Louis Armstrong - Mack The Knife (1956)

[johnwhite79]

@Thanatocoenosis why do you say that?

[watchinshadows]

Nothing quite like when ol' Satch does this!

[Banderuola66]

What a great and sympathetic artist he was ! Enjoyed listen to Louise.

Thank you for posting. All Trumpets Up !!!

[fillra01]

Originally written in the German language in 1928 by Kurt Weil (words) and Bertolt Brecht (music) for a music drama, 'The Threepenny Opera'. "Oh the shark has pretty teeth dear, And he shows them pearly white. Just a jack-knife has Macheath, dear And he keeps it out of sight." .... There's another translation from 1994: "Though the shark's teeth may be lethal, Still you see them white and red. But you won't see Mackie's flick knife Cause he slashed you and you're dead." .... Nice chap, huh?

[RealRockandRoll]

@fillra01 Yeah this song is something special. It has a very long and interesting history from the threepenny, to the present. It won Ella Fitzgerald an emmy, and made Bobby Darin famous. Simon Cowell of all people said this is "the greatest song ever written"

[RealRockandRoll]

@fillra01 won ella a grammy, not an emmy!

[fillra01]

@RealRockandRoll

Hi. Er... just noticed this. Ella should have won EVERYTHING going, not just her 13 (THIRTEEN!!!) Grammy Awards. She was/is superb. Excellent entry for her on Wiki.

[Koennsmits]

@fillra01 Are you sure that Weil did the words and Brecht the music? Because as far as I can remember Weil is a composer and Brecht a poet/author? Am I right?

[fillra01]

@Koennsmits

Hi. You are right of course and I am WRONG!!.. wrong wrong wrong. I must have typed it in haste. Thanks for the correction.

Sorry folks.

Still, it is a very good song, superbly interpreted by Satchmo.

[fillra01]

Great music, RRaR! Thanks. "Take it, Satch!" Wow! A vicious song... shark's teeth, a jack-knife, a body oozing life, Louie Miller's disappeared, Mack has loads of cash... & here come the girls! Louis Armstrong and The All Stars September 28, 1955, Los Angeles Armstrong, Louis (Trpt, Vocal) Young, Trummy (Trbn) Bigard, Barney (Cl) Kyle, Billy (Pno) Shaw, Arvell (Bss) Deems, Barrett (Drms) Ricky Riccardi's "dippermouth blog" is excellent for information about Louis and his music.

[bullfrog1954]

I do like this version though most folks remember the Bobby Darin one best. My lady likes "Hello Dolly" by Armstrong-that's her name!

[RealRockandRoll]

@bullfrog1954 Yes it is true that most people remember Bobby Darin's version best, I actully prefer this version because Louis Armstrong is playing the horn and singing vocals while Darin's version while still a classic is just vocals.