The Great Gatsby
Music
The music in The Great Gatsby is reflective on the era of the flappers. This was a time period when people (women in particular) began to discover their right to express themselves however they wanted.
"The Sheik of Araby" was one of the songs featured in The Great Gatsby. A band that was hired by Jay Gatsby to entertain his guests at a party plays the song. To listen to the "Sheik of Araby" and view another music page, click the music bar below
Jazz music was a different kind of music than any other that had been heard. Fun to dance to but sensuous and passionate at the same time, it was the first kind of music that was purely "American." The men and women who danced to it would flail their arms and move about with wild energy. It lifted the spirit of the flappers and exposed them to a new freedom of expression. Like the music itself, the men and women of the time became more wild and expressive.
Music in The Great Gatsby:
Jay Gatsby is known for throwing outrageous parties every week. Since the record player was not around yet, live bands were required for parties to have lively music. Gatsby is rich enough to hire a live band that would play jazz every time he had a party. His guests loved to dance to the music, especially the popular "Charleston" dance.
For more information on music and dancing in the 1920s, click here
Page created on May 26 1999.
Curator: Peter Telfer