"Mack The Knife" AKA "Moritat vom Mackie Messer"

"A Moritat - the word is formed from Mord ("murder") and Tat ("deed") - is a traditional type of ballad about legendary criminals that used to be sung at German street fairs" - Ronald Sanders in his biography of Kurt Weill The Days Grow Short

"Mack The Knife" is sung at the opening of "The Threepenny Opera" by "The Streetsinger". In the opening of "September Songs" Nick is seen walking through a desolate industrial street-scene.

Nick's version of the 1970's Mannheim/Willett translation arranged by Spanish Fly, Produced by Hal Willner, Directed by Larry Weinstein, Canada, "September Songs", 1995, a TV tribute to Kurt Weill.

Nick Cave:	Vocals
Steven Bernstein:	Trumpet
Marcus Rojas:	Tuba
Dave Tronzo:	Slide Guitar

Steven Bernstein is in The Lounge Lizards.

Spanish Fly are US instrumental trio whose CDs have been produced by Hal Willner.

Spanish Fly Discography:

• Insert Tongue Here, EP, 1994,
• Rags To Britches, Knitting Factory 1994
• Fly By Night, Accurate 1996 (music to the Ballet by the San Francisco Ballet)

Nick appeared on the US TV series Night Music on January 28, 1990. This series was Produced by Hal Willner and, I believe, hosted by Alto Sax player David Sanborn. This may be where Hal Willner met Nick.

Hal Willner also produced "Lost In The Stars" in 1985 a tribute LP/CD to Kurt Weill, it features Sting singing the Mannheim/Willett translation of "Mack The Knife" arranged by Dominic Muldowney.

The more well known English translation by Marc Blitzstein dates from 1952 and was first produced off-Broadway in 1954. This is the translation sung by Louis Armstong and a hit for Bobby Darin.

Yours specifically,
Kim

Soundtrack To September Songs Due Aug. 19

PJ Harvey, Lou Reed, and Elvis Costello are among the artists on yet another collection of Kurt Weill- composed songs. This one, dubbed 'September Songs: The Music of Kurt Weill', is described as an updated version of the Hal Willner compilation of Weill songs in 1995, Lost in the Stars, which featured Reed and Marianne Faithfull. The latter also recorded several other Weill songs on her own. September Songs, due Aug. 19 on Sony Classical, is the long- awaited soundtrack to last year's public television documentary on the late composer, who was best known for the '50s lounge hit "Mack the Knife." The September Songs film was by Larry Weinstein.

The album will feature Nick Cave on "Mack the Knife"; Harvey on "Ballad of the Soldier's Wife"; David Johansen on "Alabama Song" (which the Doors also covered); Costello on "Lost in the Stars"; Reed on "September Song"; William S. Burroughs on "What Keeps Man Alive?"; and the Persuasions on "Oh Heavenly Salvation." Among other tracks, the album will also contain a vintage recording from Weill's wife, Lotte Lenya, and an old version of Bertold Brecht doing "Mack the Knife."

That's what it said at http://www.allstarmag.com/search/searchmore.cgi?+Nick+Cave

martin

From Maurice

The CD version of Mack The Knife on September Songs contains one more verse than the video version.