Bobby Darin — Mack The Knife
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Length: 3:01
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Oh, the shark, babe, has such teeth, dear
And he shows them pearly white
Just a jackknife has old Macheath, babe
And he keeps it out of sight
You 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, ooh, sunny morning, 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 down by the river, don't ya know
Where a cement bag's just a-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'ya hear about 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 something rash?
Now Jenny Diver, ho, ho, yeah, 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, whoa, Sukey Tawdry
Look out to Miss Lotte Lenya and old Lucy Brown
Yes, that line forms on the right, babe
Now that Macky's back in town
Look out ol' Macky's back
And he shows them pearly white
Just a jackknife has old Macheath, babe
And he keeps it out of sight
You 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, ooh, sunny morning, 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 down by the river, don't ya know
Where a cement bag's just a-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'ya hear about 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 something rash?
Now Jenny Diver, ho, ho, yeah, 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, whoa, Sukey Tawdry
Look out to Miss Lotte Lenya and old Lucy Brown
Yes, that line forms on the right, babe
Now that Macky's back in town
Look out ol' Macky's back
Comments (91)add comment
Baby_M wrote:
I wonder if he wrote this before or after he found out his mother was his grandmother and his sister was his mother !?. Eeek!
Still a great song though...
Never before has violent homicide sounded so swank and sophisticated as it does here.
I wonder if he wrote this before or after he found out his mother was his grandmother and his sister was his mother !?. Eeek!
Still a great song though... Geez Bill, your comment on Bobby Darin just pulled me down the rabbit hole with the worst expectations. Why unpopular? Then popular? I'm reading about this and the poor guy. 37?! Poor health all along? Why would anyone not like him? I mean, when Connie Francis says 'biggest mistake I ever made was NOT marrying him'... huh?
Don't know if this was mentioned before, or maybe that's why Bill chose to add this song to RP playlist, but seems like is related to Ruben Blades' "Pedro Navaja". Obviously this one ("Mack the Knife") is an older song.
Cool find, thx!!
Cool find, thx!!
A Classic..
I was in a small bar in Chico, California in 1990 when this came on the jukebox and the entire place, with downturned gazes and calloused hands, lifted their heads and belted this out. Whatever we imagine music to be, it's so much more than that.
Let's hear the Louis Armstrong version, too.
woodchuk wrote:
Mackie Messer
Bertoldt Brecht, Kurt Weill
Und der Haifisch, der hat Zähne
Und die trägt er im Gesicht
Und MacHeath, der hat ein Messer
Doch das Messer sieht man nicht
An 'nem schönen blauen Sonntag
Liegt ein toter Mann am Strand
Und ein Mensch geht um die Ecke,
Den man Mackie Messer nennt
Und Schmul Meier bleibt verschwunden
Und so mancher reiche Mann
Und sein Geld hat Mackie Messer
Dem man nichts beweisen kann
Jenny Towler ward gefunden
Mit 'nem Messer in der Brust
Und am Kai geht Mackie Messer,
Der von allem nichts gewußt
Und die minderjährige Witwe
Deren Namen jeder weiß
Wachte auf und war geschändet
Mackie welches war dein Preis?
Refrain
Und die einen sind im Dunkeln
Und die anderen sind im Licht
Doch man sieht nur die im Lichte
Die im Dunklen sieht man nicht
Doch man sieht nur die im Lichte
Die im Dunklen sieht man nicht
Bertoldt Brecht, Kurt Weill
Und der Haifisch, der hat Zähne
Und die trägt er im Gesicht
Und MacHeath, der hat ein Messer
Doch das Messer sieht man nicht
An 'nem schönen blauen Sonntag
Liegt ein toter Mann am Strand
Und ein Mensch geht um die Ecke,
Den man Mackie Messer nennt
Und Schmul Meier bleibt verschwunden
Und so mancher reiche Mann
Und sein Geld hat Mackie Messer
Dem man nichts beweisen kann
Jenny Towler ward gefunden
Mit 'nem Messer in der Brust
Und am Kai geht Mackie Messer,
Der von allem nichts gewußt
Und die minderjährige Witwe
Deren Namen jeder weiß
Wachte auf und war geschändet
Mackie welches war dein Preis?
Refrain
Und die einen sind im Dunkeln
Und die anderen sind im Licht
Doch man sieht nur die im Lichte
Die im Dunklen sieht man nicht
Doch man sieht nur die im Lichte
Die im Dunklen sieht man nicht
NotShakespeare wrote:
I did wonder if anyone would suggest the Lotte Lenya version. German master at school used to play it a lot in class.
I did wonder if anyone would suggest the Lotte Lenya version. German master at school used to play it a lot in class.
What a horrible song!
ExpatLarry wrote:
I Agree! Same here! Thanx RP!
Well that was a fun blast from the past. I may have heard this song a hundred times over the years, but never with that audio quality and while reading the words. I said "Hmph, it's like a mafia movie in song form". :-)
I Agree! Same here! Thanx RP!
woodchuk wrote:
Sting does a cover that is more accurately translated - and I've discovered that I appreciate the lyrics a lot more:
Mackie Messer
Bertoldt Brecht, Kurt Weill
Und der Haifisch, der hat Zähne
Und die trägt er im Gesicht
Und MacHeath, der hat ein Messer
Doch das Messer sieht man nicht
An 'nem schönen blauen Sonntag
Liegt ein toter Mann am Strand
Und ein Mensch geht um die Ecke,
Den man Mackie Messer nennt
Und Schmul Meier bleibt verschwunden
Und so mancher reiche Mann
Und sein Geld hat Mackie Messer
Dem man nichts beweisen kann
Jenny Towler ward gefunden
Mit 'nem Messer in der Brust
Und am Kai geht Mackie Messer,
Der von allem nichts gewußt
Und die minderjährige Witwe
Deren Namen jeder weiß
Wachte auf und war geschändet
Mackie welches war dein Preis?
Refrain
Und die einen sind im Dunkeln
Und die anderen sind im Licht
Doch man sieht nur die im Lichte
Die im Dunklen sieht man nicht
Doch man sieht nur die im Lichte
Die im Dunklen sieht man nicht
Bertoldt Brecht, Kurt Weill
Und der Haifisch, der hat Zähne
Und die trägt er im Gesicht
Und MacHeath, der hat ein Messer
Doch das Messer sieht man nicht
An 'nem schönen blauen Sonntag
Liegt ein toter Mann am Strand
Und ein Mensch geht um die Ecke,
Den man Mackie Messer nennt
Und Schmul Meier bleibt verschwunden
Und so mancher reiche Mann
Und sein Geld hat Mackie Messer
Dem man nichts beweisen kann
Jenny Towler ward gefunden
Mit 'nem Messer in der Brust
Und am Kai geht Mackie Messer,
Der von allem nichts gewußt
Und die minderjährige Witwe
Deren Namen jeder weiß
Wachte auf und war geschändet
Mackie welches war dein Preis?
Refrain
Und die einen sind im Dunkeln
Und die anderen sind im Licht
Doch man sieht nur die im Lichte
Die im Dunklen sieht man nicht
Doch man sieht nur die im Lichte
Die im Dunklen sieht man nicht
Sting does a cover that is more accurately translated - and I've discovered that I appreciate the lyrics a lot more:
Weird that McDonald's spoofed this for an ad campaign a while back ('Mac Tonight')
WonderLizard wrote:
He saw himself as the next Sinatra, and damn if he didn't have all the gifts and tools to get there.
As a child, Bobby Darin overheard a doctor telling his mother that he would likely die in his teens, due to a health condition. I don't know exactly how that affected such a young kid but he is supposed to have reacted by looking to achieve as much as he could whilst he was alive. He may not be Sinatra - who else could be - but he had immense talent and tons of guts.
He saw himself as the next Sinatra, and damn if he didn't have all the gifts and tools to get there.
As a child, Bobby Darin overheard a doctor telling his mother that he would likely die in his teens, due to a health condition. I don't know exactly how that affected such a young kid but he is supposed to have reacted by looking to achieve as much as he could whilst he was alive. He may not be Sinatra - who else could be - but he had immense talent and tons of guts.
Well that was a fun blast from the past. I may have heard this song a hundred times over the years, but never with that audio quality and while reading the words. I said "Hmph, it's like a mafia movie in song form". :-)
"It's a good time, for the great taste, of McDonalds, it's Mac Tonight."
Sing it out, Gen X'ers!
man oh man...where's my martini?
Or maybe a Old Fashion?
Or Rob Roy?
Or a Manhattan!!!
Or maybe a Old Fashion?
Or Rob Roy?
Or a Manhattan!!!
Awful - but even worse when Frank does it as you know he approves.
gdignard wrote:
i thought it was og by louis armstrong(1955), but it was actually composed for an opera. wiki: "
"Mack the Knife" or "The Ballad of Mack the Knife" (German: "Die Moritat von Mackie Messer") is a song composed by Kurt Weill with lyrics by Bertolt Brecht for their 1928 music drama The Threepenny Opera (German: Die Dreigroschenoper). The song has become a popular standard recorded by many artists, including a US and UK number one hit for Bobby Darin in 1959.
anyway i like satchmo's version better.
had to lookup/hear ella's & her most popular version is where she makes up lyrics, which is pretty great.
Ella Fitzgerald's cover, though...
i thought it was og by louis armstrong(1955), but it was actually composed for an opera. wiki: "
"Mack the Knife" or "The Ballad of Mack the Knife" (German: "Die Moritat von Mackie Messer") is a song composed by Kurt Weill with lyrics by Bertolt Brecht for their 1928 music drama The Threepenny Opera (German: Die Dreigroschenoper). The song has become a popular standard recorded by many artists, including a US and UK number one hit for Bobby Darin in 1959.
anyway i like satchmo's version better.
had to lookup/hear ella's & her most popular version is where she makes up lyrics, which is pretty great.
Thanks for playing Bobby! Only two of his songs on RP? Give us at least one more, he was a great performer of his time! 
Never before has violent homicide sounded so swank and sophisticated as it does here.
Ella Fitzgerald's cover, though...
Mackie Messer
Bertoldt Brecht, Kurt Weill
Und der Haifisch, der hat Zähne
Und die trägt er im Gesicht
Und MacHeath, der hat ein Messer
Doch das Messer sieht man nicht
An 'nem schönen blauen Sonntag
Liegt ein toter Mann am Strand
Und ein Mensch geht um die Ecke,
Den man Mackie Messer nennt
Und Schmul Meier bleibt verschwunden
Und so mancher reiche Mann
Und sein Geld hat Mackie Messer
Dem man nichts beweisen kann
Jenny Towler ward gefunden
Mit 'nem Messer in der Brust
Und am Kai geht Mackie Messer,
Der von allem nichts gewußt
Und die minderjährige Witwe
Deren Namen jeder weiß
Wachte auf und war geschändet
Mackie welches war dein Preis?
Refrain
Und die einen sind im Dunkeln
Und die anderen sind im Licht
Doch man sieht nur die im Lichte
Die im Dunklen sieht man nicht
Doch man sieht nur die im Lichte
Die im Dunklen sieht man nicht
Bertoldt Brecht, Kurt Weill
Und der Haifisch, der hat Zähne
Und die trägt er im Gesicht
Und MacHeath, der hat ein Messer
Doch das Messer sieht man nicht
An 'nem schönen blauen Sonntag
Liegt ein toter Mann am Strand
Und ein Mensch geht um die Ecke,
Den man Mackie Messer nennt
Und Schmul Meier bleibt verschwunden
Und so mancher reiche Mann
Und sein Geld hat Mackie Messer
Dem man nichts beweisen kann
Jenny Towler ward gefunden
Mit 'nem Messer in der Brust
Und am Kai geht Mackie Messer,
Der von allem nichts gewußt
Und die minderjährige Witwe
Deren Namen jeder weiß
Wachte auf und war geschändet
Mackie welches war dein Preis?
Refrain
Und die einen sind im Dunkeln
Und die anderen sind im Licht
Doch man sieht nur die im Lichte
Die im Dunklen sieht man nicht
Doch man sieht nur die im Lichte
Die im Dunklen sieht man nicht
old_shep wrote:
Thanks -- that made me laugh!
I've always had an irrational dislike of this song, regardless of who is singing it.
I remember this..... this is why God invented Rock and Roll.
Thanks -- that made me laugh!
I've always had an irrational dislike of this song, regardless of who is singing it.
BOPPIN'!
I remember this..... this is why God invented Rock and Roll.
Ropes wrote:
Could it be that the name of the team was The Sharks?
Oh God...this...was the theme song for my college basketball team. Why? I have no clue. But...it's brilliant...and thank you, Bill.
Could it be that the name of the team was The Sharks?
Suky Tawdry! Yeah!
Oh God...this...was the theme song for my college basketball team. Why? I have no clue. But...it's brilliant...and thank you, Bill.
dw wrote:
This is the definitive Mack the Knife! (Although Lotte Lenya's German version is kind of cool for a change).
One of my all time favorites - don't care what others think!
This is the definitive Mack the Knife! (Although Lotte Lenya's German version is kind of cool for a change).
thewiseking wrote:
He saw himself as the next Sinatra, and damn if he didn't have all the gifts and tools to get there.
let's put aside all the Darin hype for a minute.
He really was just a pale imitation of Sinatra.
He really was just a pale imitation of Sinatra.
He saw himself as the next Sinatra, and damn if he didn't have all the gifts and tools to get there.
I've never really paid attention to the lyrics on this before. I am surprised at one, how much the lyrics here differ from Sinatra's version (credited to: BLITZSTEIN, MARC / BRECHT, BERTOLT / WEILL, KURT) and on both, how menacing the overtones... Yikes!
Turn it up. Crazy man!
One of my all time favorites - don't care what others think!
If all music were like this, then I would not listen to music.
I hate, hate, hate this song! Nothing against Bobby Darin, mind you. I hate the song--not the singer.
Not sure why I like this song so much...I always find myself whistling it at odd moments....
meghan89 wrote:
I know this guy who had this as a ringtone and I can't hear the song without hearing the celphone!
Still good tho'
hah! I've got this as my ring. Great to hear the ungarbled non-cell phone ring version.
Haha! Fantastic. Glad I sit on an exercise ball at work -- bouncing was much easier!
Thnx.
I am bouncing around at my desk like crazy! Thanks Bill! 
mojoman wrote:
So who's the other person, besides me, who saw the movie "Beyond the Sea"?
I saw it and I loved the stylized way it was done.
Man! This train just went through Chicago.
I know this guy who had this as a ringtone and I can't hear the song without hearing the celphone!
Still good tho'
GREAT ****-ing SONG !!!!
Sabre Dance, Mack the Knife: When the going gets weird, the weird go pro.
Anyone else get the sudden urge eat a Big Mac?
Love this playlist tonight! Keep'n me going! 
thewiseking wrote:
let's put aside all the Darin hype for a minute.
He really was just a pale imitation of Sinatra.
But at least Darin had the good sense to not be trying to perform long after his voice had failed. A shame he "retired" in the way he did.
If Sinatra had retired in the early '60s there wouldn't be nearly as many younger people scratching their heads and wondering what all the fuss was about an old guy that croaks out songs and tries to look "cool" when he's so large and arthritic he can scarcely move. Late Sinatra was just a sad embarassment when compared to his glory days.
We all lose our youth, but ya gotta do it gracefully and know when to let go of some things.
This song was played at 9am Tuesday morning..nothing like a little euphoria on a blah day...great song always, though.
Kinda strange, I know, but this was my parent's "song", you know, their deal. Death, blood, sex. Oh yeah, and a-swingin' style. Quite a bit different than the original in "Three Penny Opera"
Out of the chair rock the house awesome!!!!!!!!!!
A sharp, edgy performance that gets its point across.
Pure essence of cool.
mojoman wrote:
Pretty good effort from Spacey. He nailed the portrayal of Darin.
So who's the other person, besides me, who saw the movie "Beyond the Sea"?
Pretty good effort from Spacey. He nailed the portrayal of Darin.
So who's the other person, besides me, who saw the movie "Beyond the Sea"?
kaosmonkey wrote:
Seems like the theme song for a hired mafia killer...
and it is, sort of... from Bertolt Brecht's Threepenny Opera https://www.enotes.com/threepenny-opera/
the most incredible version, three penny opera, featuring raul julia. killer.
TeddiB wrote:
I always liked "Mack der Messer" better!
it's Die Moritat von Mackie Messer, written I assume you know, by Kurt Weill and libretto by Brecht, based on a much older story.
And to help with the question below regarding the story, this site: https://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mmacktheknife.html tells the tale rather well.
Also, I agree with the comment about Darin/Sinatra. I love this song, but it's not a 10 because of Darin.
It's a tie between this version and Louis Armstrong's as to which is best -- like both!! \:D/
let's put aside all the Darin hype for a minute.
He really was just a pale imitation of Sinatra.
I always liked "Mack der Messer" better!
from post on 'Sabre Dance' steve wrote:
How about Mack The Knife?
I love seeing first hand that the station is 'listener supported'. Thanks Bill for listening :)
I remember when you quoted someone from the boards on a Billy Idol song, and thought, now that's awesome. It's almost like audience participation.
RP4VR
Seems like the theme song for a hired mafia killer...
"Mack The Knife"
Oh the shark has such teeth, dear
And he shows them pearly white
Just a jack knife has old MacHeath, dear
And he keeps it out of sight
You know when the shark bites
with his teeth, dear
Scarlet billows start to spread
Fancy gloves though wears MacHeath, dear
So there's never, never a trace of red
On the sidewalk, Sunday morning,
Don't you know
Lies a body oozing life
Someone's sneaking round the corner
Could that be our boy, Mack the knife?
From a tug boat by the river
There's a cement bag just dropping on down
The cement's just for the weight, dear
Bet you Mack is back in town
Did you hear about Louie Miller he disappeared
After drawing out all his hard earned cash
And MacHeath spends like a sailor
Could it be our boy did something rash?
Jenny Diver, Sukey Tawdry
Polly Peachum, and old Lucy Brown
Oh the line forms on the right, babe
Now that Mack is back in town
Sukey Tawdry, Jenny Diver
Polly Peachum, Lucy Brown
Oh the line forms on the right, dear
Now that Mack is back in town
masterhead wrote:
Please explain if you don't mind...
Please enlighten us.
Art_Carnage wrote:
I remember being shocked when I finally got old enough to figure out what this song is really about.
Please explain if you don't mind...
larz wrote:
Still associate this song with McDonalds. Damn it.
I like to associate this song with Bertolt Brecht
I shouldn't say this but this is what this song reminds me of ....
I had a male friend who was friends with my ex hubby... his nickname was Mack. One night after partying hard at the local bars, he brought home a gal and videotaped their escapades (with her permission of course...) and he when he put the video on tape, he put this song in the background.... Scandalous!!
8O :roll: :oops:
My very first record. A 45, if you remember those.
I always wondered where Mack was back from?
Love it!Ah, the great Bobby Darin. He did have some songs that were better but this one will always be his signature song to me.
what makes this song so great? it's just the same line over and over again, and it goes on and on forever - yet it is such a fine song!
Still associate this song with McDonalds. Damn it.
Classy, baby. 8)
Sucks even more than the last song.
Greatest pop song of the 20th century.
winter wrote:
SO cool!
Most heartily agree!!!
SO cool!
SO cool!
like in a fifties movie! daveh25 wrote:
I need a Dinner Jacket and a Martini
Screw the dinner jacket, just give me a nice, dry martini.
I need a Dinner Jacket and a Martini
Please, Bill! More cool stuff no longer in the mainstream ... just like this gem.
8O
Cool. 8)
Is this Bobby Darin or Kevin Spacy....... anyone else craving McDonalds?
Hell yeah!!!
I remember being shocked when I finally got old enough to figure out what this song is really about.
Pour me a drink!!!! yes.....
Go Bobby GO
I wonder if he wrote this before or after he found out his mother was his grandmother and his sister was his mother !?. Eeek!
He didn't write it, it was composed by Kurt Weill with lyrics by Bertolt Brecht for their 1928 music drama The Threepenny Opera.