Robbie Williams recorded the song on his 2001. album "Swing When You're Winning".
Mack The Knife
Robbie Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And he shows them pearly white
Just a jack knife has Mac Heath, 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 Mac Heath, dear
On the sidewalk, oh Sunday morning don't you know
Lies a body oozing life
Someone's sneaking round the corner
Could that be our boy Mack the knife?
From a tug boat down by the river, don't you know
There's a cement bag's dropping down
That cement's just for the weight, dear
Five'll get ya ten old Mack, he's back in town
D'ja hear Louie Miller disappeared, baby
After drawing out his hard cash
And now MacHeath spends, he spends just like a, like a sailor
Could it be, could it be, could it be, our boy's done something rash?
Now Jenny Diver, oh Sukey Tawdry
Look out Miss Lotte Lenya, and ole Lucy Brown
Yeah, the line forms on the right, babe
Now that Macky's back in town
I said Jenny Diver, woah, oh Sukey Tawdry
Look out Miss Lotte Lenya, and ole Lucy Brown
Yeah the line forms on the right, babe
Now that Macky's
Back in town
Look out, old Macky is back
"Mack the Knife" is a song made famous by the legendary German singer and actor, Lotte Lenya, best known for her work in musical theater. The song is written by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill and is from their 1928 music drama "The Threepenny Opera". In the song, the singer, Mack the Knife, is a notorious criminal who is feared by many. The first two lines set the stage by describing the shark's pretty teeth and the pearly white color, which is a metaphor for Mack's charming personality that masks his criminal nature. The third line reveals that Mac Heath, or Mack the Knife, keeps his jackknife hidden, which implies that he is dangerous and unpredictable.
The next two lines describe the aftermath of Mack's attack. When the shark bites, the scarlet billows refer to the blood that spreads, and Mack's fancy gloves hide any trace of blood from his attacks. The following verse describes the streets on a Sunday morning with a lifeless body lying on the sidewalk, and someone is lurking around the corner, which could be Mack. In the next verse, a cement bag falls from a tugboat, signifying the cement-to-shoe tactic of the mob, and predicts that Mack is back in town.
The final verse mentions three female characters, Jenny Diver, Sukey Tawdry, and Lucy Brown. The line "the line forms on the right, babe" refers to these women who are lining up again to be with Mack now that he has returned. Overall, the song is about a ruthless criminal who is dangerous, unpredictable, and yet irresistible to others.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh the shark baby has pretty teeth, dear
The underworld is full of those who look harmless, but have a dangerous side
And he shows them pearly white
They flaunt their wealthy and affluent lifestyle
Just a jack knife has Mac Heath, dear
Mac Heath is deceptive and it's hard to predict his actions
And he keeps it out of sight
He is careful not to draw too much attention to himself
When the shark bites with his teeth, dear
When criminals commit crimes, blood is always shed
Scarlet billows start to spread
The sight of the crime quickly attracts a lot of attention
Fancy gloves though wears Mac Heath, dear
Despite his criminal lifestyle, Mac Heath likes to uphold a certain image of himself
So there's not a trace of red
He does what he can to not get caught by the authorities
On the sidewalk, oh Sunday morning don't you know
People are often found dead in the streets due to the violent lifestyle of the underworld
Lies a body oozing life
The sight of the body is grotesque and violent
Someone's sneaking round the corner
Someone is always lurking in the dark
Could that be our boy Mack the knife?
Mac Heath could be responsible for the recent crimes in the area
From a tug boat down by the river, don't you know
The criminals use the river to move around undetected
There's a cement bag's dropping down
It is common to dispose of evidence by using concrete to sink it to the bottom of the river
That cement's just for the weight, dear
It is being used to make the body heavier and harder to find
Five'll get ya ten old Mack, he's back in town
There is a high likelihood that Mac Heath is back in the area committing crimes
D'ja hear Louie Miller disappeared, baby
It is not uncommon for people in the underworld to disappear mysteriously
After drawing out his hard cash
Louie Miller may have made the mistake of showing that he had money
And now MacHeath spends, he spends just like a, like a sailor
Now that Mac Heath has Louie Miller's money, he is spending it freely
Could it be, could it be, could it be, our boy's done something rash?
Mac Heath may have made a hasty decision and gotten himself into trouble
Now Jenny Diver, oh Sukey Tawdry
Other notorious criminals in the area
Look out Miss Lotte Lenya, and ole Lucy Brown
Even women can have a dangerous side in the underworld
Yeah, the line forms on the right, babe
Many people are eager to join the criminal lifestyle now that Mac Heath is back in town
Now that Macky's back in town
Mac Heath's return has brought with it new opportunities for those looking to join the underworld
I said Jenny Diver, woah, oh Sukey Tawdry
Reinforcement of the dangerousness of these female criminals
Yeah the line forms on the right, babe
Reinforcement that many are eager to enter the underworld lifestyle
Now that Macky's back in town
Reinforcement that Mac Heath's return is a big draw for those wanting to join the underworld
Look out, old Macky is back
A warning that Mac Heath's presence in the area means danger and potential violence
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Kurt Weill, Bertolt Brecht, Marc Blitzstein
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Philip Kassabian
on Win Some Lose Some
Yet another fantastic Robbie Williams song. Absolutely fantastic.
Philip Kassabian
on Millennium
What a fantastic song by Robbie Williams.
Edy Souza
on Advertising Space
:)
Edy Souza
on Angels
Love! Love!