Mack the Knife

Did you know that when Bobby Darin recorded the hit song “Mack the Knife” in 1959, he was covering a German ballad from a music drama written 30 years prior?

Originally titled “Die Moritat von Mackie Messer” (“The Ballad of Mack the Knife”), the song hails from the show Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera) by Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht, which itself was based on the 1728 opera The Beggar’s Opera by John Gay. The song has since taken on a life of its own, becoming a jazz standard recorded by countless singers.

Join us as we trace the fascinating history of this unique song, from its origins as a theatre piece in English ballad tradition, to famous incarnations as a swingin’ big band number! We’ll dive deep into the lyrics and the various interpretations that have been done in the song’s nearly 100 year existence!