The four-time Grammy winner has acted in a number of films and been a guest-star on television. Lovett was married to actress Julia Roberts for a short time in the mid-1990s. In 2002, he was gored by a bull while working on his uncle's farm in Texas, but soon recovered and resumed touring.
Moritat
Lyle Lovett Lyrics
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You can read his open face
And Macheath, he's got a knife, and
In such an obvious place
On a beautiful blue Sunday,
See a corpse stretched in the Strand
See a man dodge 'round the corner...
Mr. Meier reported missing
Like so many wealthy men:
Mack the knife acquired his cashbox
God alone knows how or when
Jenny Towler, she turned up lately
With a knife stuck through her breast
While Macheath, he walks the embankment,
Nonchalantly unimpressed
And the ghastly fire in Soho,
Seven children at a go--
In the crowd stands Mac the knife, but
He isn't asked, he doesn't know
And the child bride in her nightgown,
Whose assailants still at large
Violated in her slumbers
Mackie how much did you charge?
Yes, the child bride in her nightgown
Whose assailants still at large
Violated in her slumbers
Mackie how much did you charge?
Mackie how much did you charge?
How much did you charge?
How much did you charge?
How much did you charge?
How much did you charge?
Lyle Lovett's Moritat is a hauntingly beautiful song that tells the story of Macheath, a notorious criminal who is known as "Mack the Knife". The lyrics draw attention to the shark-like nature of Macheath, and how his friends seem to understand his dealings, even when they are dark and violent. The imagery of the dead body lying in the Strand, and the knife sticking out of Jenny Towler's breast, create a sense of unease and terror, as Macheath seems to walk through it all as if it does not bother him.
The song references a number of violent events that were taking place at the time the song was written in the late 1920s. There is a mention of a fire in Soho that killed seven children, which is likely a reference to a real-life fire in a lodging house in Soho that killed twenty-six people. The song also alludes to sexual violence, with a mention of a child bride being violated in her slumbers. The final repetition of the question "How much did you charge?" is a chilling reminder of how some people will do anything for money, no matter how dark or immoral the task may be.
Overall, Lovett's Moritat is a powerful commentary on society's willingness to turn a blind eye to the darkest corners of humanity in the pursuit of wealth, power, and success.
Line by Line Meaning
See the shark with teeth like razors
There's a dangerous man with a menacing presence
You can read his open face
His intentions are obvious from his expression
And Macheath, he's got a knife, and
The man in question is Macheath and he's armed with a knife
In such an obvious place
His weapon is in plain sight, indicating that he's not afraid to use it
On a beautiful blue Sunday,
This crime takes place on a seemingly peaceful day
See a corpse stretched in the Strand
A body is found on a public street
See a man dodge 'round the corner...
A suspicious man tries to flee the scene
Mackie's friends will understand.
Macheath is part of a gang and they will cover for each other
Mr. Meier reported missing
A wealthy man has gone missing
Like so many wealthy men:
This is not an isolated incident
Mack the knife acquired his cashbox
Macheath is believed to have stolen from the missing man
God alone knows how or when
It's unclear how the theft occurred
Jenny Towler, she turned up lately
Jenny Towler was found dead recently
With a knife stuck through her breast
The cause of death is apparent
While Macheath, he walks the embankment,
Macheath is not disturbed by the recent events
Nonchalantly unimpressed
He's unfazed by the surrounding chaos
And the ghastly fire in Soho,
A disastrous fire has occurred in Soho
Seven children at a go--
Multiple children were killed in the incident
In the crowd stands Mac the knife, but
Macheath was present at the time
He isn't asked, he doesn't know
He's not questioned about the crime
And the child bride in her nightgown,
A child has been assaulted
Whose assailants still at large
The perpetrators are still at large
Violated in her slumbers
The child was attacked while asleep
Mackie how much did you charge?
The artist suspects that Macheath was involved in the crime
Yes, the child bride in her nightgown
The singer repeats the earlier line for emphasis
Mackie how much did you charge?
The singer still wants to know Macheath's involvement
Mackie how much did you charge?
The singer repeats the suspicious question
How much did you charge?
The question is left unanswered
How much did you charge?
The song ends with the unanswered question
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BERTOLT BRECHT, EUGEN BERTHOLD BRECHT, KURT WEILL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind