Edwards was born Clifton A. Edwards in Hannibal, Missouri. He left school at age 14 and soon moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where he entertained as a singer in saloons. As many places had pianos in bad shape or none at all, Edwards taught himself to play ukulele (then often spelled "ukelele") to serve as his own accompanist (selecting that instrument as it was the cheapest in the music store). He got the nickname "Ukelele Ike" from a club owner who could not remember his name. He got his first break in 1918 at the Arsonia Cafe in Chicago, Illinois, where he performed a tune called "Ja Da", written by the club's pianist, Bob Carleton. Edwards and Carleton made the tune a hit on the vaudeville circuit. Vaudeville headliner Joe Frisco hired Edwards as part of his act, which was featured at the Palace in New York City, the most prestigious theater in vaudeville, and then in the Ziegfeld Follies.
Edwards made his first phonograph records in 1919. He recorded early examples of jazz scat singing in 1922. The following year he signed a contract with Pathé Records. He became one of the most popular singers of the decade, and appeared in several Broadway shows. He recorded, in his distinctive style, many of the pop and novelty hits of the day, such as "California, Here I Come", "Hard Hearted Hannah", "Yes Sir, That's My Baby", and "I'll See You in My Dreams".
In 1925, his recording of "Paddlin’ Madeleine Home" would reach number three on the pop charts. In 1928, his recording of "I Can't Give You Anything but Love" was number one for one week on the U.S. pop singles chart. In 1929, his recording of "Singin' in the Rain" was number one for three weeks. Edwards's own compositions included "(I'm Cryin' 'Cause I Know I'm) Losing You", "You're So Cute (Mama O' Mine)", "Stack O' Lee", "Little Somebody of Mine", and "I Want to Call You 'Sweet Mama'". He also recorded a few "off-color" novelty numbers for under-the-counter sales, including "I'm a Bear in a Lady's Boudoir".
More than any other performer, Edwards was responsible for the soaring popularity of the ukulele in the 1920s. Millions of ukuleles were sold during the decade, and Tin Pan Alley publishers added ukulele chords to standard sheet music. Edwards always played American Martin ukuleles favoring the small soprano model in his early career. In his later years Edwards moved to the sweeter, large tenor ukulele more suited to crooning which was becoming popular in the 1930s.
Edwards' continued to record until shortly before his 1971 death. His last record album, Ukulele Ike, was released posthumously on the independent Glendale label. He reprised many of his 1920s hits, but his then failing health was evident in the recordings
It's Only A Paper Moon
Cliff Edwards Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
Cliff Edwards's song "It's Only a Paper Moon" talks about the power of love and how it shapes our perception of reality. The song starts with the admission that the singer only feels real when they are with the person they love. When they are apart, the world feels temporary, like a parking place, waiting for their lover's return.
The chorus of the song introduces the idea of make-believe, a theme that runs throughout the song. The singer acknowledges that the moon in the sky and the world around them may be fake, made of paper and canvas, but their love is real, and that is all that matters. If their partner believes in them, then their love becomes real, and the rest of the world fades away.
The song's final verse returns to the idea that without love, the world can seem like a carnival, full of noise and distractions. But with love, even the artificiality of the world can be transformed into something beautiful and real, a make-believe world that comes to life through the power of imagination and the belief in love.
Overall, "It's Only a Paper Moon" celebrates the transformative power of love and its ability to shape our perceptions of reality. The song suggests that love can create a world that is more beautiful and meaningful than anything we could experience without it.
Line by Line Meaning
I never feel a thing is real
I feel disconnected and ungrounded when I'm not with you
When I'm away from you
When I'm not physically close to you
Out of your embrace
When I'm not wrapped up in your loving arms
The world's a temporary parking place
Everything else in my life feels temporary and meaningless without you
Mmm, mm, mm, mm
A moment of contemplation and reflection
A bubble for a minute
Happiness that is fleeting and could burst at any moment
You smile, the bubble has a rainbow in it
Your presence brings color and joy into even the most transient moments
Say, its only a paper moon
Acknowledging that the world is an illusion
Sailing over a cardboard sea
The things that seem solid and fixed are actually delicate and fragile
But it wouldn't be make-believe
However, if we believe in something strongly enough, it can become real to us
If you believed in me
If you shared my belief and faith in our connection
Yes, it's only a canvas sky
All around us, there are only man-made trappings of the natural world
Hanging over a muslin tree
The things we think are rooted and stable are often temporary and hung up like a stage set
Without your love
When I am not feeling loved by you
It's a honky-tonk parade
Everything around me is loud and garish, like a parade in a raucous bar
It's a melody played in a penny arcade
The sounds I hear are cheap, like a simple tune played on a mechanical device
It's a Barnum and Bailey world
The world is a spectacle, like a circus show
Just as phony as it can be
It's all an illusion, a facade that hides the emptiness and transience underneath
But it wouldn't be make-believe
However, if we believe in something strongly enough, it can become real to us
If you believed in me
If you shared my belief and faith in our connection
Lyrics © S.A. MUSIC, BMG Rights Management, 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
B. Deville
It's ironic how a recording that almost nobody bought in 1933 has become a well-known role model for amateur ukulele players in the early 21st-century
Darryl C Preston
Such a rich period for fascinating mixtures of popular song styles! This was treated mainly as a jazz variant, but it could have as easily been a seminal country music song, if 'Ike's' own tastes had led him in that direction.
Pinchy Da Vinci
Thanks for sharing this beautiful song.
Bits and Pieces
The very best rendition.
Michael O'Leary
Love it!
DogbadTV
Clean!🤩
trainroomgary
🎼 Cool & Classic Tune 🐔
Mr. A
Probably should have done this a little earlier in the day but Happy Birthday Mr. Edwards
JASON SALAZAR
Killing Them Softly ending scene.
Victor TalkingMachine
"Jiminy Cricket!"