Mack the Knife

I recall seeing Bobby Darin on Dick Clark's American Bandstand. It is interesting that a song from an opera became a hit pop tune.

an opera? say what?

Bobby Darin was a superb musician in that he could rock-and-roll yet croon and swing at the same time. this choon has been covered several times, he did an excellent job on this song and made it his own.

they say this song is about Frank Sinatra, and, ironically enough, Sinatra eventually recorded this song in the late 60's.

This song is from Brecht & Weill's Threepenny Opera, which was itself based on the Beggar's Opera by John Gay. In the Brecht version, Macheath (aka Mack the Knife aka Mackie Messer) is absolutely ruthless. The whole Threepenny Opera is a scathing critique of capitalism, and the song itself is bloody and filled with tales of arson, rape, and murder (sanitized considerably in the most well-known English translation which we know and love). Don't let me catch you playing this at your wedding because no matter what famous crooner sang it, it is not romantic, and it is not appropriate for an insanely expensive party. Brecht would roll over in his grave.

Here are a few sample stanzas from a more faithful translation of the original German (tr. Manheim & Willett):

And the ghastly fire in Soho,
Seven children at a go—
In the crowd stands Mack the knife, but
He's not asked and doesn't know.

And the child bride in her nightie,
Whose assailant's still at large
Violated in her slumbers—
Mackie how much did you charge?

For everything you ever wanted to know about this song, just search the Internet for "Everything you ever wanted to know about Mack the Knife"...you'll learn a lot.

It has been a source of great frustration to me that it is so difficult to find a version of this song that hasn't been mangled by a singer who seems unaware of what they are singing about or to be deliberately hiding it. Mack is a multiple murderer and the song's comparing him to a shark and pointing out that he's a lot meaner. They deliver the song like he's some kind of likeable man-about-town.

While an endless list of fantastic artists have covered this song, even old Blue Eyes, who recorded it too, said that Bobby Darin's is the definitive version, which it certainly is. Originally and hastily written for Die Dreigroschenoper/The Threepenny Opera about a murdering, rapist highwayman (Macheath), there's no denying it's a blast to sing along with, no matter the dark message.

This track is used on the opening theme to the Robert Redford movie "Quiz Show", but is it the version sung by Bobby Darin? Any information, anyone?

There have been a few people in Britain who've covered this song thinking it's about some guy who's great with women but the truth is "Mack The Knife" is about an Evil Pimp who beats up his Prostitutes

Let's not tell Gareth Gates about that, though...

Yep kiltman is correct, the song is from the Threepenny Opera an old German piece about a pimp named Macheath who beats his girls.

Kilmtman's meaning sounds like the real deal. This guy really drunk guy once told me that it was about Jack The Ripper....haha I'll have to tell that guy next time I see him what it really means. Thanks guys!!! :)