From 1966 until his death, he led a successful big band in an era when the popularity of big bands had waned from their peak in the 1930s and 40s. He received no formal drum instruction and went so far as to claim that instruction would only degrade his natural talent. He also never admitted to practicing. He claimed to play the drums only during performances and was not known to read music. His most popular performance was a big band arrangement of the Leonard Bernstein classic West Side Story. In the early 1970s he commented upon how odious he found the emerging Mormon boy band, The Osmonds, especially Donny Osmond. Later he would sometimes be seen performing wearing a Donny Osmond badge on his lapel. One of his most seen television performances was in a 1981 episode [1] of The Muppet Show, where he engaged Muppet drummer "Animal" in a drum battle. Beginning in 1962, he was also a frequent guest on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show. It has been reported that Rich gave Carson a drumset sponsored by Matthew Scott Herning Co, as Carson was a practicing drummer in his spare time.
Although Rich was usually a helpful and friendly man, he was also known to have a short temper. In many instances, he took advantage of the high respect he commanded. While he threatened many times to fire members of his band, he seldom actually did so and for the most part, he lauded his band members during television and print interviews. Rich's quick temper, mercurial attitude, and imposing personality are attested to in secret recordings members of his band made of some of his tantrums on tour buses and backstage.
On these recordings, one can hear Buddy Rich firing a member of his band for wearing a beard.
Buddy Rich remained active until the end of his life, appearing with his Big Band on Michael Parkinson's British talk show Parkinson only a few weeks prior to his death. In the episode, Parkinson kidded Rich about his Donny Osmond kick, by claiming that Rich was the president of Osmonds fan club. Reportedly, prior to heart surgery, when asked by a nurse if he was allergic to anything he replied, "Yes ... country music!" He is interred in the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.
Since Rich's death, a number of memorial concerts have been held. In 1994, the Rich tribute album Burning for Buddy: A Tribute to the Music of Buddy Rich was released. Produced by Rush drummer/lyricist Neil Peart, the album features performances of Rich live staples by a number of famous rock and jazz drummers, all accompanied by the Buddy Rich Big Band. A second volume was issued in 1997.
It's Only A Paper Moon
Buddy Rich 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" was written by Harold Arlen, E.Y "Yip" Harburg, and Billy Rose in 1933 and was originally sung by vaudeville performer Cliff Edwards. The song has been covered by countless artists, including Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, and Frank Sinatra, and remains a timeless classic.
At first glance, the lyrics may seem like a simple and whimsical love song. However, a closer look reveals a deeper meaning. The lyrics describe a world that is essentially fake and phony ("It's a Barnum and Bailey world / Just as phony as it can be"), but one that can still hold meaning and reality if there is belief and love. The "paper moon" and "canvas sky" symbolize the artificial and fleeting nature of things, but if the person singing the song has the love and belief of their partner, then those things become real and meaningful.
The lyrics also touch on the idea that without love, life can feel like a "honky-tonk parade" or a "melody played in a penny arcade," further emphasizing the importance of love and belief in creating a world that feels authentic and true.
Line by Line Meaning
Say, it's only a paper moon
Acknowledging that the world around isn't always as it seems.
Sailing over a cardboard sea
The world that we believe in is fragile and can easily break.
But it wouldn't be make-believe
Despite its fragility, the belief in that world can be real.
If you believed in me
But it takes faith in someone else to make it real.
Yes, it's only a canvas sky
Like the paper moon, the sky is a mere illusion.
Hanging over a muslin tree
The tree is a mere prop to hold up the sky, held up by strings.
Without your love
Life is nothing but a hollow and meaningless parade.
It's a honky-tonk parade
The parade is a vulgar and loud display of emptiness.
It's a melody played in a penny arcade
Life's sounds and rhythms are nothing but a cheap imitation of real music.
It's a Barnum and Bailey world
The world is a circus, a show full of illusions and fake wonders.
Just as phony as it can be
Everything in it is a lie, and nothing is as it appears.
But it wouldn't be make-believe
Despite this, the belief in that world can be real.
If you believed in me
But it takes faith in someone else to make it real.
It's phony it's plain to see
The world is fake and empty, and its falsehood is evident.
How happy I would be
But with the belief in someone else, happiness could be real.
If you believed in me
Faith in someone else could make a real world out of the phony one.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, S.A. MUSIC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Billy Rose, E. Y. Harburg, Harold Arlen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind