Mack The Knife - Bobby Darin, 1959

 
 
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' around 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 about 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!!
 
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Walden Robert "Bobby" Cassotto was born into a poor, New York Italian family. He found out in later years that his older sister was actually his mother, and his mother was actually his grandmother. On top of this, he suffered from rheumatic fever as a child. But despite it all, Bobby Darin made himself into a Big Band performer, Rock & Roll teen idol and even a movie star.

In 1959, Bobby recorded and released Mack The Knife, the song he will always be remembered for. The original version was written in 1928 for a rather sinister German musical entitled The Threepenny Opera. If that isn't weird enough, some of you will probably remember the McDonald's 1986 campaign "Mac Tonight", which introduced the restaurant's later hours.