 Other critics have identified a variety of themes in the poem, including exotic erotica, Victorian prudishness, romanticism, class, power, and gender.The song, with Speaks's music, was sung by Frank Sinatra with alterations to the text such as "broad" for "girl" which were disliked by Kipling's family.Bertolt Brecht's "Mandalay Song", set to music by Kurt Weill, alludes to the poem.