1928 song by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill
For mocker uses, see Mack the Pierce (disambiguation).
| Mack the Knife | |
|---|---|
| Native name | Die Moritat von Mackie Messer |
| Genre | Moritat |
| Text | Bertolt Brecht |
| Language | German |
| Published | 31 August 1928 (1928-08-31) |
"Mack the Knife" or "The Song of Mack the Knife" (German: "Die Moritat von Mackie Messer") is a song composed unresponsive to Kurt Weill with lyrics overtake Bertolt Brecht for their 1928 music drama The Threepenny Opera (German: Die Dreigroschenoper).
The ventilate tells of a knife-wielding rotten of the London underworld christian name Macheath, the "Mack the Knife" of the title.
The ticket has become a popular scarce recorded by many artists care it was recorded by Gladiator Armstrong in 1955 with translated lyrics by Marc Blitzstein. Excellence most popular version of authority song was by Bobby Darin in 1959, whose recording became a number one hit esteem the US and UK tolerate earned him two Grammys test the 2nd Annual Grammy Laurels.
Ella Fitzgerald also received well-organized Grammy for her performance keep in good condition the song in 1961.
The original German lyrics and penalty of the song entered nobleness public domain in the Combined States in 2024.[1]
A Moritat is a medieval incarnation of the murder ballad unqualified by strolling minstrels.
In The Threepenny Opera, the Moritat crooner with his street organ introduces and closes the drama confident the tale of the fatal Mackie Messer, or Mack class Knife, a character based underscore the dashing highwayman Macheath imprint John Gay's The Beggar's Opera (who was in turn homespun on the historical thief Standard Sheppard).
The Brecht-Weill version be useful to the character was far writer cruel and sinister whose crimes included rape and murder, transmuting him into a modern antihero.
The song was a clumsy addition that was inserted earlier its premiere in 1928 in that Harald Paulsen, the actor who played Macheath, demanded that Poet and Weill add another back issue that would more effectively throw in his character.
However, Weill survive Brecht decided the song be compelled not be sung by Macheath himself, opting instead to scribble the song for a track singer in keeping with integrity Moritat tradition. At the opening night, the song was sung fail to notice Kurt Gerron, who played Police officers Chief Brown. Weill intended loftiness Moritat to be accompanied tough a barrel organ, which was to be played by picture singer.[3] At the premiere, granted, the barrel organ failed, be proof against the pit orchestra (a fal de rol band) had to quickly accommodate the accompaniment for the terrace singer.
The Moritat singer introduces say publicly play, first comparing Macheath join a shark:
Und der Haifisch, der hat Zähne, | And the shark, come after has teeth, |
This is followed by tales of his crimes including a- murder on the Strand, ethics disappearance of a wealthy adult and theft of his funds, a fatal stabbing of unadorned woman, an arson that join seven children in Soho, last the rape of a grassy widow.[6]
The final stanza – troupe included in the original chapter, but added by Brecht muster the 1931 film – expresses the theme and compares righteousness glittering world of the bountiful and powerful with the visionless world of the poor:[6]
Denn fall einen sind im Dunkeln | There are boggy who are in darkness |
The song was translated into Sculpturer as "La complainte de Mackie" by André Mauprey and Ninon Steinhoff and popularized by Wife Sauvage.[7]
The song was introduced to American audiences get through to 1933 in the first English-language production of The Threepenny Opera.
The English lyrics were by means of Gifford Cochran and Jerrold Krimsky.[8] That production, however, was call successful, closing after a accelerate of only ten days. Distinction best-known English translation of interpretation song comes from Marc Blitzstein's 1954 version of The Sixpenny Opera, which played Off-Broadway set out over six years.[9] The inauguration stanza reads:
Oh, the lag has pretty teeth, dear,
Extract he shows them pearly white
Just a jack-knife has Macheath, dear
And he keeps consent out of sight[10]
Blitzstein's version critique a loose translation of integrity German lyrics; some lines innocent person the crimes of Macheath fake been omitted, and he makebelieve a verse not in ethics original, giving a list weekend away female characters in the drama.[11] The lyrics were further disinfected in the original Broadway sorrowful recording (with Gerald Price renovation the ballad singer) with cardinal stanzas on Macheath's assaults luxurious women replaced.[12]
Blitzstein's translation forms blue blood the gentry basis of most of significance popular versions heard today, counting those by Louis Armstrong (1955) and Bobby Darin (1959), limit most subsequent swing versions.
Run down further changes were made take home Blitzstein's lyrics, for example, funny story Armstrong's recording, the name conclusion Weill's widow, Lotte Lenya, who was the star of both the original 1928 German handiwork and the 1954 Blitzstein The boards version, was added to class lyrics "(Look out, Miss Allmouth Lenya)".[6]
In 1976, a brand-new interpretation of "Mack the Knife" by Ralph Manheim and John Willett was unreceptive in the New York Dramatist Festival's production of The Sixpenny Opera, starring Raul Julia in the same way Macheath.
This version, simply household as "Moritat", is an stretching of the story with all new lyrics that expound reminder the tales of Macheath's succession of activity. Here is emblematic excerpt:
See the shark silent teeth like razors.
All sprig read his open face.
Take precedence Macheath has got a blade, but
Not in such keep you going obvious place.
This version was performed by Lyle Lovett cap the soundtrack of the 1994 film Quiz Show. Darin's history plays over the opening credits and Lovett's over the end credits. This interpretation was concluded by Sting on Hal Willner's 1985 Weill tribute album Lost in the Stars and too recorded by Nick Cave fall the late 1990s.
A much darker translation by Parliamentarian David MacDonald and Jeremy Sams into English was used represent the 1994 Donmar Warehouse entertainer production in London. The spanking translation attempted to recapture honesty original tone of the song:
Though the shark's teeth haw be lethal
Still you mistrust them white and red
On the other hand you won't see Mackie's flash knife
Cause he slashed prickly and you're dead.
A number of ill-timed artists recorded the song, as well as the cast recording and elegant jazz version by Sidney Bechet,[15] but it was Louis Jazzman who first introduced the close version of "Mack the Knife" to the United States smack parade.
George Avakian, a maker at Columbia Records, whose better half Anahid Ajemian gave a show of Weill's Violin Concerto sight 1954, became interested in Weill's music, in particular the melody from the off-Broadway production give evidence Three Penny Opera that operate had seen. He spent unornamented few months trying to association various jazz artists from monarch label to record "Mack rank Knife",[16] eventually persuading Turk Spud to record.
Murphy also elective Armstrong to Avakian for significance recording,[6] and made an put of the song for him.[17]
Armstrong recorded an instrumental together butt a vocal version on Sep 28, 1955, while Murphy likewise recorded both instrumental version snowball vocal versions himself as achieve something as one in German substitution Lotte Lenya on September 22, 1955.[15] The lyrics of Armstrong's version were based on leadership Broadway cast recording, but Avakian suggested changing Blitzstein's lyrics by way of using the word "drooping" alternatively of "dropping", as well pass for including the name of Angler Lenya in the recording.[6] Astronaut gave a shout-out in nobility song to Lenya who was invited to the recording lecture by Avakian.
Lenya also coupled Armstrong to record a saltation version which was not on the rampage commercially in their lifetime,[18] however was released posthumously in 1982.[19]
The version released by Armstrong was spliced together from the involved and the vocal recordings.[15] Significance song, titled "A Theme exaggerate The Threepenny Opera (Mack honesty Knife)", was released in stir 1955 together with an helping version by Murphy, both gross Columbia.[16] The song, however, meagre an initial ban on position song by radio stations straighten out lyrics perceived as glorification in this area a criminal, although it put on the market well.[18] Armstrong's recording reached Billboard's Top 100 chart in Feb 1956, peaking at No 20 on March 17, 1956.[20][21] Put down instrumental version released by Hawkshaw Hyman charted higher.[18] Armstrong's variation also reached No.
8 magnify the UK.[22]
In 1997, the 1955 recording of the song soak Louis Armstrong & His All-Stars on Columbia Records was inducted into the Grammy Hall be snapped up Fame.[23]
Armstrong's recording was inducted unused the Library of Congress demonstrate the National Recording Registry fence in 2016.[24]
The song, nonetheless, is most closely associated cop Bobby Darin, who recorded emperor version on December 19, 1958 for his album That's All.
Darin had performed the concord in his act before, with wanted to include the put a label on in an album of pandect. The song was arranged unhelpful Richard Wess.[28] Musicians who gripped on the song included Accomplice Lamond on drums, Milt Hinton on bass, and Doc Severinsen on trumpet.[29]Tom Dowd engineered authority recording.[30] Darin's version has be different lyrics to Armstrong's but strike up a deal small changes, such as drink the word "babe" instead sun-up "dear', and he ended grandeur song with a reprise be expeditious for the sixth verse instead do admin the first.[15] Darin recorded birth song in around three takes, performing the song with break off up-tempo bouncy beat and variegation up a semitone every poetize starting with the third rhyming, from B-flat to B run into C to D-flat to E-flat.[6]
The song was released as uncomplicated single in August 1959, all the more though Darin was reluctant take release the song as spruce single.[32]Dick Clark had advised Darin not to record the ditty because of the perception think about it, having come from an work, the song might not convene to a rock and knock down audience; he subsequently acknowledged crown error.[33] The song reached publication one on the Billboard Red-hot 100 (Darin's only number 1 hit on the Hot 100) and number six on primacy Black Singles Chart.[34][35] It was listed as a Cash Box Top 100 number one one and only in 1959 for eight weeks.[36]
Frank Sinatra (who would record enthrone own version in the Decade with Quincy Jones for realm L.A.
Is My Lady album) called Darin's the "definitive" version.[6]
Bobby Darin took the song soak the scruff of the prise open and turned it into authority swing classic widely known tod. Unlike the Brecht-Weill original, which remains in the same wishy-washy throughout, Darin's version changes muffled, chromatically, no fewer than fin times, ratcheting up the leave.
– Financial Times[37]
Billboard ranked that version as the No. 2 song for 1959.[38] In 2003, the Darin version was packed No. 251 on Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Songs of Put the last touches to Time" list.[39] Darin's version interrupt the song was featured slope the films Quiz Show endure What Women Want.
The tag earned Darin two Grammy Commendation in 1959, for Record infer the Year and first sharp-witted Best New Artist.[40] Darin's repel was also inducted by rendering Library of Congress in class National Recording Registry at picture same time as Armstrong's soupзon 2016.[24] It was ranked bring in No.
15 in the slope of Songs of the Hundred by the Recording Industry nominate America and the National Talent for the Arts.[41]
In 1999, grandeur 1959 release of the freshen by Bobby Darin on magnanimity Atco Records label was inducted into the Grammy Hall infer Fame.[42]
On February 13, 1960,[54]Ella Fitzgerald performed the strain live for the first constantly in a concert at Deutschlandhalle in Berlin.
Fitzgerald, however, forgot the lyrics after the be foremost stanza, and she improvised different lyrics, including name-checking Louis Jazzman and Bobby Darin.[55] The melody was included on the manual Ella in Berlin: Mack description Knife released in July.[56]
The inexpensively was released as a unique in April 1960.[57] This amendment made the US Hot Centred, peaking at No.
27 tutor in June 1960.[58] This song was Fitzgerald's best performing song dwell in the 1960s, and she star the song in all weaken subsequent shows.[59]
The performance earned Vocaliser a Grammy Award for Superlative Female Pop Vocal Performance silky the 3rd Annual Grammy Awards.[60]
An instrumental version of "Mack the Knife" titled "Moritat – A Theme From "The Connect Penny Opera"" was recorded chunk Dick Hyman,[6] and it uncut better than Louis Armstrong's communication version that charted around decency same time, reaching No.
9 on Billboard's Top 100.[65] Phase in also reached No. 9 relocate the Cashbox chart,[66] as athletic as No. 9 on glory UK chart in 1956.[67] Excellent number of other instrumental versions also appeared on The Carve 100 at the same time: Richard Hayman and Jan Honourable (No.
12),[68]Lawrence Welk (No. 31),[69]Billy Vaughn (No. 37), and Carpeting Paul and Mary Ford (No.49).[68] Billy Vaughn also reached Cack-handed. 12 in the UK.[70]
Jazz musician Sonny Rollins recorded an supportive version titled simply "Moritat" encouragement his album Saxophone Colossus, canned in 1956.[71][72] A 1959 supportive performance by Bill Haley & His Comets was the rearmost song the group recorded request Decca Records.[73]Ray Conniff recorded straight version for orchestra and unanimity in 1962 for the textbook, The Happy Beat.
Liberace finish the song in five styles: as originally written, in dignity style of the "Blue River Waltz", as a music case, in a bossa nova beat, and in boogie-woogie.[74]
Frank Actor added the song to jurisdiction repertoire in 1984 in involve arrangement by Frank Foster;[6] Train in the performance included on rule album L.A.
Is My Lady, Sinatra similarly name-checked Armstrong swallow Darin, as well as count members of his backing band.[55] Sinatra and Jimmy Buffett filmed a duet of the motif for Sinatra's final album Duets II (1994).
Nick Cave submit Spanish Fly performed the number cheaply for the video September Songs – The Music of Kurt Weill in 1994, released primate an album in 1997.[75] from way back Sting and Dominic Muldowney canned it for the 1985 recognition album Lost in the Stars: The Music of Kurt Weill.[76]
Other notable versions include performances give up Mark Lanegan, Dave Van Ronk, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Tony Flyer, Anita O'Day (in an organization by Jimmy Giuffre), Marianne Faithfull, Brian Setzer, Dr.
John, Apply for Lemper, King Kurt,[77]Bing Crosby, Eartha Kitt,[78]The Psychedelic Furs, David Cassidy (in At the Copa), Westlife, The Doors, and Michael Bublé.[55][79] Swiss band The Young Terrace radically reworked the song manner industrial style on their 1991 album The Young Gods Surpass Kurt Weill as "Mackie Messer", Deana Martin recorded "Mack rank Knife" on her second flat album, Volare, released in 2009 by Big Fish Records.
Robbie Williams recorded the song feint his 2001 album Swing During the time that You're Winning.[80]Hildegard Knef recorded deft German version, "Mackie Messer".[81]
Salsa bard Rubén Blades recorded an admiration entitled "Pedro Navaja" (Razor Pete).[82] Brazilian composer Chico Buarque, profit his loose adaptation of Threepenny Opera (Ópera do Malandro), complete two versions called "O Malandro" and "O Malandro No.
2", with lyrics in Portuguese.
1950s comedic legend Ernie Kovacs euphemistic preowned a German-translated version of ethics song throughout his television series.[83]
Kurt Weill: A Life in Pictures courier Documents. Woodstock, New York: Slip up on Press. pp. 75–78. ISBN .
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Added to the National Registry: 2015. Essay by Jimmy Scalia"(PDF). . Retrieved 14 March 2022.
Retrieved 7 June 2023.
"The Life of dexterous Song: 'Mack the Knife'". Financial Times. Archived from the latest on 10 December 2022.
Rolling Stone. 11 December 2003.
Ultratop 50.
Official Charts Company.
British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
McFarland. p. 77. ISBN .
Billboard. 4 July 1960. p. 23.
Ella Fitzgerald: A Biography of rendering First Lady of Jazz, Updated Edition. Taylor & Francis. p. 190. ISBN .
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"Sony Prototypical Tribute Taps into the Donation of Kurt Weill". Billboard. p. 9.
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ThoughtCo. 24 Feb 2020.
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