This classic murder ballad was a last minute addition to 'The Threepenny Opera' and was banned in some places because it was feared it would encourage violence. "The Ballad of Mack the Knife" ("Die Moritat von Mackie Messer") was composed by Kurt Weill with lyrics by Bertolt Brecht for their musical 'The Threepenny Opera' ('Die Dreigroschenoper') after Harald Paulsen who was playing Macheath insisted on a new song to introduce his character. During the premiere in Berlin in 1928 at the Theater am Schiffbauerdamm, the barrel organ wouldn't work and the orchestra jazz band had to come up with the music. Marc Blitzstein came up with English lyrics for the song in 1954.
Brecht and Weill
Bobby Darin had a number one smash that sliced up the charts on both sides of the pond with his fingerpopping version in 1959. He won a Grammy for Record of the Year.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEllHMWkXEU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Qrjtr_uFac
Oh, the shark, babe, has such teeth, dear
And it shows them pearly white
Just a jackknife has old MacHeath, babe
And he keeps it, out of sight
Ya know when that shark bites with his teeth, babe
Scarlet billows start to spread
Fancy gloves, though, wears old MacHeath, babe
So there's never, never a trace of red
Now on the sidewalk, huh, huh, whoo sunny mornin', uh huh
Lies a body just oozin' life, eek
And someone's sneakin'round the corner
Could that someone be Mack the Knife?
There's a tugboat, huh, huh, huh down by the river don'tcha know
With a cement bag just droopin' on down
Oh, that cement is just, it's there for the weight, dear
Five'll get ya ten old Macky's back in town
Now d'ja hear 'bout Louie Miller? He disappeared, babe
After drawin' out all his hard-earned cash
And now MacHeath spends just like a sailor
Could it be our boy's done somethin' rash?
Now Jenny Diver, ho, ho, oh, Sukey Tawdry
Ooh, Miss Lotte Lenya and old Lucy Brown
Oh, the line forms on the right, babe
Now that Macky's back in town
I said Jenny Diver, wow, Sukey Tawdry
look out Miss Lotte Lenya and old Lucy Brown
Yes, that line forms on the right, babe
Now that Macky's back in town...
Look out old Macky's back
Louis Armstrong took the song to number twenty in 1956
Ella Fitzgerald won a Grammy for her version in 1960.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vXAtVbZbkI
"Moritat" by Sonny Rollins in 1956
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMgUEbnUELA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rq9zAO_neZU
Nick Cave 1995
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3_2zbZwDlM
Sting in 1985
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y7lbEMI0r4
The Doors in 1968
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1drO1i6_2Y
Frank Sinatra in 1984
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otkUt39ZF98
Bing Crosby with Bob Scobey in 1957
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAEyzQzBKjc&list=ALBTKoXRg38BBT62ffUwXIPyib68gUpSB-&index=7
Eartha Kitt in 1959
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlcqfSr9s5Y
"Die Moritat von Mackie Messer" sung by Bertolt Brecht in 1929
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QXJ3OXWaOY
"Die Moritat von Mackie Messer" by Lotte Lenya (Brecht's wife) in 1955
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPG9GcykPIY
"Mackie Messer" by the Young Gods in 1991
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcP2zycN3P0
French singer Damia recorded her version of "Mackie Messer / La complainte de Mackie" in 1931.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIHT28yiYBU
Ernst Busch from 'The Threepenny Opera' film in 1931
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMWc4h77e2o
http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/threepenny_opera
http://www.hulu.com/watch/223243
'The Threepenny Opera'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-lXRHZ2fTY
I. Overture
II. Mack the knife [01:49]
III. Morning Anthem [06:08]
IV. Instead of song [08:03]
V. Wedding song [10:18]
VI. Army song [11:55]
VII. Love song [14:28]
VIII. Barbara song [16:48]
IX. The first Threepenny finale (The World is mean) [22:45]
X. Polly's song [25:28]
XI. Pirate Jenny [27:34]
XII. Tango ballad [32:14]
XIII. Ballad of the easy life [37:26]
XIV. Jealousy duet [40:34]
XV. Second Threepenny Finale (How to survive) [43:20]
XVI. Useless song [47:38]
XVII. Solomon song [49:48]
XVIII. Call from the grave [53:34]
XIX. Death Message [54:11]
XX. Third Threepenny finale (The Mounted Messenger) [58:30]
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