Mack The Knife
Earl Hines Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

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
Ya 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 dontcha 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 d'ja hear ‘bout Louie Miller? He disappeared, babe
After drawin' out all his hard-earned cash
And now MacHeath spends just like a sailor
Could it be our boy's done somethin' rash?

Now Jenny Diver, ho, ho, yeah, Sukey Tawdry
Ooh, Miss Lotte Lenya and old Lucy Brown
Oh, the line forms on the right, babe
Now that Macky’s back in town

I said Jenny Diver, whoa, Sukey Tawdry
Look out to Miss Lotte Lenya and old Lucy Brown
Yes, that line forms on the right, babe




Now that Macky’s back in town
Look out, old Macky's back!!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to the Earl Hines song Mack The Knife tell the story of the infamous criminal MacHeath, also known as Mack the Knife. The lyrics describe the danger and secrecy surrounding him, with references to his shark-like teeth and his jackknife that he keeps hidden. The mention of the "scarlet billows" spreading when the shark bites gives a vivid image of the carnage that Mack the Knife leaves in his wake. The lyrics also talk about how he spends his money lavishly, implying that he may have earned it through illegal means. The song ends with a warning that Mack the Knife is back in town, and his presence is sure to lead to more chaos and danger.


The Earl Hines version of Mack The Knife was originally released in 1955 and became a hit, staying on the charts for 12 weeks. The song has since been covered by numerous artists, including Louis Armstrong and Bobby Darin. It is one of the most recorded songs in history. The song was originally written in German by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill for their 1928 musical The Threepenny Opera, where it was sung by the character Jenny.


Line by Line Meaning

Oh, the shark, babe, has such teeth, dear
The shark, which is a metaphor for the vicious and dangerous criminal underworld, has powerful weapons it uses to intimidate and harm people.


And it shows them pearly white
The weapons of the criminal underworld appear appealing and attractive, like the shiny white teeth of a shark.


Just a jackknife has old MacHeath, babe
The criminal known as Mack the Knife is so dangerous that he only needs a simple weapon, like a jackknife, to do harm.


And he keeps it, ah, out of sight
Mack the Knife is smart enough to keep his weapon hidden so that people underestimate him and don't know when he might strike.


Ya know when that shark bites with his teeth, babe
When the criminal underworld attacks, their weapons are powerful enough to cause serious damage and scare people.


Scarlet billows start to spread
The aftermath of a violent attack by the criminal underworld looks bloody and dangerous, like the spread of red smoke on the water.


Fancy gloves, oh, wears old MacHeath, babe
Mack the Knife is so stylish and sophisticated that he even wears fancy gloves when committing crimes.


So there’s never, never a trace of red
Mack the Knife is so careful and precise that he doesn't leave any evidence, like bloodstains, behind at his crime scenes.


Now on the sidewalk, huh, huh, whoo sunny morning, un huh
The scene is set for a violent crime that takes place unexpectedly, even on a beautiful morning.


Lies a body just oozin' life, eek
The violent crime has already taken place, and there is a victim who is barely clinging to life.


And someone’s sneakin' ‘round the corner
The criminal underworld is always lurking around the corner, ready to strike when you least expect it.


Could that someone be Mack the Knife?
Given Mack the Knife's reputation for violence and criminal activity, anyone sneaking around could be him.


There's a tugboat, huh, huh, down by the river dontcha know
The criminal underworld is like a seedy and dangerous river, and a tugboat could be smuggling illegal goods or working for dangerous people.


Where a cement bag’s just a'drooppin' on down
The criminal underworld is involved in seedy and illegal activities, even bringing illegal goods like cement bags onto the river.


Oh, that cement is just, it's there for the weight, dear
Cement is used by the criminal underworld to weigh down and conceal bodies, making them hard to find.


Five'll get ya ten old Macky’s back in town
Mack the Knife is a notorious criminal who always seems to reappear even if he has been gone for a while.


Now d'ja hear ‘bout Louie Miller? He disappeared, babe
The criminal underworld is full of dangerous people, and even someone like Louie Miller can disappear without a trace, probably at the hands of someone like Mack the Knife.


After drawin' out all his hard-earned cash
Louie Miller was probably targeted because he had a lot of money, and the criminal underworld is always looking for ways to take money from people.


And now MacHeath spends just like a sailor
Mack the Knife seems to have a lot of money, and is spending it quickly and carelessly, possibly indicating that he has recently come into a large sum of money.


Could it be our boy's done somethin' rash?
Mack the Knife is known for his violent and impulsive behavior, so it's possible that he has done something reckless or dangerous with his newfound wealth.


Now Jenny Diver, ho, ho, yeah, Sukey Tawdry
Jenny Diver and Sukey Tawdry are both women associated with the criminal underworld, and their names have become well-known as a result.


Ooh, Miss Lotte Lenya and old Lucy Brown
Miss Lotte Lenya and Lucy Brown are also women associated with the criminal underworld, and they are probably just as infamous as Jenny and Sukey.


Oh, the line forms on the right, babe
The criminal underworld is like a sideshow attraction, and people are drawn to it even though it is dangerous.


Now that Macky’s back in town
With Mack the Knife back in town, the criminal underworld is even more active and dangerous than before.


Look out, old Macky's back!!
Mack the Knife is a dangerous and unpredictable criminal who should be feared and avoided if possible.




Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BERTOLT BRECHT, EUGEN BERTHOLD BRECHT, KURT WEILL, MARC BLITZSTEIN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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