[Dixielandjazz] Re: Dixielandjazz Digest, Vol 12, Issue 18 = Mack the Knife

[Norrie Thomson]

I think that you'll find that it was Turk Murphy who first popularised 'Mack
The Knife'.  He did the arrangement for Louis who offered a flat rate
payment of $300 or a percentage of the royalties.  Turk took the $300

The 'Threepenny Opera' was based on the 'Beggar's Opera'
Norrie Thomson
Edinburgh
Scotland
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Harold Smith" <s3856lpa at webtv.net>
To: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Tuesday, December 09, 2003 10:39 PM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Re: Dixielandjazz Digest, Vol 12, Issue 18 = Mack
the Knife


>
> To the best of my knowledge, Mack the Knife is the English version of
> Mackie Messer in a song from Die Dreigoschen Oper (Threepenny Opera by
> Kurt Weill and Bertold Brelcht), and is based on the play's character,
> MacHeath.
>
> The oriiginal song from the Opera is called Moritat.  Dick Hyman had a
> hit with it in the mid=1950's in an instrumental version.
>
> Don't really know who started it on its way as a swing tune, but I
> rather suspect it was Louis Armstrong, followed a few years later by
> Bobby Darrin.
>
> In its original version, it is a very sardonic and bitter song, sung in
> a nasal Berliner dialect.  Quite effective, and sinister.
>
> Regards, Harold Smith
>
>
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