… Read Full Bio ↴Charlie Ventura (1916–1992) was a tenor saxophonist and bandleader.
Ventura was born Charles Venturo in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on 2nd December 1916. He had his first successes working with Gene Krupa. In 1945 he won the Down Beat readers' poll in the tenor saxophone division. In the late 1940s he ran a few successful ensembles with vocalists Jackie Cain, and Roy Kral, and went on to be known for "bop for the people".
After the 1950s he made few recordings, but did club work in Las Vegas, where he worked with Jackie Gleason. On 17th January 1992 died in Pleasantville, New Jersey at the age of seventy-five, of lung cancer.
It's Only A Paper Moon
Charlie Ventura 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
Charlie Ventura's song "It's Only a Paper Moon" is a classic tune that expresses the idea that everything is just make-believe unless someone believes in it. The lyrics describe a world that is made up of cardboard seas, canvas skies, and muslin trees. These images conjure up a world that is not real, but it wouldn't be fake if someone believed in it. Without love, the world is like a honky-tonk parade, playing a melody in a penny arcade.
However, if someone believes in the world, it becomes real. The song suggests that the power of the imagination can transform any situation. Even though the world may be phony, if someone believes in it, it becomes real. The song emphasizes the importance of belief and imagination and how they can influence our perceptions of reality.
Overall, "It's Only a Paper Moon" conveys a message that is still relevant today. The song encourages people to believe in themselves and in the world around them. It's a joyful reminder that we have the power to shape our reality by our thoughts and beliefs.
Line by Line Meaning
Say, it's only a paper moon
Acknowledge and recognize the fact that the world may seem temporary and fake, like a paper moon.
Sailing over a cardboard sea
The moon is depicted as being suspended over a sea on a flimsy boat made of cardboard. Emphasizes the superficiality and fragility of everything.
But it wouldn't be make-believe
The context may be fake, but the feelings are not. The love is real.
If you believed in me
If only the other person believed in the singer's love, then everything would be real.
Yes, it's only a canvas sky
Sky is compared to a painting on a canvas. It may be simplistic, but still suggestive and beautiful.
Hanging over a muslin tree
The tree may be made of muslin, which is a type of cotton, a cheap material. Yet, the context is not important when the love is real.
Without your love
The absence of the other's love makes everything dark and sad.
It's a honky-tonk parade
Life feels like an ugly and depressing parade without the presence of love.
It's a melody played in a penny arcade
The beauty and depth of life is reduced to a cheap melody produced by a coin-operated machine.
It's a Barnum and Bailey world
The world is a circus-like place, with everything flashy and entertaining, but nothing is truly authentic.
Just as phony as it can be
Everything seems fake and superficial.
But it wouldn't be make-believe
Love is the only thing that can anchor the singer to reality.
If you believed in me
The presence of the other's belief in the singer's love would make everything genuine and authentic.
It's phony it's plain to see
The singer accepts that the world might be fake but wishes for a real connection with the other person.
How happy I would be
With the other person's love, the singer would be truly happy.
If you believed in me
Once again, the other person's belief in the singer's love is crucial for everything to be real.
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
ronmesl
After Billie Holiday, this singer was one of the main reasons I started to love jazz.
fearfeasa1
Thank you so much for uploading this session by Charlie Ventura and Mary Ann McCall: I've been looking for it for a long time now. It's a beauty.
It's a pity about the last three numbers, though: "The Breeze and I" is cut before the end and "Charlie's Venture" and "Swinging on a Star" are missing entirely. Is there any chance you could try uploading them again ?
TONE B HURT
One of my favorite song stylists and horn men! This is truly Jazz in the improvisational sense! Thank you for post!
Joe Garchar
This is incredible, what a classic! Thanks for the upload.