Oh, the shark, has, pretty teeth, dear....and he shows them, pearly white
Just a jackknife, has macheath, yeah.....and he keeps it, out of sight
When the shark bites, with his teeth, dear....scarlet billows start to spread
Fancy gloves, though, wears macheath, yeah..so theres not a trace, hmmmm of red

On the sidewalk...sunday morning, ...lies a body oozin life
Someones sneakin round the corner...is the someone, mack the knife?

From a tugboat.... by the river..... a cement bags, droopin down
Yeah, the cements just for the weight, dear...bet you mack, hes back in town
Looky here louie miller, disappeared dear...after drawing, out his cash
And macheath spends, like a sailor...did our boy do, somethin rash?

Sukey tawdry, jenny diver..lotte lenya, sweet lucy brown
Oh, the line forms on the right, dears.....now that mackys back in town

Music: Kurt Weil
Text: Bertolt brecht
from the movie: Three Penny Opera


this became a common swing song in the late 50's

I like how he makes it a happy song.

Lotte Lenya was the wife of Kurt Weil who composed this song, she also played in the movie: three penny opera, as jenny.
Lotte Lenya played the part of the evil russian woman in the bond film " from russia with love " the one with the deadly shoes !! on a lighter note, i read somewhere that when louis armstrong recorded his version of mack the knife, Lotte was in the studio...and louis added her name in one of the verses.

Quote:

Sukey tawdry, jenny diver..lotte lenya, sweet lucy brown Oh, the line forms on the right, dears.....now that mackys back in town

Yes, indeed a great song.

im not that into oldies
but this is a good song
mack the knife i mean
i am always a sucker for trumpets