# Mack the Knife lyrics interpretation, please **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 31, 2009, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mack-the-knife-lyrics-interpretation-please/508383 "2009-08-31T18:23:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abby_Emma_Sasha)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mack-the-knife-lyrics-interpretation-please/508383/41 "2009-09-01T20:36:45Z")
I swear I will give up but I don’t understand why I am the one who is being warned. I am the one who is in tears right now because I thought I could do some good. No problem, I will no longer post. ---
**Author:** ![Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abby_Emma_Sasha)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mack-the-knife-lyrics-interpretation-please/508383/42 "2009-09-01T20:52:36Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I give up. **Abby\_Emma\_Sasha** , consider this a formal warning: stop hijacking this thread. May I take this up in an e-mail? I don’t see how I hijacjcked the thread. I posted a lyric to a song that was relevant to the OP. Other posters seemed to have it in for me. May I say , you **Marley** seem to have it in for me too. I’m at a loss here. What have I done wrong? I posted a lyric from a song that was the subject of the OP. Help me out here. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mack-the-knife-lyrics-interpretation-please/508383/43 "2009-09-01T20:54:55Z")
> [@gang\_green](#): > > I’d always assumed that “Mackie” was the nickname, “Macheath” was his full first name. > > Macheath Messer, aka Mackie. > > But I could be wrong. Macheath is his surname. Mackie is his nickname. Messer = Knife so Mackie Messer ~ Mack the Knife and refers to his weapon of choice. We don’t know his first name. Gay doesn’t seem to have given him one. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mack-the-knife-lyrics-interpretation-please/508383/44 "2009-09-01T21:01:54Z")
> [@Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](#): > > May I take this up in an e-mail? I don’t see how I hijacjcked the thread. I posted a lyric to a song that was relevant to the OP. Other posters seemed to have it in for me. May I say , you **Marley** seem to have it in for me too. I’m at a loss here. What have I done wrong? I posted a lyric from a song that was the subject of the OP. Help me out here. Sokath! His eyes open! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mack-the-knife-lyrics-interpretation-please/508383/45 "2009-09-01T21:02:36Z")
> [@Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](#): > > May I take this up in an e-mail? Go ahead and send me a PM. Meanwhile everybody else is to drop this and get back to anything related to the actual song. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mack-the-knife-lyrics-interpretation-please/508383/46 "2009-09-01T21:16:01Z")
I like Ella Fitzgerald’s live in Berlin where she forgets the lyrics. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mack-the-knife-lyrics-interpretation-please/508383/47 "2009-09-01T21:18:27Z")
> [@panamajack](#): > > the Moritat was a sort of tabloid news-style street performance. Speaking of, I’m rather fond of Lyle Lovett’s cover/version of the song which is titled “Moritat” (from the closing credits of the movie Quiz Show). ---
**Author:** ![Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abby_Emma_Sasha)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mack-the-knife-lyrics-interpretation-please/508383/48 "2009-09-01T22:10:03Z")
I understand now the trouble was of the use of the word “standard”. I don’t even remember using the word but I apologioze for any misunderstanding. I merely tried to quote a lyriic that I am very familiar with. I love musicals and I love music so please forgive me me if I get glassy eyed from too much music. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mack-the-knife-lyrics-interpretation-please/508383/49 "2009-09-01T22:50:15Z")
Sure thing, **Abby**. No worries. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mack-the-knife-lyrics-interpretation-please/508383/50 "2009-09-01T23:14:23Z")
> [@panamajack](#): > > ‘ins’ should be ‘im’ there; missed the edit window. And I think it should be “ **d** ie trägt er…” ---
**Author:** ![Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abby_Emma_Sasha)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mack-the-knife-lyrics-interpretation-please/508383/51 "2009-09-02T02:00:48Z")
Fuck this shit, I don’t know why I’m apologiizing. Fuck. let em ban me. I have nothing to apologize for. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mack-the-knife-lyrics-interpretation-please/508383/52 "2009-09-02T04:33:14Z")
Get help. Mirab. His sails unfurled. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mack-the-knife-lyrics-interpretation-please/508383/53 "2009-09-02T11:18:45Z")
> [@Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](#): > > Fuck this shit, I don’t know why I’m apologiizing. Fuck. let em ban me. I have nothing to apologize for. **Abby\_Emma\_Sasha** : I very VERY strongly urge that you take a break from posting for a few days. If you want to discuss this in PM or email with **Marley** or myself, that’s fine, but your comments here are erratic and incomprehensible. You say you are in tears, and now you are obviously extremely pissed off, and it looks to me like this is over nothing. Again, I urge you to calm down. You may NOT post to this thread again, until there is some behind-the-scenes resolution. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mack-the-knife-lyrics-interpretation-please/508383/54 "2009-09-02T12:38:01Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I like Ella Fitzgerald’s live in Berlin where she forgets the lyrics. 🙂 And she won a Grammy for that! For mucking it up and then ad-libbing! > [@](#): > > Oh, whats the next chorus? > To this song, now > This is the one, now > I dont know > But it was a swinging tune > And its a hit tune > So we tried to do mack the knife > > Ah, louis miller > Oh, something about cash > Yeah, miller, he was spending that trash > And macheath dear, he spends like a sailor > Tell me, tell me, tell me > Could that boy do, something rash > > Oh bobby darin, and louis armstrong > They made a record, oh but they did > And now ella, ella, and her fellas > Were making a wreck, what a wreck > Of mack the knife ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mack-the-knife-lyrics-interpretation-please/508383/55 "2009-09-02T12:59:58Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > and then ad-libbing! Ah, but she is the Queen of Scat. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ministryman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@ministryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ministryman)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mack-the-knife-lyrics-interpretation-please/508383/56 "2009-09-02T14:55:36Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > Sokath! His eyes open! Shaka! When the walls fell! ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mack-the-knife-lyrics-interpretation-please/508383/57 "2009-09-02T15:29:32Z")
Personally, I always liked Nick Cave’s [interpretation](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3_2zbZwDlM) (vid link); he brings a kind of intensity to the song that I think is well suited to the subject matter. It’s on a collection called _September Songs: The Music of Kurt Weill_ (soundtrack to the concert film of the same name), which is well worth getting, containing contributions by Lou Reed, Elvis Costello, PJ Harvey, Bert Brecht himself, and William S. Burroughs reciting [_What Keeps Mankind Alive_](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJTIedZVIVQ). ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mack-the-knife-lyrics-interpretation-please/508383/58 "2009-09-02T17:12:22Z")
Kadir beneath Mo Moteh. Chenza at court. The court of silence. Kiazi’s children, their faces wet. Kiteo, his eyes closed. CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mack-the-knife-lyrics-interpretation-please/508383/59 "2009-09-02T17:26:10Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > Kadir beneath Mo Moteh. > Chenza at court. The court of silence. > Kiazi’s children, their faces wet. > Kiteo, his eyes closed. > > CMC fnord! OK, can anybody tell me why that’s so popular all of a sudden? I mean, I know it comes from a TNG episode, and I always thought the concept was a pretty original one, but lately, it seems to crop up in about every other thread I visit. Has this become a meme recently? ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mack-the-knife-lyrics-interpretation-please/508383/60 "2009-09-02T17:43:44Z")
> [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](#): > > OK, can anybody tell me why that’s so popular all of a sudden? … I have no clue! But it’s my favorite TNG episode and since one’s opportunities to speak Tamarian are so few and far between they must be jumped on with great vigor. CMC fnord! Sadly, [_Raphael Carter’s Darmok Dictionary_](http://rec.horus.at/trek/lists/darmok.html) has gone dark. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mack-the-knife-lyrics-interpretation-please/508383.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mack-the-knife-lyrics-interpretation-please/508383.md?page=4)