The heart of the story of ‘Mack the Knife’ is a great irony.

A song about a cold-blooded serial murderer written by a Marxist playwrighter and a leftwing composer for a musical that aimed to lay bare the hypocrisies of bourgeois double morality.

Jonathan Wild is considered one of the most notorious criminals in England. His deeds were known through novels, dramas and political satires throughout the UK.

The character of Peachum in Bertolt Brecht’s Threepenny Opera is shaped after him.

For a long time, Jonathan Wild managed to lead a double life that allowed him to lead a band of thieves while appearing in public as someone who upheld public order.

And some are in the darkness –
And the others in the light –
But you only see those in the light –
Those in the darkness you don’t see –

Und die einen sind im Dunkeln –
Und die anderen sind im Licht –
Doch man sieht nur die im Lichte –
Die im Dunklen sieht man nicht –

E alguns estão na escuridão –
E os outros estão na luz –
Mas você só vê aqueles na luz –
Aqueles na escuridão você não vê –

Y algunos están en la oscuridad –
Y los otros a la luz –
Pero solo ves eso a la luz –
Aquellos en la oscuridad no se ve –

I said Jenny Diver, 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