Clem Snide is an alt-country indie rock project from New York, NY and Nashv… Read Full Bio ↴Clem Snide is an alt-country indie rock project from New York, NY and Nashville, TN consisting of songwriter/singer/guitarist Eef Barzelay, and a rotation of musicians. Primarily an outlet for Barzelay, the band consisted chiefly of bassist/cellist Jason Glasser through mid-2006, as well as more recent members including multi-instrumentalist Pete Fitzpatrick, and his cousin Brendan Fitzpatrick.

"Clem Snide" is a character in several novels by William S. Burroughs, including Naked Lunch, The Ticket That Exploded, and Exterminator!. The band formed in 1991, when Barzelay wanted an outlet for his songwriting, but separated in 1994 after releasing a couple of 7" singles. A few years later, Barzelay met back up with Glasser and began writing songs again, performing under the name Fruit Key. After adding a bassist and drummer, they reclaimed the name Clem Snide, recorded songs, continued performing, and, in 1998, issued their first album, You Were a Diamond (produced by Adam Lasus) on Tractor Beam Records. This album received some short-term major label attention, enough for Clem Snide to release their second album, Your Favorite Music, on Sire Records, before being dropped prior to the album's release.

In 2001, Clem Snide released the album The Ghost of Fashion, which received some extra press due to the song "Moment in the Sun" being featured as the theme song for the second season of the NBC program Ed, after the show lost the rights to the Foo Fighters' "Next Year". Fans were allegedly distraught by the change, and Ed went back to the Foo Fighters for the third season; "Moment in the Sun" continued to be used as the theme song outside the U.S.

At this time, then-bassist Jeff Marshall left the band citing the touring schedule, as the band had performed a number of world tours in support of Fashion. He did, however, stay with the band to help record their fourth album, Soft Spot.

Clem Snide released their fifth album in 2005, End of Love, and in February 2006 Barzelay released his first solo album, Bitter Honey, on spinART Records. Barzelay' s latest solo record, Lose Big was released on June 17th 2008, on 429 Records. Barzelay confirmed that the band broke up during the proceedings, and that another record was completed around the same time, the newer recording set to be released first.

A live, tour-only, CD is also planned in conjunction with a fall tour by Barzelay.

In 2008, Eef Barzelay announced that Clem Snide has reformed and will release a full-length; "Hungry Bird" as well as an EP entitled "I Need You Now". They will support these releases with a tour.

Paper Moon
Clem Snide Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Say it's only a paper moon,
Sailing over a cardboard sea.
But it wouldn't be make believe,
If you believe in me.

Yes, it's only a canvas sky,
Hanging over a muslin tree.
But it wouldn't be make believe,

If you believe in me.

Without your love,
It's a honky tonk parade.

Without your love,
It's a melody played at a penny arcade.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics in Clem Snide's song Paper Moon express the belief that reality is shaped by one's perception of the world. The opening line "Say it's only a paper moon" sets the tone for this perspective - acknowledging that the world might seem like it's only made of paper and cardboard, but this is because of how we perceive it. The lines "But it wouldn't be make believe, If you believe in me" emphasize that belief is a powerful force that can shape reality.

The following verse, "Yes, it's only a canvas sky, Hanging over a muslin tree" continues this theme of perception. The canvas sky seems real because we believe in it, even though it's just hanging over a muslin tree. The chorus reinforces the idea that love is necessary to make life worth living, with lines like "Without your love, It's a honky tonk parade" and "Without your love, It's a melody played at a penny arcade." The honky tonk and penny arcade represent a superficial, empty existence without true love.

In conclusion, the song Paper Moon encourages the listener to believe in the power of perception and love to shape our world. Through the use of metaphors such as a paper moon and canvas sky, the lyrics suggest that our perceptions of reality are malleable and can be shaped by our beliefs.

Line by Line Meaning

Say it's only a paper moon,
Admit that what we are experiencing might not be real.

Sailing over a cardboard sea.
Our dreams are floating above material things, those that don't have true substance.

But it wouldn't be make believe,
Our reality might not be solid, but if we believe in it, it becomes real in our minds.

If you believe in me.
My presence and support can solidify our fantasy and make it feel more tangible.

Yes, it's only a canvas sky,
This thing we're chasing might seem impossible and unattainable.

Hanging over a muslin tree.
But that makes it no less significant and worth striving for.

Without your love,
Without you, I lack the support I need to achieve my dreams.

It's a honky tonk parade.
Without your love, my life is just a chaotic and unstructured mess.

Without your love,
Without you, my life is devoid of meaningful relationships.

It's a melody played at a penny arcade.
Without your love, life feels as artificial and hollow as the music played at an amusement park.

Contributed by Abigail S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.