He was born in Hamburg, Germany, and studied at the School of Music there. A multi-instrumentalist, he was hired by Hans Busch to play with his orchestra before serving as a bandsman in the German Navy during World War II. He later formed his own big band, toured with them, then worked as an arranger and producer, making hit records with Freddy Quinn and Ivo Robic. In 1961, he hired The Beatles to back Tony Sheridan on "My Bonnie (Lies Over the Ocean)," "When the Saints Go Marching In," "Ain't She Sweet" and "Cry for a Shadow," in a session for Polydor. These turned out to be the Beatles' first commercial recordings. When Beatles manager Brian Epstein asked Kaempfert about further promoting The Beatles, Kaempfert informed Epstein that the company was only interested in The Beatles as Tony Sheridan's backup group. (It also turned out British Decca executive Dick Rowe turned them down in favor of local beat combo Brian Poole and the Tremeloes.) He then released The Beatles from their contract with Polydor.
It's Only A Paper Moon
Bert Kaempfert Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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 a joyful and romantic tune that speaks about the magic of belief, and how it can turn ordinary things into something extraordinary. The song's metaphorical imagery compares the paper moon to a cardboard sea and a canvas sky to a muslin tree, highlighting the temporary and unreal nature of the world we live in. Nonetheless, the tune reminds us that even the unreal can become real if we believe in love and each other. The chorus reinforces this idea by emphasizing how important belief is in creating the magic that transforms the mundane into something enchanting. Without belief, the world is just a honky-tonk parade or a penny arcade's melody- noisy and superficial, lacking depth and purpose. But with belief, even a Barnum and Bailey world as phony as it can be can become wondrous.
Besides its romantic nature, the lyrics also reflect the time in which they were written, the 1930s, during the Great Depression. During that time, people were desperate for hope, and the idea that belief could turn something fake into something real offered a glimmer of light.
Line by Line Meaning
Say, it's only a paper moon
This world may not be real and it's only a figment of our imagination.
Sailing over a cardboard sea
The world is artificial and it is not tangible.
But it wouldn't be make-believe
However, this world can become a reality when there is a belief or trust.
If you believed in me
If you trust in me, we can create our own world together.
Yes, it's only a canvas sky
The sky may be just an illusionary painting.
Hanging over a muslin tree
The tree might just be a muslin fabric or a puppet.
Without your love
Without your love and trust, everything is meaningless and fake.
It's a honky tonk parade
It feels like a cheap and low-quality parade.
It's a melody played in a penny arcade
The tune is just played in a penny arcade that lacks meaning and profundity.
It's a Barnum and Bailey world
The world just resembles a circus akin to Barnum and Bailey's consisting of clowns and jester act.
Just as phony as it can be
Everything is superficial and lacks authenticity entirely.
It's phony it's plain to see
It is evident that the world is fabricated and not genuine.
How happy I would be
If only you trusted and believed in me, it would bring me immense joy and contentment.
If you believed in me
I am desperately waiting for you to have faith in me and in our dream world.
Lyrics © S.A. MUSIC , SHAPIRO BERNSTEIN & CO. INC.
Written by: BILLY ROSE, E.Y. HARBURG, HAROLD ARLEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind