"Mack the Knife Staff" Report commentary

Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports
1

In today’s Staff Report the subject of one of my favorite songs is handled.

Plaudits and kudos to Songbird for the fascinating story behind that song.

I would like to add that a version of “Mack the Knife” (sung slowly and in german) was used by Ernie Kovaks as background to many of his strange, silent comedy sketches on his T.V. show.

I know realize that this must have been from the “Three Penney Opera” and not some crazed sterno-bum-wannabe-Bobby-Darrin in a Dresden cafe’ as I’d always surmised.

2

Me too, actually. I always thought it added to the strangeness of his skits, and enhanced the overall Ernie Kovacs Experience, to have what I thought was this gonzo Frank Sinatra ripoff droning on in the background. In German, no less.