Tubular Bells III is the eighteenth studio album by English guitarist, songwriter, and producer Mike Oldfield.

With Ibiza being a major club destination, he became inspired by the electronic and dance music that local DJs were playing and decided to make a dance version of the familiar opening to "Tubular Bells (Part One)",[2] which he used with a Nord Lead synthesiser and used the "caveman" beat from "Tubular Bells (Part Two)".

[4] Despite not having a recording contract at the time, Oldfield secured a new deal with Warner Music UK by informing the label that he wished to start work on a third Tubular Bells album.

[5] In April 1998, Oldfield left Ibiza and returned to live at Roughwood Croft, his home in Chalfont St. Giles, Buckinghamshire, which he had bought in the late 1980s.

In the liner notes, Dillon is credited as "Cara from Polar Star", which references the short-lived name for a musical project she was involved in at the time.

The live version of "Man in the Rain" was mostly sung by Helen Pepsi DeMacque, notably at the London Premiere of Tubular Bells III (1998).

"Far Above the Clouds" also features a sampled guitar rhythm from the "Finale" section of "Tubular Bells (Part 1)", though in this instance it is fairly low in the mix and at a much faster tempo.

The very distinct similarity of "Man in the Rain" to the hit "Moonlight Shadow" was sometimes interpreted by listeners as Oldfield trying to retread old ground.

On 27 July 2012 at the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony Mike Oldfield performed renditions of Tubular Bells, "Far Above the Clouds" and "In Dulci Jubilo" during a segment about the NHS.