The Great Gatsby
Music in Gatsby

Here are the lyrics to the song, "The Sheik Of Araby" mentioned in the book. (Smith/Wheeler/Snyder) Lead vocal: Harrison Well I'm the Sheik of Araby Your love belongs to me Well at night where you're asleep Into your tent I'll creep The stars that shine above Will light our way to love You rule this world with me I'm the Sheik of Araby Well I'm the Sheik of Araby Your love belongs to me Oh at night where you're asleep Into your tent I'll creep The sun that shines above Will light our way to love You rule this world with me I'm the Sheik of Araby Well I'm the Sheik of Araby Well I'm the Sheik of Araby, yeah

A close look at the lyrics will reveal many of the feelings that Gatsby has for Daisy. The song suggests that the woman is deeply infatuated with the man. Gatsby, through out the five years that he and Daisy are apart, tightly holds on to the belief that though married to Tom, Daisy loves him. So, like the song says, "Your love belongs to me."

---

Popular Songs of the 1920s


Cole Porter: "Let's Misbehave"
Guy Lombardo: "Charmaine"
Al Jolson: "Sonny Boy"
George Gershwin: "Rhapsody in Blue"
Gene Austin: "My Blue Heaven"
Paul Whiteman and his Orchestras: "Whispering"
Helen Kane: "I Wanna Be Loved By You"
Fanny Brice: "My Man"


These songs, while not mentioned in Great Gatsby were songs that real people of the twenties listened to them.

---

Phonographs were the most commonly used instrument to play music during the twenties.


Saxophones during the 1920s became synonymous with jazz and a new generation that demonstrated questionable behavior.





Page last updated on April 28, 1999.
Curator: Allison Bourget