History Music / PirateJenny

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eRI-a9Cv1M "Geni e o Zepelim"]] by Chico Buarque tells the story of Geni, a young prostitute, who is despised by the populace. Her town is attacked by a zeppelin due to its wickedness. The Zeppelin's captain is charmed by Geni, though, and decides to spare the city if he could sleep with her. All the people beg for her to do that, telling her she would redeem them. She accepts, and has a terrible night with the commander. Even though she saves the town, as soon as the zeppelin leaves, [[UngratefulBastard the cityfolk resume their loathing]] for Geni.

** The song is played during the credits of the animated adaptation of ''Tales of the Black Freighter''.

Interpretations of the poem tend to fall into two categories: the Jenny character is either a total angel who brings a much-needed social revolution, or a morally ambiguous VillainProtagonist whose actions should be sharply criticized. Some adaptations additionally show Jenny as a whore or a sex slave -- this is because the American version of ''Theatre/TheThreepennyOpera'' combined the characters of the Pirate Jenny and Jenny the whore, played by Miss Creator/LotteLenya (pictured above).

''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFP3x4bKpZE The Pirate Jenny]]'' is a song by Creator/BertoltBrecht and Creator/KurtWeill. Several years after writing it (originally with the title "Lied vom Brigantenschiff"), Brecht included the song in his 1928 play ''Theatre/TheThreepennyOpera'' (where it's [[ThatRemindsMeOfASong told]] either by Polly Peachum or by Jenny the whore, depending on the production). Because of its intentionally high {{Applicability}}, activists and artists have used the story to convey a ''wide'' range of political ideas. The song has been constantly re-adapted since its first American performance in 1954, with its interpretation varying from anti-racism to symbolism for the atom bomb.

''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFP3x4bKpZE The Pirate Jenny]]'' is a song by Creator/BertoltBrecht. Several years after writing it (originally with the title "Lied vom Brigantenschiff"), Brecht included the song in his 1928 play ''Theatre/TheThreepennyOpera'' (where it's [[ThatRemindsMeOfASong told]] either by Polly Peachum or by Jenny the whore, depending on the production). Because of its intentionally high {{Applicability}}, activists and artists have used the story to convey a ''wide'' range of political ideas. The song has been constantly re-adapted since its first American performance in 1954, with its interpretation varying from anti-racism to symbolism for the atom bomb.

The story is about a young hotel maid named Jenny who dreams of, one day, being rescued by pirates from her demeaning job. When the pirates come (on "a ship with eight sails and fifty cannons" -- or in the first American translation, [[{{Woolseyism}} "a black freighter with a skull on its masthead"]]) they'll burn the town down, bringing everyone in the town to Jenny, who decides whether they live or die. Or, in the American version, ''when'' they die. She decides everyone should be killed, and with a final "HOPPLA!", she'll board the ship and sail away.

* Lars von Trier's ''{{Dogville}}'' is based entirely on the Pirate Jenny. The main character, Grace, even quotes the song directly at one point ("Nobody gonna sleep here tonight") and is shocked when she realizes what she is saying. The narrator notes that she wonders where such words would come from.

* [[http://catandgirl.com/?p=966 These]] [[http://catandgirl.com/?p=968 two]] ''CatAndGirl'' strips.

* Swiss industrial band TheYoungGods covered it on their album ''Play Kurt Weill'', sung by an obviously male singer.

** In Alan Moore's later ''LeagueOfExtraordinaryGentlemen: Century 1910'', the story is re-told starring Janni Nemo as "Jenny Diver".

The story is about a young hotel maid named Jenny who dreams of, one day, being rescued by pirates from her demeaning job. When the pirates come (on "a ship with eight sails and fifty cannons" -- or in the first American translation, [[{{Woolseyism}} "a black freighter with s skull on its masthead"]]) they'll burn the town down, bringing everyone in the town to Jenny, who decides whether they live or die. Or, in the American version, ''when'' they die. She decides everyone should be killed, and with a final "HOPPLA!", she'll board the ship and sail away.

The story is about a young hotel maid named Jenny who dreams of, one day, being rescued by pirates from her demeaning job. When the pirates come (on a ship with eight sails and fifty cannons) they'll burn the town down, bringing everyone in the town to Jenny, who decides whether they live or die. Or, in the American version, ''when'' they die. She decides everyone should be killed, and with a final "HOPPLA!", she'll board the ship and sail away.

* Nina Simone transformed the story into a protest song against racism.

It should be noted that Creator/KurtWeill didn't write the music for this particular song: he only orchestrated Brecht's original melody.

Interpretations of the poem tend to fall into two categories: the Jenny character is either a total angel who brings a much-needed social revolution, or a morally ambiguous VillainProtagonist whose actions should be sharply criticized. Some adaptations additionally show Jenny as a whore or a sex slave -- this is because the American version of ''Theatre/TheThreepennyOpera'' combined the characters of the Pirate Jenny and Jenny the whore, played by Miss LotteLenya (pictured above).

It should be noted that KurtWeill didn't write the music for this particular song: he only orchestrated Brecht's original melody.

* Bob Dylan's "When The Ship Comes In" is based on the song, as is "The Times They Are A-Changin" (though less obviously so).

* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eRI-a9Cv1M "Geni e o Zepelim"]] by Chico Buarque tells the story of Geni, a young prostitute, who is despised by the populace. Her town is attacked by a zeppelin due to its wickedness. The Zeppelin's captain is charmed by Geni, though, and decides to spare the city if he could sleep with her. All the people beg for her to do that, telling her she would redeem them. She accepts, and has a terrible night with the commander. Even though she saves the town, as soon as the zeppelin leaves, the cityfolk resume their loathing for Geni.

** In Alan Moore's later ''LeagueOfExtraordinaryGentlemen: Century 1910'', the story is re-told starring Janni Nemo as "Jenny Diver".

* In ''{{Watchmen}}'', the plot is occasionally interrupted to show chapters from the pirate comic "The Black Freighter". Moore has said that the Jenny-story is meant to mirror both Rorschach's estrangement from humanity and Jon "marooning himself" on Mars, and most of all, [[spoiler: Ozymandias' destruction of New York]].

''[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFP3x4bKpZE The Pirate Jenny]]'' is a song by Creator/BertoltBrecht. Several years after writing it (with the title "Lied vom Brigantenschiff"), Brecht included the song in his 1928 play ''Theatre/TheThreepennyOpera'' (where it's [[ThatRemindsMeOfASong told]] either by Polly Peachum or by Jenny the whore, depending on the production). Because of its intentionally high {{Applicability}}, activists and artists have used the story to convey a ''wide'' range of political ideas. The song has been constantly re-adapted since its first American performance in 1954, with its interpretation varying from anti-racism to symbolism for the atom bomb.

''[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFP3x4bKpZE The Pirate Jenny]]'' is a song by Creator/BertoltBrecht. Several years after writing it, Brecht included the song in his 1928 play ''Theatre/TheThreepennyOpera'' (where it's [[ThatRemindsMeOfASong told]] either by Polly Peachum or by Jenny the whore, depending on the production). Because of its intentionally high {{Applicability}}, activists and artists have used the story to convey a ''wide'' range of political ideas. The song has been constantly re-adapted since its first American performance in 1954, with its interpretation varying from anti-racism to symbolism for the atom bomb.

* Creator/BertoltBrecht re-used the song himself in ''Theatre/TheThreepennyNovel''.

''[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFP3x4bKpZE The Pirate Jenny]]'' is a song by BertoltBrecht. Several years after writing it, Brecht included the song in his 1928 play ''Theatre/TheThreepennyOpera'' (where it's [[ThatRemindsMeOfASong told]] either by Polly Peachum or by Jenny the whore, depending on the production). Because of its intentionally high {{Applicability}}, activists and artists have used the story to convey a ''wide'' range of political ideas. The song has been constantly re-adapted since its first American performance in 1954, with its interpretation varying from anti-racism to symbolism for the atom bomb.

* BertoltBrecht re-used the song himself in ''Theatre/TheThreepennyNovel''.