Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill wrote Mack the Knife in 1928 for the Threepenny Opera. Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitgerald, and Bobby Darin performed it, guaranteeing its place in our music social awareness. It’s such a happy, bouncy song that you’d hardly know it was talking about a hit man. But the legend lives on, and we’re thrilled to present our arrangement of this classic for five to seven octaves of handbells and three octaves of handchimes.
This arrangement isn’t for the faint of heart, being a solid Level 5 score – but it’s just SO much fun to play! The line forms to the right… old Macky’s back in town!
Oh, the shark, babe, has such teeth, dear / And it shows them pearly white.
Just a jackknife has old MacHeath, babe / And he keeps it, ah, out of sight.
You know when that shark bites with his teeth, babe / Scarlet billows start to spread.
Fancy gloves, oh, wears old MacHeath, babe / So there’s never, never a trace of red.
Now on the sidewalk, huh, huh, whoo sunny morning, un huh / Lies a body just oozin’ life, eek.
And someone’s sneakin’ ’round the corner / Could that someone be Mack the Knife?
There’s a tugboat, huh, huh, down by the river don’tcha know / Where a cement bag’s just a-droppin’ on down.
Oh, that cement is just, it’s there for the weight, dear / Five’ll get ya ten, old Macky’s back in town.
Now did ya hear ’bout Louie Miller? He disappeared, babe / After drawin’ out all his hard-earned cash.
And now MacHeath spends just like a sailor / Could it be our boy’s done somethin’ rash?
Now Jenny Diver, ho, ho, yeah, Sukey Tawdry / Ooh, Miss Lotte Lenya and old Lucy Brown.
Oh, the line forms on the right, babe / Now that Macky’s back in town.
I said Jenny Diver, whoa, Sukey Tawdry / Look out to Miss Lotte Lenya and old Lucy Brown.
Yes, that line forms on the right, babe / Now that Macky’s back in town.
Look out, old Macky’s back!
Purchasing the handbell choir version of this arrangement grants permission to print and maintain up to fifteen copies for your handbell ensemble; purchasing the single copy version grants permission to print and maintain one copy. Purchase also gives permission for performance, broadcasting, live-streaming and video-sharing online. See our licensing agreement for full details, and please remember to mention the title and arranger of the piece on video-sharing sites, social media and any printed materials such as concert programs.
See our licensing agreement for full details, and please remember to mention the title and arranger of the piece on video-sharing sites, social media and any printed materials such as concert programs.
