"Mack the Knife" was composed in Germany by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill for the Threepenny Opera which opened onstage in Berlin in 1928. Bobby Darin recorded his version of "Mack the Knife" as part of a move away from teen idol status to a more adult sound. It was very successful hitting #1 on the pop singles chart and winning the Grammy Award for Record of the Year. Louis Armstrong recorded the first popular American version in 1954, but Bobby Darin's is considered to be the definitive "Mack the Knife."
1960: Bobby Darin - "Mack the Knife"
From Bill Lamb, About.com
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