2024-09-03T22:12:31Z")
I found this: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/l2eykeXjHFM/maxresdefault.jpg "Crazy Rockers - The Third Man (great oldies rock 'n roll music video) Indo Rock") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2eykeXjHFM) ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2024, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theme-from-the-third-man/1006706/8 "2024-09-03T22:15:38Z")
It also runs in the background of this Lonely Island song. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/U-U3vGKYLzI/hqdefault.jpg "The Lonely Island - Stork Patrol") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-U3vGKYLzI) ---
**Author:** ![alfonzos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4bbf92/32.png) [@alfonzos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alfonzos)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2024, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theme-from-the-third-man/1006706/9 "2024-09-08T21:41:49Z")
Thank you, all. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2024, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theme-from-the-third-man/1006706/10 "2024-09-09T15:33:06Z")
Not rock and roll, but this has always been my favourite version. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/08Cm_RuvHmk/hqdefault.jpg "Winnitouch spielt Zither") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08Cm_RuvHmk)