It's Only A Paper Moon
Andy Bey Lyrics
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Sailing over a cardboard sea
But it wouldn't be make-believe
If you believed in me
Yes, it's only a canvas sky
Hanging over a muslin tree
But it wouldn't be make-believe
Without your love
It's a honky tonk parade
Without your love
It's a melody played in a penny arcade
It's a Barnum and Bailey world
Just as phony as it can be
But it wouldn't be make-believe
If you believed in me
Say, it's only a paper moon
Sailing over a cardboard sea
But it wouldn't be make-believe
If you believed in me
Yes, it's only a canvas sky
Hanging over a muslin tree
But it wouldn't be make-believe
If you believed in me
Without your love
It's a honky-tonk parade
Without your love
It's a melody played in a penny arcade
It's a Barnum and Bailey world
Just as phony as it can be
But it wouldn't be make-believe
If you believed in me
It's phony it's plain to see
How happy I would be
If you believed in me
The song It's Only a Paper Moon is about the power of the imagination and the effect believing has on one’s perceptions. The first verse references a paper moon sailing over a cardboard sea, both images that are obviously fake and wouldn’t exist in reality. However, the singer suggests that these things could become real if the listener believed in the singer. This is echoed in the second verse with the lines “Yes, it's only a canvas sky / Hanging over a muslin tree / But it wouldn't be make-believe / If you believed in me.” The chorus repeats these sentiments in a slightly different way, with the singer acknowledging that without the love of the person they are addressing, the world is fake and meaningless.
The final lines of the song drive home the idea that believing in something can make it feel real. The singer says, “It's phony it's plain to see / How happy I would be / If you believed in me.” Here, “phony” takes on a slightly different connotation. The world may be phony, but if the person being addressed believes in the singer and their love for them, they can be happy regardless.
Line by Line Meaning
Say, it's only a paper moon
The singer suggests that the situation at hand might seem unreal or fake.
Sailing over a cardboard sea
The imagery of a paper moon floating above a fake sea illustrates the idea of a false reality.
But it wouldn't be make-believe
However, the situation wouldn't be pretend if the listener trusted in the singer and their emotions were true.
If you believed in me
If the listener had faith in the artist, their relationship would be genuine.
Yes, it's only a canvas sky
The artist asserts again that the world they are living in might not be real, using the metaphor of a fake sky hanging above them.
Hanging over a muslin tree
The muslin tree stands for another low-quality, makeshift element in the world around them.
Without your love
The singer says that if the listener were not in their life, their experiences would be less joyous.
It's a honky-tonk parade
The artist compares their existence without their listener to a cheap, chaotic street scene.
It's a melody played in a penny arcade
The artist suggests that their life without the listener would be a shallow, unworthy experience, perhaps contrary to the beautiful melody of true art.
It's a Barnum and Bailey world
The world is compared to a famous circus duo that epitomizes spectacle rather than substance.
Just as phony as it can be
The world is thoroughly artificial, with no grounding in truth or reality.
It's phony, it's plain to see
The world's falseness is obvious to the artist.
How happy I would be
The singer expresses their emotions regarding the situation at hand.
If you believed in me
The statement emphasizes the importance of the listener's faith in the singer for their relationship's success.
Lyrics © S.A. MUSIC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Billy Rose, E. Y. Harburg, Harold Arlen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind