THE THIRD MAN
(Anton Karas)
Shadows: April 1981 A-Single (UK No.44)
Ventures: (‘The Third Man Theme’ [‘Bob’s Medley’])
1995 VHS (Japan) In Concert ’94
This revered theme tune was given a reggae makeover by The Shadows (much as The Ventures had presented ‘Goldfinger’ in ska dress the year before); they were rewarded with their last singles chart-placing. For The Ventures, it formed part of ‘Bob's Medley’, preceded by ‘Rawhide’, ‘Torquay’ and ‘Shanghied’, followed by ‘Work Song’, ‘Green Hornet’ and ‘Perfidia’ – quite how a snatch of music for joggers was thought appropriate in the midst of such trademark belters is hard to fathom, and it certainly strikes a jarring note, with nothing that I can detect in the delivery to hold the attention. Still, Ventures fans can always fall back on Bob Spalding’s divertingly punchy workout on The Fifth Venture.