The Ballad Of Mack The Knife (Der Moritat Von Mackie Messer)
Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht
From the play "The Threepenny Opera" (1928)
Standard Tuning
Chords for the first 2 lines of every verse (with high note for singing reference)
C6 Dm G9 G9
e|----5-----5-----5------5-----|
B|----5-----6-----3------0-----|
G|----5-----7-----4--OR--0-----|
D|----5-----7-----3------0-----|
A|----3-----5-----5------2-----|
E|----------------3------3-----|
C6 Dm
Oh, the shark has pretty teeth, dear,
G9 C6
And he shows them pearly white;
Am Dm7
Just a jack-knife has Macheath, dear,
Dm7 C6
And he keeps it out of sight!
C6 Dm
When the shark bites with his teeth, dear,
G9 C6
Scarlet billows start to spread;
Am Dm7
Fancy gloves, though, wears Macheath, dear,
Dm7 C6
So there's not a trace of red!
C6 Dm
On the sidewalk Sunday morning
G9 C6
Lies a body oozing life;
Am Dm7
Someone sneaking 'round the corner;
Dm7 C6
Is that someone Mack the Knife?
C6 Dm
From a tugboat by the river,
G9 C6
A cement bag's dropping down;
Am Dm7
The cement's just for the weight, dear;
Dm7 C6
Bet ya Mackie's back in town!
C6 Dm
Louie Miller disappeared, dear,
G9 C6
After drawing out his cash,
Am Dm7
And Macheath spends like a sailor;
Dm7 C6
Did our boy do something rash?
C6 Dm
Suky Tawdry, Jenny Diver,
G9 C6
Polly Peachum, Lucy Brown;
Am Dm7
Oh, the line forms on the right, dears,
Dm7 C6
Now that Mackie's back in town!
C6 Dm
Oh, the shark has pretty teeth, dear,
G9 C6
And he shows them pearly white;
Am Dm7
Just a jack-knife has Macheath, dear,
Dm7 C6
And he keeps it out of sight!
Am Dm7
Just a jack-knife has Macheath, dear,
Slow down
Dm7 C6
And he keeps it out of sight!