Mack The Knife
Dr. John Lyrics

Oh, the shark, babe, has such teeth, dear
The powerful, dangerous Mack the Knife is hard to miss and his teeth are like that of a shark, sharp and white.

And it shows them pearly white
His teeth are therefore visible, to show his strength and danger.

Just a jackknife has old MacHeath, babe
Despite his powerful reputation, Mack the Knife's main weapon is just a simple jackknife.

And he keeps it, ah, out of sight
He keeps his weapon well hidden to catch others off guard.

Ya know when that shark bites with his teeth, babe
When Mack the Knife attacks with his weapon just like a shark, he leaves a trail of destruction behind.

Scarlet billows start to spread
His violent acts leave behind a visible sign of destruction, just like red billows of smoke.

Fancy gloves, oh, wears old MacHeath, babe
Despite his simple weapon, Mack the Knife always dresses fancy at all times, and he wears gloves to avoid leaving any bloodstains.

So there's never, never a trace of red
He's careful enough not to leave any bloodstains behind to avoid being caught by the authorities.

Now on the sidewalk, huh, huh, whoo sunny morning, un huh
In this bright sunny morning, someone has just been murdered on the sidewalk.

Lies a body just oozin' life, eek
The murder victim is still alive and with visible wounds that are bleeding out on the street.

And someone's sneakin' 'round the corner
There's a suspicious person lurking around the scene, who could be the killer himself.

Could that someone be Mack the Knife?
There's a possibility that the notorious killer Mack the Knife may be involved in this gory act of violence.

There's a tugboat, huh, huh, down by the river dontcha know
Down by the river, a fisherman's catch has been accidentally dropped in the water.

Where a cement bag's just a'drooppin' on down
The cement bag was initially weighing down the catch so that it wouldn't float away.

Oh, that cement is just, it's there for the weight, dear
However, the cement was just a means of weight and not a human disposal agent that is being perceived.

Five'll get ya ten old Macky's back in town
The sudden weight loss of previously heavy cement bag causes suspicion around the potential return of Mack the Knife back in town.

Now d'ja hear 'bout Louie Miller? He disappeared, babe
Louie has gone missing for a while now and no one knows of his current whereabouts.

After drawin' out all his hard-earned cash
He was in the possession of a lot of money before he went missing.

And now MacHeath spends just like a sailor
Suddenly after Louie disappeared, Mack the Knife, having returned to town, has been seen around town, spending unreasonable quantities of money.

Could it be our boy's done somethin' rash?
The last time Louie was seen physically, Mack the Knife was potentially the last person he had come across, and therefore could be responsible for his sudden disappearance.

Now Jenny Diver, ho, ho, yeah, Sukey Tawdry
Jenny, Sukey, and other women have recently become involved knowingly or unknowingly with Mack the Knife.

Ooh, Miss Lotte Lenya and old Lucy Brown
Many other women have also been enamored by the dangerous charm of Mack the Knife.

Oh, the line forms on the right, babe
All of these women have lined up to experience his deadly, dark, and irresistible attraction.

Now that Macky's back in town
Now that Mack the Knife has returned, the women are coming in droves to indulge in his way of living

Look out, old Macky's back!!
Beware, Mack the Knife is back in town, and his charm will draw you in, even though he is a dangerous criminal.