[jtal]

I’m pretty sure that the original is in German. (Bertolt Brecht).

[DemforBush]

By gum, you are correct. I looked up Three Penny Opera and that indeed is where the song originally came from. I never knew that - thanks for the heads up! :-)

[NewHampshireDuo]

I’m pretty sure that the original is in German. (Bertolt Brecht).

Correct - the Weill/Brecht 3 Penny Opera. I have a poor singing voice which is fairly authentic for the song and did sing it once at a bar after consuming a fair number of adult beverages. Listen to the recording with the song done by Willy Trenk-Trebitsch for an idea.

[oldsicilian]

Jawohl. Music by Kurt Weil.

[Fiji Hill]

I prefer the original version

Die Moritat von Mackie Messer (The Ballad of Mack the Knife)--Lotte Lenya, 1930