Standards

Mack The Knife chords & key

Key: B♭ major
Form: A
Bars: 16
Groove: Medium swing
Time signature: 4/4

“Mack The Knife” is a jazz standard by Weill-Brecht. It is usually played in B♭ major as a medium swing, and the 16-bar A form repeats as one section. Harmonically it contains 2 major ii–V–I cadences, uses 4 different chords. In this atlas it appears on 24 album tracks.

Chord changes

to key

Showing in: Concert (C) — B♭ major

B♭⁶

C^m7

F⁷

B♭⁶

G^m7

C^m7

C^m7F⁷

B♭⁶

Changes as commonly played (concert pitch). Your band's version may differ.

Harmonic analysis

2Major ii–V–I

0Minor ii–V–i

2ii–V moves

0Tritone substitutions

0Dominant chains

4Different chords

Most used chords

B♭⁶×6
C^m7×6
F⁷×3
G^m7×2

Recorded on these albums

1957	Bing With a Beat Bing Crosby with Bob Scobey’s Frisco Jazz Band · “Mack the Knife”
1958	Swingin’ Dixie, Volume 3 Al Hirt · “Mack the Knife”
1959	That's All Bobby Darin · “Mack the Knife”
1959	Cool Heat - Anita O'Day Sings Jimmy Giuffre Arrangements Anita O’Day · “Mack the Knife”
1959	The Time Is Right Lou Donaldson · “Mack the Knife”
1960	A Touch of Tabasco Rosemary Clooney & Pérez Prado · “Mack the Knife”
1960	Darin at the Copa Bobby Darin · “Mack the Knife”
1960	Introducing Wayne Shorter Wayne Shorter · “Mack the Knife”
1960	Crazy! Baby Jimmy Smith · “Mack the Knife”
1960	Blue Friday Kenny Dorham · “Mack the Knife”
1960	Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me Cootie Williams · “Mack the Knife”
1960	Per-cus-sive Jazz Peter Appleyard · “Mack the Knife”
1960	Graeme Bell at The Sylvania Graeme Bell · “Mack the Knife”
1962	Jazz With a Twist Slide Hampton · “Mack the Knife”
1963	I’m a Woman Peggy Lee · “Mack the Knife (from “Threepenny Opera”)”
1963	Hawkins! Alive! At The Village Gate Coleman Hawkins · “Mack the Knife”
1963	One World Concert Erroll Garner
1963	Shirley Horn With Horns Shirley Horn · “Mack the Knife”
1964	Oscar Peterson Trio + One: Clark Terry Oscar Peterson Trio & Clark Terry · “Mack the Knife”
1964	Ragtime Jug Stompers Dave Van Ronk · “Mack the Knife”
1967	When I'm Blue Buddy Tate Avec Milton Buckner · “Mack the Knife”
1968	Piano à gogo James Last · “Mack the Knife”
1968	James Last à gogo James Last · “Mack the Knife”
1971	Black and Blues Jimmy McGriff · “Mack the Knife”

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

Title	Composer	Key	Form	Groove
Mimi 36%	Richard Rogers	G major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
52nd Street Theme 33%	Thelonious Monk	C major	AABA · 32	Up-tempo swing
Big Nick 33%	John Coltrane	G major	A · 8	Medium slow
I Don't Want To Miss Mississippi 29%	Serger Ellis	G major	AAB · 48	Medium swing
The Rainbow Connection 29%	Williams-Ascher	G major	AAB · 34	Jazz waltz
I Ain't Got Nobody 28%	Graham-Williams	G major	AABA · 32	Slow swing
I Like The Likes Of You 28%	Vernon Duke	E♭ major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
Lennie-Bird 27%	Lennie Tristano	G major	A · 16	Medium-up swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is Mack The Knife in?

Mack The Knife is usually played in B♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is C major, for E♭ instruments G major.

Who wrote Mack The Knife?

Mack The Knife was written by Weill-Brecht.

What is the form of Mack The Knife?

Mack The Knife has 1 sections (A) with 16 bars in total.

How fast is Mack The Knife played?

The usual groove is Medium swing.

What are the chord changes to Mack The Knife?

The opening bars are Bb6 | Bb6 | Cm7 | Cm7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.