Ella in Berlin: Mack the Knife

by Ella Fitzgerald

Ella in Berlin: Mack the Knife cover art
  • Type: Album
  • Released: 1960
  • Label: Verve
  • Country: United States
  • Length: 32:48
  • Community rating: 4.29/5 from 4 ratings

Album Notes & Community Reviews

This legendary recording is most famous for the moment when the singer completely forgot the lyrics to the title track in front of thousands of German fans. Instead of collapsing, she launched into an incredible, historically brilliant feat of improvised scat-singing that earned her two Grammy Awards and cemented her reputation for peerless vocal agility.

Genres

Descriptors: melodic, improvisation, technical, live, female-vocals

Tracklist

  1. Gone With the Wind
  2. Misty
  3. The Lady Is a Tramp
  4. The Man I Love
  5. Summertime
  6. Too Darn Hot
  7. Lorelei
  8. Mack the Knife
  9. How High the Moon

Credits

  • Ella Fitzgerald - primary artist, vocals
  • Paul Smith Quartet - accompanied by
  • Merle Shore - art direction
  • Wilfred Middlebrooks - bass
  • Gus Johnson - drums
  • Jim Hall - guitar
  • Jay Thompson - photography by
  • Paul Smith - piano
  • Norman Granz - producer
  • Allie Wrubel - written-by
  • Herbert Magidson - written-by
  • Erroll Garner - written-by
  • Johnny Burke - written-by
  • Rodgers & Hart - written-by
  • George & Ira Gershwin - written-by
  • DuBose Heyward - written-by
  • Cole Porter - written-by
  • Bertolt Brecht - written-by
  • Kurt Weill - written-by
  • Marc Blitzstein - written-by
  • Morgan Lewis - written-by
  • Nancy Hamilton - written-by

More from Ella Fitzgerald: full discography