[Dixielandjazz] Lotte Lenya + Mack The Knife

[Stephen G Barbone]

Perhaps some insight about the original "Die Moritat Von Mackie  
Messer" will help us understand why Lenya Lotte had some trouble with  
Louis Armstrong's swinging version.

To hear Lenya singing hubby's Mack The Knife in the original German,  
go to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPG9GcykPIY

To hear the original version by Bertoli Brecht, go to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QXJ3OXWaOY&feature=related

It is, as one of the commenters said, "Meant to be an ugly song."  
Anyway, the two versions above are what it sounded like before Louis,  
Ella, et al, got a hold of it.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband