Mac the Knife by Bobby Darrin

[cragley]

Can anyone provide us with an explanation to the lyrics of "Mac the Knife" by Bobby Darrin.

Was he a out and out murderer?
Was this a crime of passion?
Was this a revenge Killing?
Or are we wrong on all of the above?

Please help the brain strained duo.

Thank you

[jno]

a professional killer. It comes from a German musical version of the old British opera Beggar's Opera. The words, with translation, are here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mack_the_knife

[mightywease]

Macheath is basically an all round criminal - definately a murderer- for profit - thief (along with his gang they steal the furnishings and food for his marriage to Polly), probably a rapist, maybe a pimp and possibly a bigamist. But whatever activity he does it is all for his own benefit. Which is one of the difficulties when performing "The Threepenny Opera" - how do you make such a disreputable and dislikeable character sympathetic to an audience? Or instead do you not try?

Fantastic musical - I played Lucy Brown in it once and loved it - get to come on in the second act sing two briliiant songs ("The Barbara Song" - somethimes sung by Polly but can be sung by Lucy - and the "Jealousy Duet") - then back on for the finale.

Btw in the show the song is sung by the Ballad Singer as an introduction to the show and to Mack's character