Third Rate Romance
{{Short description|1975 single by Amazing Rhythm Aces}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Third Rate Romance
| cover = Third Rate Romance single cover.JPG
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Amazing Rhythm Aces
| album = Stacked Deck
| B-side = Mystery Train
| released = June 23, 1975
| format =
| recorded =
| studio = Phillips Recording, Memphis, Tennessee
| venue =
| genre = Country rock{{cite book|title= Precious and Few - Pop Music in the Early '70s|first1=Don|last1=Breithaupt|first2= Jeff|last2= Breithaupt|date= October 15, 1996|chapter= Carnal Knowledge: Sexual Revolution|page= 91|publisher=St. Martin's Griffin|isbn=031214704X|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RMPCAwAAQBAJ}}
| length = 3:17
| label = ABC
| writer = Russell Smith
| producer = Barry Burton
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title = Amazing Grace (Used to Be Her Favorite Song)
| next_year = 1975
}}
"Third Rate Romance" is a song written by Russell Smith, first recorded in Montreal in 1974 by Jesse Winchester and his band the Rhythm Aces, assisted by Smith. It became a hit the following year by the newly re-formed Amazing Rhythm Aces on its 1975 album Stacked Deck. It was the band's debut single, reaching No.11 on the U.S. country singles chart and No.14 on the Billboard Hot 100,{{cite book|last=Whitburn|first=Joel|title=Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008|publisher=Record Research, Inc|date=2008|page=24|isbn=978-0-89820-177-2}} as well as No.1 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks and Top Singles charts.
Content
The third-person lyrics tell the story of a man and woman who meet at a restaurant 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, "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
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable"
!align="left"|Chart (1975) !align="center"|Peak |
| {{singlechart|Canadaadultcontemporary|2|artist=The Amazing Rhythm Aces|chartid=6486}} |
| {{singlechart|Canadacountry|1|artist=The Amazing Rhythm Aces|chartid=4038}} |
| {{singlechart|Canadatopsingles|1|artist=The Amazing Rhythm Aces|chartid=6131a}} |
| New Zealand (RIANZ)[http://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=search%20rianz&qsongid=2059#n_view_location Flavour of New Zealand, 24 October 1975]
| style="text-align:center;"|18 |
| {{singlechart|Billboardcountrysongs|11|artist=The Amazing Rhythm Aces}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardhot100|14|artist=The Amazing Rhythm Aces}} |
| US Billboard Adult Contemporary{{cite book|first= Joel |last= Whitburn |authorlink= Joel Whitburn |year= 1993 |title= Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993 |publisher= Record Research |page=15}}
| style="text-align:center;"|33 |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Chart (1975)
! style="text-align:center;"|Rank |
|---|
| Canada RPM Top Singles {{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.5173a&type=1&interval=20&PHPSESSID=enic7sdhqrbeuu9iiip880d0j4|title=Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada|work=collectionscanada.gc.ca}}
| style="text-align:center;"|27 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 [http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1975.htm Musicoutfitters.com]
| style="text-align:center;"|97 |
{{col-end}}
Sammy Kershaw version
{{Infobox song
| name = Third Rate Romance
| cover =
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Sammy Kershaw
| album = Feelin' Good Train
| B-side = Paradise from Nine to One
| released = August 30, 1994
| format =
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Country
| length = 3:21
| label = Mercury Nashville
| writer = Russell Smith
| producer = Buddy Cannon, Norro Wilson
| prev_title = National Working Woman's Holiday
| prev_year = 1994
| next_title = Southbound
| next_year = 1995
}}
American 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 No.2 in the United States country chartsWhitburn, p. 224 and at No.10 in Canada. Russell Smith provided backing vocals on Kershaw's version.
=Music video=
The music video was directed by Michael Merriman, and premiered in late 1994. It features a woman luring an older man into going to a motel with her. She steals his money and watch and then drives off with another man, as the old man tries to chase them down.
=Chart performance=
| class="wikitable sortable"
!align="left"|Chart (1994) !align="center"|Peak |
| {{singlechart|Canadacountry|10|chartid=2653|publishdate=November 14, 1994|accessdate=August 4, 2013}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardbubbling100|5|artist=Sammy Kershaw}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardcountrysongs|2|artist=Sammy Kershaw}} |
Other versions
{{sources|1=section|date=March 2024}}
- Jesse Winchester - on his 1974 album Learn to Love It.
- Ace Spectrum recorded a more funky take on their 1975 album Low Rent Rendezvous.
- Elvis Costello - as a demo in 1975 on the album known as the "Flip City Demos"
- Tom Jones recorded it in 1976.
- Rosanne Cash - on her 1982 album Somewhere in the Stars.
- Fabulous Poodles - on their 1978 album Unsuitable.
- Another version was performed on The Earl Scruggs Review Anniversary Special (1975).