The great song Mack the Knife composed by Kurt Weill and with lyrics by Bertolt Brecht has been covered by many artists including the musical giants Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darin, Robbie Williams ... and King Kurt.
The version by our psychobilly friends appeared on their 1983 album Ooh Wallah Wallah which until now I didn't know was on Stiff and produced by Dave Edmunds.
A copy of the 12 inch was my only vinyl acquisition on my recent foray to Oxfam.
The second song Wreck a Party Rock sticks towards the end but I doubt that many of you will get that far.
There is an argument that I am too old for all this nonsense. Not one I subscribe to.
King Kurt - Mack the Knife
King Kurt - Wreck a Party Rock
The Psychedelic Furs issued a brilliantly angular cover of 'Mack the Knife' on the flip of the original 7" of 'Pretty in Pink'.
ReplyDeleteI went to a King Kurt concert ca. 1986. Total mayhem, people throwing bottles and plastic pint glasses of lager everywhere. I didn't stay too long.
ReplyDeleteI hope I never get too old for nonsense. It's the only thing that makes life worthwhile!
ReplyDeleteI saw King Kurt even earlier than George - they played Strathclyde Uni in 83 or 84. Total bedlam, bonkers, brilliant and bouncing. One of the sweatiest gigs of my life.
ReplyDeleteMack The Knife was in fact the follow-up 45 to their one chart hit - Destination Zululand. It stalled just outside the Top 50 in early 84 which I'm guessing would have been around the time of said student union gig.
Destination Zululand has featured here before along side the Meteors to commemorate my Psychobilly loving brother's birthday
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