Born Denise Eileen Garrett in Memphis, Tennessee, she grew up in Flint, Michigan. Her father, Matthew Garrett, was a jazz trumpeter and teacher at Manassas High School, and through his playing, Denise was exposed to jazz early on. At the age of sixteen, she was a member of a rock and rhythm'n'blues trio, singing in clubs in Michigan. At 18, she studied at Michigan State University before she went to the University of Illinois. With their jazz band, she toured the Soviet Union in 1969. The next year, she met trumpeter Cecil Bridgewater, and after their marriage, they moved to New York City, where Cecil played in Horace Silver's band.
In 1971, Dee Dee Bridgewater joined the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra as the lead vocalist. The next years marked the beginning of her jazz career, and she performed with many of the great jazz musicians of the time, such as Sonny Rollins, Dizzy Gillespie, Dexter Gordon, Max Roach, and others. In 1974, her first own album, entitled Afro Blue, appeared, and she also performed on Broadway in the musical The Wiz. For her role as Glinda the Good Witch she won a Tony Award in 1975 as "best-featured actress", and the musical also won the 1976 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album.
She subsequently appeared in several other stage productions. After touring France in 1984 with the musical Sophisticated Ladies, she moved to Paris in 1986. The same year saw her in Lady Day as Billie Holliday, for which role she was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, she returned from the world of musical to jazz. She performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1990, and four years later, she finally collaborated with Horace Silver, whom she had admired for a long time, and released the album Love and Peace: A Tribute to Horace Silver. Her 1997 tribute album Dear Ella won her the 1998 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album, and the 1998 album Live at Yoshi's was also worth a Grammy nomination. She has also explored on This is New the songs of Kurt Weill, and, on her latest album J'ai Deux Amours, the French Classics.
Dee Dee Bridgewater is the first American to be inducted to the Haut Conseil de la Francophonie. She has received the Award of Arts and Letters in France.
Dee Dee Bridgewater is mother to three children, Tulani Bridgewater (from her marriage to Cecil Bridgewater), China Moses (from her marriage to theater, film and television director Gilbert Moses) and Gabriel Durand (from her current marriage to French concert promoter Jean-Marie Durand).
Mack The Knife
Dee Dee Bridgewater Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And he shows them, pearly white
Just a jackknife has MacHeath, dear
And he keeps it out of sight
When the shark bites with his teeth, dear
Scarlet billows start to spread
Fancy gloves though wears MacHeath, dear
On the sidewalk, Sunday mornin', baby
Lies a body, oozin' life
Someone sneakin' around the corner
Is the someone, Mack the Knife?
From a tugboat, by the river
A cement bag's drooppin' down
Yeah, the cement's just for the weight, dear
Bet you Mack, he's back in town
Looky here Louie Miller, disappeared, dear
After drawing out his cash
And MacHeath spends like a sailor
Did our boy do somethin' rash?
Sukey Tawdry, Jenny Diver
Lotte Lenya, Sweet Lucy Brown
Oh, the line forms on the right, dears
Now that Mack, he's back in town
Take it, Satch
The song "Mack the Knife" by Dee Dee Bridgewater is a jazz adaptation of a tune from a 1928 German opera called "The Threepenny Opera" by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill. The song tells the story of the infamous criminal, MacHeath (Mack the Knife), and his violent and criminal exploits. The opening lines of the song "Oh, the shark has pretty teeth, dear and he shows them, pearly white" refers to Mack the Knife's charming and deceptive exterior. The reference to sharks and their teeth is a metaphor for his dangerous and unpredictable behavior. Even though he is a criminal, he manages to keep his crimes under wraps; the line "Just a jackknife has MacHeath, dear and he keeps it out of sight" emphasizes this point. However, the chorus suggests that he is always lurking in the shadows and that his latest crime could be just around the corner.
The second verse describes the aftermath of one of MacHeath's crimes. The "shark bite with his teeth" causes the spread of "scarlet billows," referring to the blood that is spilled. Despite this, Mack is always impeccably dressed, wearing "fancy gloves," so there is never any sign of his guilt. The third verse introduces the idea that Mack is always on the move and can never be pinned down. The line "From a tugboat by the river, a cement bag's dropping down, yeah, the cement's just for the weight, dear, bet you Mack he's back in town" suggests that he disposes of his victims' bodies in the river. This verse also introduces character references to Sukey Tawdry, Jenny Diver, Lotte Lenya, and Sweet Lucy Brown, who are all women who were involved with MacHeath in some way. The final lines express that the line to join MacHeath's gang is long, indicating that he has many accomplices and followers.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, the shark has pretty teeth, dear
The villain of the song is often mistaken for a gentle and attractive person, so his violent nature is not suspected.
And he shows them, pearly white
Despite his sinister nature, the shark is charming and disarms his victims with his appearance.
Just a jackknife has MacHeath, dear
MacHeath is not a powerful or physically imposing figure, but he is still a dangerous criminal.
And he keeps it out of sight
MacHeath is careful to conceal his weapon, so as not to draw attention to himself or his violent tendencies.
When the shark bites with his teeth, dear
When MacHeath strikes, his violence is sudden and without warning, like a shark attacking its prey.
Scarlet billows start to spread
The aftermath of MacHeath's violence is messy and bloody, leaving gruesome evidence behind.
Fancy gloves though wears MacHeath, dear
MacHeath presents himself as a refined and sophisticated criminal, with stylish clothing that belies his violent tendencies.
So there's not a trace, mmm of red
Despite his gruesome acts, MacHeath manages to keep himself relatively clean and avoid getting caught by the authorities.
On the sidewalk, Sunday mornin', baby
The song's narrator describes a gruesome scene of a dead body on the street, suggesting that MacHeath has struck again.
Lies a body, oozin' life
The victim has been grievously injured and is bleeding out on the sidewalk.
Someone sneakin' around the corner
The singer suggests that the killer is still in the area, possibly trying to evade capture by fleeing the scene.
Is the someone, Mack the Knife?
The artist strongly implies that MacHeath is the person responsible for the murder.
From a tugboat, by the river
The song's narrator describes a shady deal going down on a river, suggesting that MacHeath is involved in criminal activities on a grand scale.
A cement bag's drooppin' down
The deal appears to involve some kind of illegal activity with construction materials, possibly related to money laundering or other financial crimes.
Yeah, the cement's just for the weight, dear
The contents of the cement bags are not what they appear to be; they are simply a cover for the real criminal activity taking place.
Bet you Mack, he's back in town
The artist implies that MacHeath has been absent from the area for some time, but has now returned to his criminal enterprises.
Looky here Louie Miller, disappeared, dear
The song's narrator suggests that another character has gone missing, possibly a victim of MacHeath's criminal activities.
After drawing out his cash
Miller may have been robbed or exploited by MacHeath, leading to his disappearance.
And MacHeath spends like a sailor
MacHeath is not above spending his ill-gotten gains on frivolous and extravagant items, despite the danger of attracting unwanted attention from the authorities.
Did our boy do somethin' rash?
The artist implies that MacHeath may have acted impulsively or recklessly, and that this could lead to his downfall.
Sukey Tawdry, Jenny Diver
The song's narrator lists several female characters who are associated with MacHeath or his criminal enterprises.
Lotte Lenya, Sweet Lucy Brown
These women may be partners, associates, or victims of MacHeath and his criminal activities.
Oh, the line forms on the right, dears
The singer suggests that MacHeath's criminal empire is growing, and that there are many people who want to be associated with him or his wealth.
Now that Mack, he's back in town
The artist implies that MacHeath's return to the area has sparked renewed interest and activity in the criminal underworld, with many people vying for a piece of the pie.
Take it, Satch
The song's narrator is urging Louis Armstrong to continue the song and showcase his musical talent and vocal abilities.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Kurt Weill, Bertolt Brecht, Marc Blitzstein
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Roza Mary
'Mack the Knife'
Oh, the shark, babe, has such teeth, dear
And it shows them pearly white
Just a jackknife has old MacHeath, babe
And he keeps it, ah, out of sight
You know when that shark bites with his teeth, babe
Scarlet billows start to spread
Fancy gloves, oh, wears old MacHeath, babe
So there's never, never a trace of red
Now on the sidewalk, huh, huh, whoo sunny morning, un huh
Lies a body just oozin' life, eek
And someone's sneakin' 'round the corner
Could that someone be Mack the Knife?
There's a tugboat, huh, huh, down by the river don'tcha know
Where a cement bag's just a-drooppin' on down
Oh, that cement is just, it's there for the weight, dear
Five'll get ya ten, old Macky's back in town
Now did ya hear 'bout Louie Miller? He disappeared, babe
After drawin' out…
坂巻洋
💚🌿☺️💞