History Music / TubularBellsIII

''Tubular Bells III'', released in 1998, is the eighteenth album by English ProgressiveRock multi-instrumentalist Music/MikeOldfield. A sequel to his 1992 album ''Music/TubularBellsII'', the album stands as the third and final mainline entry in the ''Tubular Bells'' series (discounting the 1999 interquel ''The Millennium Bell'', the 2003 re-recording of the first ''Tubular Bells'', and the RemixAlbum ''Tubular Beats''). Unlike ''II'', which was for all intents and purposes a loose remake of the first entry in the series, ''III'' is far different in structure, tone, and composition, being far more electronically-oriented and only carrying over the most basic musical motifs from the original ''Music/TubularBells''. Interestingly, the album also acts as a nod back to Oldfield's post-''Incantations'', pre-''Tubular Bells II'' output, featuring the radio-friendly "Man in the Rain" as an interlude for what is very much the most experimental entry in the ''Tubular Bells'' franchise.

''Tubular Bells III'', released in 1998, is the eighteenth album by English ProgressiveRock multi-instrumentalist Music/MikeOldfield. A sequel to his 1992 album ''Music/TubularBellsII'', the album stands as the third and most recent mainline entry in the ''Tubular Bells'' series (discounting the 1999 interquel ''The Millennium Bell'', the 2003 re-recording of the first ''Tubular Bells'', and the RemixAlbum ''Tubular Beats''). Unlike ''II'', which was for all intents and purposes a loose remake of the first entry in the series, ''III'' is far different in structure, tone, and composition, being far more electronically-oriented and only carrying over the most basic musical motifs from the original ''Music/TubularBells''. Interestingly, the album also acts as a nod back to Oldfield's post-''Incantations'', pre-''Tubular Bells II'' output, featuring the radio-friendly "Man in the Rain" as an interlude for what is very much the most experimental entry in the ''Tubular Bells'' franchise.

* BookEnds: "Far Above the Clouds" ends with the same synthesized whistle that begins "The Source of Secrets".

* MythologyGag:
** Tying in with the album's release just after the 25th anniversary of the original ''Music/TubularBells'', samples from many of Oldfield's prior albums feature throughout ''Tubular Bells III'': "Man in the Rain" features sampled drums from "Moonlight Shadow", "Outcast" features sampled drums from "Shadow on the Wall", and "Far Above the Clouds" features sampled drums from the end of "Ommadawn (Part One)". "Far Above the Clouds" also samples the rhythm guitar from the "Finale" section of "Tubular Bells (Part One)".
** "Man in the Rain" repeats the structure of "Moonlight Shadow" from his 1983 album ''Music/{{Crises}}''; the song was first penned shortly after "Moonlight Shadow", which explains the similarities. The song also reprises elements of the TitleTrack to Oldfield's 1991 album ''Heaven's Open'', also an aftereffect of its prolonged development (as a 1987 demo of "Man in the Rain" was used as the basis for "Heaven's Open").

-->'''Child:''' And the Man in the Rain picked up his Bag of Secrets, and journeyed up the mountainside far above the clouds, and nothing was ever heard from him again-- except for the sound of Tu-bu-lar ''Bells''.

Released just shortly after the [[MilestoneCelebration 25th anniversary]] of the original ''Tubular Bells'', the album's structure and tone was heavily inspired by the club scene in Ibiza, where the album was recorded, and appropriately makes prominent use of acid house and DrumAndBass elements. The album also features a much greater amount of guest stars than before, including Amar, Cara Dillon, and Clodagh Simonds. Because of this, it stands as a major outlier compared to the orchestral-inspired direction of the first two ''Tubular Bells'' albums to the point where one would not be able to tell it was part of the series in passing. Consequently, it ended up being the least successful of the main trilogy, peaking at only No. 4 on the UK Albums chart compared to the chart-topping performances of its predecessors. Despite this, it still went quadruple-platinum in Spain and gold in the UK. The album's shift in direction also led to a decidedly mixed response from critics, not helped by the similarity of "Man in the Rain" to Oldfield's earlier hit single "Moonlight Shadow", though it maintains good standing among Oldfield fans to this day (albeit seen as outperformed by its predecessors).

* GuestStar: A number of guest vocalists feature throughout the album:
** "The Source of Secrets", "Jewel in the Crown", and "Secrets" feature Amar.
** "The Inner Child" features a OneWomanWail courtesy of Luar na Lubre vocalist Rosa Cedrón.
** "Man in the Rain" features main vocals from Cara Dillon.
** "Far Above the Clouds" features vocals from Clodagh Simmons and a spoken-word part by Francesca Robertson.

* GratuitousPanning: "The Inner Child" begins with a recording of children playing, panning from the left channel to the right before Rosa Cedrón's vocals kick in.

** "Man in the Rain" repeats the structure of "Moonlight Shadow" from his 1983 album ''Crises''; the song was first penned shortly after "Moonlight Shadow", which explains the similarities. The song also reprises elements of the TitleTrack to Oldfield's 1991 album ''Heaven's Open'', also an aftereffect of its prolonged development (as a 1987 demo of "Man in the Rain" was used as the basis for "Heaven's Open").

** Tying in with the album's release just after the 20th anniversary of the original ''Music/TubularBells'', samples from many of Oldfield's prior albums feature throughout ''Tubular Bells III'': "Man in the Rain" features sampled drums from "Moonlight Shadow", "Outcast" features sampled drums from "Shadow on the Wall", and "Far Above the Clouds" features sampled drums from the end of "Ommadawn (Part One)". "Far Above the Clouds" also samples the rhythm guitar from the "Finale" section of "Tubular Bells (Part One)".

** Tying in with the album's status as a MilestoneCelebration of Oldfield's career, samples from many of his prior albums feature throughout ''Tubular Bells III'': "Man in the Rain" features sampled drums from "Moonlight Shadow", "Outcast" features sampled drums from "Shadow on the Wall", and "Far Above the Clouds" features sampled drums from the end of "Ommadawn (Part One)". "Far Above the Clouds" also samples the rhythm guitar from the "Finale" section of "Tubular Bells (Part One)".

** Samples from many of Olfield's prior albums feature throughout ''Tubular Bells III'': "Man in the Rain" features sampled drums from "Moonlight Shadow", "Outcast" features sampled drums from "Shadow on the Wall", and "Far Above the Clouds" features sampled drums from the end of "Ommadawn (Part One)". "Far Above the Clouds" also samples the rhythm guitar from the "Finale" section of "Tubular Bells (Part One)".
** "Man in the Rain" repeats the structure of "Moonlight Shadow" from his 1983 album ''Crises''; the song was first penned shortly after "Moonlight Shadow", which explains the similarities.

-->'''Child:''' And the Man in the Rain picked up his Bag of Secrets, and journeyed up the mountainside far above the clouds, and nothing was ever heard from him again - except for the sound of Tu-bu-lar ''Bells''.

* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: The "Girlie Chorus" (Mundy Ellis and Sally Oldfield) needs no explanation.

-->'''Child:''' And the Man in the Rain picked up his Bag of Secrets, and journeyed up the mountainside far above the clouds, and nothing was ever heard from him again - except for the sound of Tubular Bells.