It's Only A Paper Moon
Cliff 'Ukulele Ike' Edwards Lyrics
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When I'm away from you
Out of your embrace
The world's a temporary parking place
Mmm, mm, mm, mm
A bubble for a minute
Mmm, mm, mm, mm
Say, its 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
The song "It's Only A Paper Moon" by Cliff 'Ukulele Ike' Edwards conveys a message about the importance of belief, using metaphors such as a paper moon, cardboard sea, and canvas sky to illustrate that the world is just a temporary, make-believe place without the love of the person you care about. The first two lines of the song express how the singer feels when he is away from his loved one, saying that everything feels unreal, as if the world is just a "temporary parking place" without them. This sets the tone for the rest of the song, which is essentially an appeal to the loved one to believe in the singer and their love for each other, as it is what gives meaning to their lives.
The next section of the song describes the transient nature of life, using the metaphor of a bubble to represent how fragile and fleeting existence can be. The bubble is temporary, but when the loved one smiles, it is embellished with a rainbow, representing how their love can make even the most fleeting moments magical. The chorus then introduces the idea of the paper moon and the canvas sky, saying that they are only make-believe until the loved one believes in the singer, highlighting how love can give meaning and substance to the world around us.
The final two sections of the song continue this theme, talking about how the world is a lonely and empty place without the loved one, using the imagery of a honky-tonk parade and a penny arcade to convey the emptiness of existence without the person they care about. The song concludes with the idea that the world may be phony, but it is still a beautiful place if the loved one only believes in the singer and their love for each other.
Line by Line Meaning
I never feel a thing is real
I feel disconnected when I'm not with you
When I'm away from you
When I'm not physically close to you
Out of your embrace
No longer feeling the warmth and comfort of being held by you
The world's a temporary parking place
Life seems meaningless without you
Mmm, mm, mm, mm
Pause in the music, taking a moment to reflect on the lyrics
A bubble for a minute
The happiness provided by everyday life experiences are short-lived
You smile, the bubble has a rainbow in it
Your presence makes everything more colorful and joyful
Say, its only a paper moon
Let's acknowledge the temporary nature of life
Sailing over a cardboard sea
Our experiences may seem superficial and manufactured
But it wouldn't be make-believe
However, it can feel genuine if you believe in love
If you believed in me
If you trust me and our connection
Yes, it's only a canvas sky
The sky we see may just be an illusion
Hanging over a muslin tree
The trees we see may also be fake, like a movie set
Without your love
Without you in my life
It's a honky-tonk parade
Life feels like a cheap and unsatisfying show
It's a melody played in a penny arcade
My life without you is a repetitive and shallow existence
It's a Barnum and Bailey world
The world we live in is a circus
Just as phony as it can be
Everything feels fake and insincere
But it wouldn't be make-believe
However, true love can still be found if you look for it
If you believed in me
If you put your faith in our relationship
Lyrics © S.A. MUSIC, SHAPIRO BERNSTEIN & CO. INC.
Written by: BILLY ROSE, E.Y. HARBURG, HAROLD ARLEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MrAllie-bf6zt
The Movie "Killing Them Softly" with Brad Pitt, brought me here. Cool song and movie!
@mattgordon5228
Yelp!
@Taylor-lk2oj
Me too 🖤
@rubinanthony
Killing them softly brought me here, good song, good movie.
@victorhamon
Anthony Rubin Best part of the movie
@w_m64
+Anthony Rubin - Me too!!
I'm well behind with my movies, but just watched Killing them softly great movie, and a good song always brings me to youtube..
@mehrdadaz4717
@@w_m64 me too
@cfuller902
Rip Frankie
@TheSands83
👍👍👍
@psychostormtrooper3827
Out of all the versions, this is by far the best