This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, "Third Time's the Charm". Dan finally connects the dots on some similar phrases, too. Bonus: Existential dread, sandwich annihilation, and quilt-making in a weekend.
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Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast
Episode 257: Third Time’s the Charm
Record Date: November 24, 2024
Air Date: December 4, 2024
Intro
Dan:
Welcome to Bunny Trails, a whimsical adventure of idioms and other turns of phrase.
I’m Dan Pugh
Shauna:
And I’m Shauna Harrison
Each week we take an idiom or other turn of phrase and try to tell the story from its entry into the English language, to how it’s used today.
Opening Hook
Every time I write an intro for an episode, I feel like I’m learning how to write for the first time. It usually takes me a few attempts. One or two at least get thrown out entirely. But then… as they say, the third time’s the charm.
Meaning
According to Oxford English Dictionary, “third time's the charm” is a proverb meaning,
Quote
a third attempt to accomplish something, after two failed attempts, tends to be successful
End quote
https://www.oed.com/dictionary/third_adj?tab=meaning_and_use&tl=true
This phrase treats the number three as a sort of mystical or lucky number. In fact, there are two related proverbial phrases “the third time's lucky” and “the third time pays for all.”
"Third time lucky" is an older British saying suggesting that after two failed attempts, the third will succeed due to luck.
"Third time pays for all" is an idiom that implies that success on the third attempt makes up for previous failures, reinforcing the idea that three tries lead to success.
In J.R.R. Tolkien’s 1937 novel, The Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins says “Third time pays for all” twice in chapters XII and XIII - both times attributing it to his father.
There are a few theories about how this phrase got started.:
Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor (1602):
In The Merry Wives of Windsor, Falstaff makes attempts to woo married women, failing twice due to the women’s tricks. In fact, one of the characters, Mistress Page, specifically refers to the third attempt. In Act 3, Scene 3, after Falstaff’s second failed attempt, she says, "Let us yet have another bout.” On this third attempt, they humiliate him publicly.
While Falstaff doesn't succeed in the romantic sense, his three attempts are key to the structure of the play, reflecting the idea that the third time often leads to a decisive outcome. The phrase "third time's a charm" isn’t directly used, but the rule of three - where events are structured in a set of three for comedic or narrative payoff - plays a significant role in the plot's resolution.
While the rule of threes is still used in modern performance art… and as fun as this idea is, it doesn’t get us to the phrase “third times the charm.”
1574
The oldest printed spot I could find a version of these phrases was from a 1574 novel. This is available thanks to the Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs, Edited by John Simpson and Jennifer Speake, the oldest version of these phrases.
The third time pays for all 1574 J. Higgins Mirror for Magistrates
Quote
The third payes home, this prouerbe is to true
End quote
This is what Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs has to say about the entry,
Quote
The proverb was first recorded in 1721 (James Kelly, Scottish Proverbs), but the sentiment it expresses is of earlier origin. Variants of this proverb: third time lucky; the third time pays for all. Proverbs expressing similar meaning: if at first you don't succeed, try, try again; there's luck in odd numbers.
End quote
https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780199539536.001.0001/acref-9780199539536-e-2245
All of this is fascinating… but there is not a clear line to the current usage. This just means that we cannot prove nor disprove the theories of the origin of the phrase.
1830
The earliest attestation I was able to find in print for the proverb as “third time’s the charm” is found in William Carleton’s 1830 work, “Traits and stories of the Irish peasantry.”
Quote
You've got two difficult tasks over you; but you know the third time's the charm.
End quote
https://www.oed.com/dictionary/third_adj?tab=meaning_and_use&tl=true
c1840
Similar phrases and alternate versions were seen in print around this time. For example, Mrs. Elizabeth Barrett Browning uses the concept in one of her Letters addressed to R. H. Horne circa 1840. Here is the excerpt,
Quote
‘The luck of the third adventure’ is proverbial.
End quote
https://www.oed.com/dictionary/third_adj?tab=meaning_and_use&tl=true
So this idea of the third being something special was common but the phrase that truly held tight uses the term charm.
1861
This next items comes from the Daily intelligencer, April 11, 1861 out of Wheeling, Virginia
Quote
This Jonas, who is now fossilized the third time, was first an abolitionist, then a whig, and then a Democrat; and having strong reason to believe the third time the charm, spews out from his tri-fossilled carcass the last secretion of falsehood, the ‘dry thing’ is capable of elaborating - and send it forth as a greeting to the Democrats, with the assurance that Dr. White will be elected to the next House of Delegates.
End quote
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84026845/1861-04-11/ed-1/seq-2/#date1=1850&index=2&rows=20&searchType=advanced&language=&sequence=0&words=charm+third+time&proxdistance=5&date2=1875&ortext=&proxtext=&phrasetext=third+time%27s+the+charm&andtext=&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1
1873
Here is a snippet from a story in The McArthur enquirer., October 22, 1873, out of McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio.
Quote
“Not yet Mr. Lorenzo, for I think any church is better off without an organ than with one, for I do not believe in worshiping God by machinery, though it be the sweet tones of one of Prince’s best organs.”
Now just let me try once more; the third time is charm. Let me see. Now I have it, “you had fixed on a plan in your ‘Sewing Circle,’ to get up a donation for the preacher, and between you and me, I’m down on it, for $600 is too much already to pay any preacher for only one year.”
End quote
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn87075167/1873-10-22/ed-1/seq-1/#date1=1850&index=0&rows=20&searchType=advanced&language=&sequence=0&words=charm+third+time&proxdistance=5&date2=1875&ortext=&proxtext=&phrasetext=third+time%27s+the+charm&andtext=&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1
1875
The Cairo bulletin, February 09, 1875, out of Cairo, Illinois included a story about one man’s decision that had the potential to impact his life in a rather significant way.
Quote
Brave as he was, Sidney did not care to take chance on the third trial, doubtless believing the old adage, “The third time’s the charm,” and having been shot twice, and another attempt having been made upon his life, he concluded to move his family…
End quote
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85033413/1875-02-09/ed-1/seq-2/#date1=1850&index=1&rows=20&searchType=advanced&language=&sequence=0&words=charm+third+time&proxdistance=5&date2=1875&ortext=&proxtext=&phrasetext=third+time%27s+the+charm&andtext=&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1
There is a bit more to the story. And we will read a little more about it during our behind the scenes which airs every Friday on patreon - patreon.com/BunnyTrailsPod
1907
The Hattiesburg daily news, August 30, 1907, out of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, includes an article that is all about wild animals… or is it?
Quote
THIRD TIME THE CHARM; BLIND TIGER IS CAUGHT
Up to the hour of his leaving for Birmingham with Ella Patton, Deputy Sheriff McGilvray was kept busy last night, one of his last acts being the capture, red-handed in the act, of Walter Eure and Edna Gibbs.
These are the same parties whose house he searched Monday and Tuesday nights, finding liquors and beer, but being unable to catch them selling so he could arrest them. He was more fortunate last night for he caught them making two different sales and arrest followed. They were locked up on the usual charge of retailing.
End quote
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn87065163/1907-08-30/ed-1/seq-5/#date1=1890&index=1&rows=20&searchType=advanced&language=&sequence=0&words=CHARM+THIRD+TIME&proxdistance=5&date2=1910&ortext=&proxtext=&phrasetext=third+time%27s+the+charm&andtext=&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1
In this context, the term "blind tiger" is a colloquial phrase referring to an illegal establishment selling alcohol, often used during the time of Prohibition and in earlier periods when alcohol sales were restricted. These places, also called speakeasies or "blind pigs," would secretly serve alcohol to customers, often hiding the true nature of their business.
1923
Next we take a look at a story from the Perth Amboy evening news, July 30, 1923, out of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, titled, “Third Time The Charm?”
Quote
Lieutenant Russell L. Maughan army flier, failed for the second time to span the continent from dawn to dusk. He flew 1,925 miles, however, before being forced down at Rock Springs, Wyoming, after averaging 165 miles an hour from New York. An oil leek compelled him to abandon his second attempt. Above, is photo of his plane coming to a stop at McCook Field, Dayton, Ohio. Right, is Maughan annihilating a sandwich.
End Quote
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85035720/1923-07-30/ed-2/seq-3/#date1=1920&index=6&rows=20&searchType=advanced&language=&sequence=0&words=Charm+Third+Time&proxdistance=5&date2=1942&ortext=&proxtext=&phrasetext=third+time%27s+the+charm&andtext=&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=2
Not only do I love the photo captions for this one… I also found the usage of the phrase interesting. Because there is not a third time to discuss yet, the use of the phrase hints at his second attempt being a failure.
We have several modern uses to cover and we’ll get to those, right after we say thank you to our sponsors.
A Quick Thank You
This episode is sponsored by our amazing Patrons on Patreon. And the cool thing about Patreon is it is 100% free to join the Bunny Trails community!
We have new things every weekday on the feeds. On Monday’s we have a conversation about what movies, shows, books, podcasts and whatever else everyone is enjoying, Tuesday see early access to the weeks podcast, Wednesdays have all the links, books, songs, and other content mentioned in the weeks episode, Thursday has patron’s only polls, and Friday’s are our lightly-edited behind the scenes video featuring all the cut content, goofs, and bonus facts you could imagine.
We’ve got some other pretty cool stuff, too, like Original Digital Artwork once a month, made by ME, and direct access to talk with us. No algorithm’s getting in the way of what we see or don’t see. Plus, you can get awesome name recognition like Pat Rowe does every episode. And our top spot is currently occupied by the amazing Mary Halsig Lopez.
You can join the Bunny Trails community for free at bunny trails pod on Patreon.
That’s patreon.com/bunnytrailspod
Modern Uses
1979
Foghat are an English rock band formed in London in 1971. The band is known for the use of electric slide guitar in its music. They have a few well-known songs like “I just want to make love to you” with their best-known being the 1975 hit "Slow Ride".
Third Time Lucky (First Time I Was A Fool) was a song originally released by Foghat in 1979. Here are some lyrics
Quote
First love I had I was seventeen and I was younger
Love to us was some kind of game
And all my letters said I would never forget her
Now I can't recall her name
The first time I was a fool
never knew that love could be so cruel
It happened again
Third time lucky
Oh Yeah
End quote
https://youtu.be/ISKPxMB7rHQ?si=CrcZBTJLF8KjxrGc
2011
The 2011 movie “3 Times A Charm” is a Comedy/Romance. Here is the synopsis,
Quote
Emma the hard-working editor of the school newspaper, is handed a magical necklace, which grants her three chances to see the consequences of her actions after she is tempted to cheat on her final exam by the most popular boy in school.
End quote
https://youtu.be/8Y1jIvgMIkY?si=Inr89gYMSF5PdTrv
2019
That Patchwork Place Third Time's a Charm Book September 3, 2019
by Barbara Groves and Mary Jacobson. Here is a synopsis:
Quote
Simple, quick, and oh-so charming--that's the magic of quilts made by Me and My Sister Designs! This cute collection of seven make-in-a-weekend quilts starts with charms, tempting little packs of 5" fabric squares in different colors and prints. Projects are perfect for table toppers, wall hangings, baby quilts, and more. Each design is shown in three different colorways, making it easy for you to imagine using your favorite colors.
End quote
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1683560264?ref=cm_sw_r_ffobk_apan_dp_YEKH0Y5CKSXQC3VVCJHM&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_apan_dp_YEKH0Y5CKSXQC3VVCJHM&social_share=cm_sw_r_ffobk_apan_dp_YEKH0Y5CKSXQC3VVCJHM&peakEvent=2&starsLeft=1&skipTwisterOG=1&bestFormat=true
2021
Making Friends: Third Time's a Charm: A Graphic Novel by Kristen Gudsnuk was released in 2021. Here is the synopsis:
Quote
Dany and Madison are living a new reality. Rather than best friends, the pair now believe they are twins -- and that isn't the only part of their lives that has been completely rewritten. Their mom is a novelist, their dad is a rock star, and Dany has suddenly become a diligent student.
Things. Aren't. Adding. Up.
Dany and Madison start sleuthing and discover that someone has drastically altered the universe! Can the pair put things back the way they were, or is this magic beyond their control?
End quote
https://shop.scholastic.com/parent-ecommerce/books/making-friends-3-third-times-a-charm-9781338630794.html
2024
Third Time's the Charm is an abstract acrylic painting, done on plywood by John Long of the United States. Here is the artist’s description of the work:
Quote
Three layers, three incarnations, three iterations: first begun in 2004; finished in 2024. Twenty years to arrive at a simple design with the history of two previous lifetimes peeking thru. Iridescent & metallic blues and greens; curvilinear stripes.
End quote
https://www.saatchiart.com/art/Painting-Third-Time-s-the-Charm/1337841/11927391/view
I really like this piece. It is done in what are recently referred to as comfort colors. And then has the added boldness of shining gold.
2024
Third Time's the Charm is a song by Megan Moroney, released in July of 2024. Here are some of the lyrics,
Quote
I got good at sleeping by myself
I got good at not needing no one else
But now I think it's happening again
You put a brand new kind of wind back in my sails
Took my heart off of the shelf
And you're not nothing like I've known
I'm already scared to let you go
Tonight, I'm laying in your arms
Praying that the third time's the charm
End quote
https://youtu.be/hFFqBSluRdo?si=zox9wohBtnFgfm3-
Wrap up: I find that I almost use it as a way of saying that I may as well give it one more go. It won’t hurt to try again, right? And so I do - often with success after learning from my first couple of mistakes. And that’s the primary point, isn’t it? We learn, we grow, we improve. We do better. And we find success.
Shauna:
That’s about all we have for today. If you have any thoughts on the show, or pop culture references we should have included, reach out to us on Patreon, patreon.com/bunnytrailspod, or comment on our website, bunnytrailspod.com
Dan:
It’s patron poll time!
Recently we asked our Patrons, Ice Cream or Popsicles?
Ice cream was the clear winner, though popsicles get some love, too.
I'm firmly in the ice cream camp, though I usually go for the brand Halo Top that uses monk fruit as a sweetener and way less sugar. I can't do too much of it because I'm lactose intolerant, but I still love ice cream. I’m not a huge fan of popsicles, but every once in a while they can hit the spot.
Glitterfluff says:
Quote
I eat ice cream more often, but I'm a big fan of popsicles when I'm hot, or thirsty, or have a sore throat, or was outside for more than 10 minutes.
End quote
Shauna:
Heather added:
Quote
I love both, I love anything sweet and cold, but for the poll I have to go with ice cream. My all time favorite flavor is mint chocolate chip, but I also enjoy anything with peanut butter, or strawberry, or even a really good vanilla. Obviously one of humanity's greatest inventions.
End quote
I’m with Heather that anything sweet and cold is a delicious treat. So this was a tough vote for me. Ultimately, popsicles win. And hear me out… I love ice cream. Like, I looove ice cream. My top flavor is salted caramel cashew from So Delicious. That being said… I eat popsicles almost everyday. Pineapple is my favorite. I eat the kind that are basically just frozen fruit. No extra sugar or anything. Sometimes, they are my main source of food, I think. Fruit popsicles and coffee keep me alive.
Dan:
Pat jumps in with:
Quote
Ice Cream for sure; however, I will not turn down an offered popsicle---especially grape or orange.
End Quote
And Jan adds:
Quote
I would've picked ice cream over anything else, but popsicles take me back to chasing down the ice cream truck and getting a bomb pop, or having a box of orange, cherry and grape double popsicles in the freezer to come home to after playing outside all day.
End Quote
As a reminder, our silly polls mean absolutely nothing and are not scientifically valid. And patrons of all levels, including our free tiers, can take part. Head over to patreon.com/bunnytrailspod to take this week’s poll!
Outro
Dan:
Thanks for joining us. We’ll talk to you again next week. Until then remember,
Together:
Words belong to their users.
Episode 257: Third Time’s the Charm
Record Date: November 24, 2024
Air Date: December 4, 2024
Intro
Dan:
Welcome to Bunny Trails, a whimsical adventure of idioms and other turns of phrase.
I’m Dan Pugh
Shauna:
And I’m Shauna Harrison
Each week we take an idiom or other turn of phrase and try to tell the story from its entry into the English language, to how it’s used today.
Opening Hook
Every time I write an intro for an episode, I feel like I’m learning how to write for the first time. It usually takes me a few attempts. One or two at least get thrown out entirely. But then… as they say, the third time’s the charm.
Meaning
According to Oxford English Dictionary, “third time's the charm” is a proverb meaning,
Quote
a third attempt to accomplish something, after two failed attempts, tends to be successful
End quote
https://www.oed.com/dictionary/third_adj?tab=meaning_and_use&tl=true
This phrase treats the number three as a sort of mystical or lucky number. In fact, there are two related proverbial phrases “the third time's lucky” and “the third time pays for all.”
"Third time lucky" is an older British saying suggesting that after two failed attempts, the third will succeed due to luck.
"Third time pays for all" is an idiom that implies that success on the third attempt makes up for previous failures, reinforcing the idea that three tries lead to success.
In J.R.R. Tolkien’s 1937 novel, The Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins says “Third time pays for all” twice in chapters XII and XIII - both times attributing it to his father.
There are a few theories about how this phrase got started.:
Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor (1602):
In The Merry Wives of Windsor, Falstaff makes attempts to woo married women, failing twice due to the women’s tricks. In fact, one of the characters, Mistress Page, specifically refers to the third attempt. In Act 3, Scene 3, after Falstaff’s second failed attempt, she says, "Let us yet have another bout.” On this third attempt, they humiliate him publicly.
While Falstaff doesn't succeed in the romantic sense, his three attempts are key to the structure of the play, reflecting the idea that the third time often leads to a decisive outcome. The phrase "third time's a charm" isn’t directly used, but the rule of three - where events are structured in a set of three for comedic or narrative payoff - plays a significant role in the plot's resolution.
While the rule of threes is still used in modern performance art… and as fun as this idea is, it doesn’t get us to the phrase “third times the charm.”
1574
The oldest printed spot I could find a version of these phrases was from a 1574 novel. This is available thanks to the Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs, Edited by John Simpson and Jennifer Speake, the oldest version of these phrases.
The third time pays for all 1574 J. Higgins Mirror for Magistrates
Quote
The third payes home, this prouerbe is to true
End quote
This is what Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs has to say about the entry,
Quote
The proverb was first recorded in 1721 (James Kelly, Scottish Proverbs), but the sentiment it expresses is of earlier origin. Variants of this proverb: third time lucky; the third time pays for all. Proverbs expressing similar meaning: if at first you don't succeed, try, try again; there's luck in odd numbers.
End quote
https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780199539536.001.0001/acref-9780199539536-e-2245
All of this is fascinating… but there is not a clear line to the current usage. This just means that we cannot prove nor disprove the theories of the origin of the phrase.
1830
The earliest attestation I was able to find in print for the proverb as “third time’s the charm” is found in William Carleton’s 1830 work, “Traits and stories of the Irish peasantry.”
Quote
You've got two difficult tasks over you; but you know the third time's the charm.
End quote
https://www.oed.com/dictionary/third_adj?tab=meaning_and_use&tl=true
c1840
Similar phrases and alternate versions were seen in print around this time. For example, Mrs. Elizabeth Barrett Browning uses the concept in one of her Letters addressed to R. H. Horne circa 1840. Here is the excerpt,
Quote
‘The luck of the third adventure’ is proverbial.
End quote
https://www.oed.com/dictionary/third_adj?tab=meaning_and_use&tl=true
So this idea of the third being something special was common but the phrase that truly held tight uses the term charm.
1861
This next items comes from the Daily intelligencer, April 11, 1861 out of Wheeling, Virginia
Quote
This Jonas, who is now fossilized the third time, was first an abolitionist, then a whig, and then a Democrat; and having strong reason to believe the third time the charm, spews out from his tri-fossilled carcass the last secretion of falsehood, the ‘dry thing’ is capable of elaborating - and send it forth as a greeting to the Democrats, with the assurance that Dr. White will be elected to the next House of Delegates.
End quote
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84026845/1861-04-11/ed-1/seq-2/#date1=1850&index=2&rows=20&searchType=advanced&language=&sequence=0&words=charm+third+time&proxdistance=5&date2=1875&ortext=&proxtext=&phrasetext=third+time%27s+the+charm&andtext=&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1
1873
Here is a snippet from a story in The McArthur enquirer., October 22, 1873, out of McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio.
Quote
“Not yet Mr. Lorenzo, for I think any church is better off without an organ than with one, for I do not believe in worshiping God by machinery, though it be the sweet tones of one of Prince’s best organs.”
Now just let me try once more; the third time is charm. Let me see. Now I have it, “you had fixed on a plan in your ‘Sewing Circle,’ to get up a donation for the preacher, and between you and me, I’m down on it, for $600 is too much already to pay any preacher for only one year.”
End quote
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn87075167/1873-10-22/ed-1/seq-1/#date1=1850&index=0&rows=20&searchType=advanced&language=&sequence=0&words=charm+third+time&proxdistance=5&date2=1875&ortext=&proxtext=&phrasetext=third+time%27s+the+charm&andtext=&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1
1875
The Cairo bulletin, February 09, 1875, out of Cairo, Illinois included a story about one man’s decision that had the potential to impact his life in a rather significant way.
Quote
Brave as he was, Sidney did not care to take chance on the third trial, doubtless believing the old adage, “The third time’s the charm,” and having been shot twice, and another attempt having been made upon his life, he concluded to move his family…
End quote
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85033413/1875-02-09/ed-1/seq-2/#date1=1850&index=1&rows=20&searchType=advanced&language=&sequence=0&words=charm+third+time&proxdistance=5&date2=1875&ortext=&proxtext=&phrasetext=third+time%27s+the+charm&andtext=&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1
There is a bit more to the story. And we will read a little more about it during our behind the scenes which airs every Friday on patreon - patreon.com/BunnyTrailsPod
1907
The Hattiesburg daily news, August 30, 1907, out of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, includes an article that is all about wild animals… or is it?
Quote
THIRD TIME THE CHARM; BLIND TIGER IS CAUGHT
Up to the hour of his leaving for Birmingham with Ella Patton, Deputy Sheriff McGilvray was kept busy last night, one of his last acts being the capture, red-handed in the act, of Walter Eure and Edna Gibbs.
These are the same parties whose house he searched Monday and Tuesday nights, finding liquors and beer, but being unable to catch them selling so he could arrest them. He was more fortunate last night for he caught them making two different sales and arrest followed. They were locked up on the usual charge of retailing.
End quote
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn87065163/1907-08-30/ed-1/seq-5/#date1=1890&index=1&rows=20&searchType=advanced&language=&sequence=0&words=CHARM+THIRD+TIME&proxdistance=5&date2=1910&ortext=&proxtext=&phrasetext=third+time%27s+the+charm&andtext=&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1
In this context, the term "blind tiger" is a colloquial phrase referring to an illegal establishment selling alcohol, often used during the time of Prohibition and in earlier periods when alcohol sales were restricted. These places, also called speakeasies or "blind pigs," would secretly serve alcohol to customers, often hiding the true nature of their business.
1923
Next we take a look at a story from the Perth Amboy evening news, July 30, 1923, out of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, titled, “Third Time The Charm?”
Quote
Lieutenant Russell L. Maughan army flier, failed for the second time to span the continent from dawn to dusk. He flew 1,925 miles, however, before being forced down at Rock Springs, Wyoming, after averaging 165 miles an hour from New York. An oil leek compelled him to abandon his second attempt. Above, is photo of his plane coming to a stop at McCook Field, Dayton, Ohio. Right, is Maughan annihilating a sandwich.
End Quote
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85035720/1923-07-30/ed-2/seq-3/#date1=1920&index=6&rows=20&searchType=advanced&language=&sequence=0&words=Charm+Third+Time&proxdistance=5&date2=1942&ortext=&proxtext=&phrasetext=third+time%27s+the+charm&andtext=&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=2
Not only do I love the photo captions for this one… I also found the usage of the phrase interesting. Because there is not a third time to discuss yet, the use of the phrase hints at his second attempt being a failure.
We have several modern uses to cover and we’ll get to those, right after we say thank you to our sponsors.
A Quick Thank You
This episode is sponsored by our amazing Patrons on Patreon. And the cool thing about Patreon is it is 100% free to join the Bunny Trails community!
We have new things every weekday on the feeds. On Monday’s we have a conversation about what movies, shows, books, podcasts and whatever else everyone is enjoying, Tuesday see early access to the weeks podcast, Wednesdays have all the links, books, songs, and other content mentioned in the weeks episode, Thursday has patron’s only polls, and Friday’s are our lightly-edited behind the scenes video featuring all the cut content, goofs, and bonus facts you could imagine.
We’ve got some other pretty cool stuff, too, like Original Digital Artwork once a month, made by ME, and direct access to talk with us. No algorithm’s getting in the way of what we see or don’t see. Plus, you can get awesome name recognition like Pat Rowe does every episode. And our top spot is currently occupied by the amazing Mary Halsig Lopez.
You can join the Bunny Trails community for free at bunny trails pod on Patreon.
That’s patreon.com/bunnytrailspod
Modern Uses
1979
Foghat are an English rock band formed in London in 1971. The band is known for the use of electric slide guitar in its music. They have a few well-known songs like “I just want to make love to you” with their best-known being the 1975 hit "Slow Ride".
Third Time Lucky (First Time I Was A Fool) was a song originally released by Foghat in 1979. Here are some lyrics
Quote
First love I had I was seventeen and I was younger
Love to us was some kind of game
And all my letters said I would never forget her
Now I can't recall her name
The first time I was a fool
never knew that love could be so cruel
It happened again
Third time lucky
Oh Yeah
End quote
https://youtu.be/ISKPxMB7rHQ?si=CrcZBTJLF8KjxrGc
2011
The 2011 movie “3 Times A Charm” is a Comedy/Romance. Here is the synopsis,
Quote
Emma the hard-working editor of the school newspaper, is handed a magical necklace, which grants her three chances to see the consequences of her actions after she is tempted to cheat on her final exam by the most popular boy in school.
End quote
https://youtu.be/8Y1jIvgMIkY?si=Inr89gYMSF5PdTrv
2019
That Patchwork Place Third Time's a Charm Book September 3, 2019
by Barbara Groves and Mary Jacobson. Here is a synopsis:
Quote
Simple, quick, and oh-so charming--that's the magic of quilts made by Me and My Sister Designs! This cute collection of seven make-in-a-weekend quilts starts with charms, tempting little packs of 5" fabric squares in different colors and prints. Projects are perfect for table toppers, wall hangings, baby quilts, and more. Each design is shown in three different colorways, making it easy for you to imagine using your favorite colors.
End quote
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1683560264?ref=cm_sw_r_ffobk_apan_dp_YEKH0Y5CKSXQC3VVCJHM&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_apan_dp_YEKH0Y5CKSXQC3VVCJHM&social_share=cm_sw_r_ffobk_apan_dp_YEKH0Y5CKSXQC3VVCJHM&peakEvent=2&starsLeft=1&skipTwisterOG=1&bestFormat=true
2021
Making Friends: Third Time's a Charm: A Graphic Novel by Kristen Gudsnuk was released in 2021. Here is the synopsis:
Quote
Dany and Madison are living a new reality. Rather than best friends, the pair now believe they are twins -- and that isn't the only part of their lives that has been completely rewritten. Their mom is a novelist, their dad is a rock star, and Dany has suddenly become a diligent student.
Things. Aren't. Adding. Up.
Dany and Madison start sleuthing and discover that someone has drastically altered the universe! Can the pair put things back the way they were, or is this magic beyond their control?
End quote
https://shop.scholastic.com/parent-ecommerce/books/making-friends-3-third-times-a-charm-9781338630794.html
2024
Third Time's the Charm is an abstract acrylic painting, done on plywood by John Long of the United States. Here is the artist’s description of the work:
Quote
Three layers, three incarnations, three iterations: first begun in 2004; finished in 2024. Twenty years to arrive at a simple design with the history of two previous lifetimes peeking thru. Iridescent & metallic blues and greens; curvilinear stripes.
End quote
https://www.saatchiart.com/art/Painting-Third-Time-s-the-Charm/1337841/11927391/view
I really like this piece. It is done in what are recently referred to as comfort colors. And then has the added boldness of shining gold.
2024
Third Time's the Charm is a song by Megan Moroney, released in July of 2024. Here are some of the lyrics,
Quote
I got good at sleeping by myself
I got good at not needing no one else
But now I think it's happening again
You put a brand new kind of wind back in my sails
Took my heart off of the shelf
And you're not nothing like I've known
I'm already scared to let you go
Tonight, I'm laying in your arms
Praying that the third time's the charm
End quote
https://youtu.be/hFFqBSluRdo?si=zox9wohBtnFgfm3-
Wrap up: I find that I almost use it as a way of saying that I may as well give it one more go. It won’t hurt to try again, right? And so I do - often with success after learning from my first couple of mistakes. And that’s the primary point, isn’t it? We learn, we grow, we improve. We do better. And we find success.
Shauna:
That’s about all we have for today. If you have any thoughts on the show, or pop culture references we should have included, reach out to us on Patreon, patreon.com/bunnytrailspod, or comment on our website, bunnytrailspod.com
Dan:
It’s patron poll time!
Recently we asked our Patrons, Ice Cream or Popsicles?
Ice cream was the clear winner, though popsicles get some love, too.
I'm firmly in the ice cream camp, though I usually go for the brand Halo Top that uses monk fruit as a sweetener and way less sugar. I can't do too much of it because I'm lactose intolerant, but I still love ice cream. I’m not a huge fan of popsicles, but every once in a while they can hit the spot.
Glitterfluff says:
Quote
I eat ice cream more often, but I'm a big fan of popsicles when I'm hot, or thirsty, or have a sore throat, or was outside for more than 10 minutes.
End quote
Shauna:
Heather added:
Quote
I love both, I love anything sweet and cold, but for the poll I have to go with ice cream. My all time favorite flavor is mint chocolate chip, but I also enjoy anything with peanut butter, or strawberry, or even a really good vanilla. Obviously one of humanity's greatest inventions.
End quote
I’m with Heather that anything sweet and cold is a delicious treat. So this was a tough vote for me. Ultimately, popsicles win. And hear me out… I love ice cream. Like, I looove ice cream. My top flavor is salted caramel cashew from So Delicious. That being said… I eat popsicles almost everyday. Pineapple is my favorite. I eat the kind that are basically just frozen fruit. No extra sugar or anything. Sometimes, they are my main source of food, I think. Fruit popsicles and coffee keep me alive.
Dan:
Pat jumps in with:
Quote
Ice Cream for sure; however, I will not turn down an offered popsicle---especially grape or orange.
End Quote
And Jan adds:
Quote
I would've picked ice cream over anything else, but popsicles take me back to chasing down the ice cream truck and getting a bomb pop, or having a box of orange, cherry and grape double popsicles in the freezer to come home to after playing outside all day.
End Quote
As a reminder, our silly polls mean absolutely nothing and are not scientifically valid. And patrons of all levels, including our free tiers, can take part. Head over to patreon.com/bunnytrailspod to take this week’s poll!
Outro
Dan:
Thanks for joining us. We’ll talk to you again next week. Until then remember,
Together:
Words belong to their users.
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