Should I feel uncomfortable when Leon Redbone's version of The Sheik Of Araby comes on the iPod ?
Well I'm the Sheik of Araby
Your love belongs to me
Well at night when you're asleep
Into your tent I'll creepThe stars that shine above
Will light our way to love
You rule this world with me
I'm the Sheik of Araby
... x2, in a roughly middle-eastern accent, followed by a minute or so of him making these crazy lip-flapping, grunting, mumbling, chortling noises. I can't help but picture this guy:
You can hear it on Rhapsody - couldn't find his version on YouTube anywhere. Give it a listen.
Is it borderline racist, or clearly racist ? Or am I finding racism where none exists ? Such heavy questions for such a silly song.
But, it's an old standard, done by everyone from Rudolph Valentino to The Beatles to Django Reinhardt to Jo Ann Castle (on the Lawrence Welk show). The Valentino version has a couple of verses about Winston Churchill getting beaten by Germany's planes... WTF ?
I can has go home early ?