In 1928 (on his 25th birthday) Hines began leading his own big band. For over 10 years his was "The Band" in Al Capone's Grand Terrace Cafe — Hines was Capone's "Mr Piano Man". Hines recorded for Victor in 1929, then after a gap for Brunswick from 1932-1934, Decca from 1934-1935, then after another gap, Vocalion from 1937-1938 and Bluebird from 1939-1942 (nearly all among the best Black Jazz of the era). From the Grand Terrace, The Earl Hines Orchestra (or "Organization" as he more happily referred to it) broadcast on "open mikes", sometimes five nights a week and over many years, coast to coast across America — Chicago being well placed to deal with the U.S. live-broadcasting time-zone problem. Hines's band became the most broadcast band in America. Sometimes Nat "King" Cole was Hines's relief pianist (though Cliff Smalls was his favorite) and it was here with Hines that Charlie Parker got his first professional job...until he was fired for his time-keeping — by which Hines meant Parker's inability to show up on time despite Parker resorting to sleeping under the Grand Terrace stage in his attempts to do so. Hines led his big band until 1947, taking time out to front the Duke Ellington orchestra in 1944 while Duke was ill...but the big-band era was over. (Thirty years later, Hines's 20 solo "transformative versions" of his "Earl Hines Plays Duke Ellington" recorded in the 1970s were described by Ben Ratliff in the "New York Times" as "as good an example of the jazz process as anything out there".)
At the start of 1949 Hines rejoined Armstrong in the latter's "All Stars" "small band", where Hines stayed through 1951. He then led his own small combo around the States and Europe. At the start of the jazz-lean 1960s he settled in Oakland, California, opened a tobacconist's, and came close to giving up the profession. Then, in 1964 Hines was "suddenly rediscovered" following a series of concerts in New York. He was the 1965 "Critics' Choice" for Down Beat Magazine's "Hall of Fame". From then till he died he recorded endlessly both solo and with jazz notables like Cat Anderson, Buck Clayton, Roy Eldridge, Ella Fitzgerald, Paul Gonsalves, Sonny Greer, Lionel Hampton, Coleman Hawkins, Johnny Hodges, Budd Johnson, Jimmy Rushing, Stuff Smith, Sarah Vaughan, Joe Venuti and Ben Webster. Possibly more surprising were Elvin Jones, Peggy Lee, Charles Mingus, Dinah Washington — and Ry Cooder. But his most acclaimed recordings of this period were his dazzling and endlessly inventive solo performances, which could show him at his very best, "a whole orchestra by himself".[12] Solo tributes to Louis Armstrong, Hoagy Carmichael, Duke Ellington, Cole Porter, and George Gershwin were all put on record in the 1970s. Hines also toured Europe again regularly at this time, and added Asia, Australia and the Soviet Union to his list of State Department–funded destinations. At the top of his form, Hines also displayed his endearing quirks (not to say grunts) in these performances. Sometimes he sang as he played, especially his own "They Never Believed I Could Do It - Neither Did I". In 1975 he made an hour-long "solo" film for British TV out-of-hours in a Washington nightclub: the "New York Herald Tribune" described it as "The greatest jazz-film ever made". He played solo in The White House and played solo for the Pope — and played (and sang) his last job a few days before he died in Oakland, quite likely somewhat older than he had always maintained.
Mack The Knife
Earl Hines Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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!!
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