It's Only A Paper Moon
Coleman Hawkins And His Rhythm Lyrics
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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 lyrics of Coleman Hawkins And His Rhythm's song, "It's Only A Paper Moon," speak of the concept of make-believe and how it relates to love. The first two verses talk about how even though the moon and sky are paper and canvas, respectively, the concept of them being make-believe will disappear if the person you love believes in you. This creates a sense of vulnerability and highlights the idea that love requires faith and trust to maintain its authenticity. The following verses talk about how without love, everything else, including a parade or a melody played in a penny arcade, is fake, emphasizing love's importance in life. The last verse urges the listener to believe in the singer, showing that the song is not just about love but also a cry for validation and connection.
Overall, the song emphasizes the importance of love and believing in oneself and others, even in a world that can be phony and filled with illusions. It portrays love as something that can turn even the simplest things into something magical and real.
Line by Line Meaning
Say, it's only a paper moon
I'm aware that this world is full of illusions and things that seem real, but are fake.
Sailing over a cardboard sea
Everything around us is not as real as it seems to be, and we are all sailing over a sea that is made up of cardboard and not real water.
But it wouldn't be make-believe
Even though our world is an illusion, it can become real if you believe in something strong enough.
If you believed in me
If you believe in me, I can make this world real for you, and we can live happily.
Yes, it's only a canvas sky
The sky we see every day can be made up of canvas instead of actual clouds and sun, and not be real.
Hanging over a muslin tree
The trees hanging in the sky are not real, but an illusion.
Without your love
Life without your love is empty and not enjoyable.
It's a honky-tonk parade
Life without your love is like a parade in a bar that is just a noisy and distracting activity that does not bring any joy.
It's a melody played in a penny arcade
Life without your love is like listening to a tune on a jukebox that is not real and just a quick distraction.
It's a Barnum and Bailey world
The world around us is like a circus or spectacle that is just putting on a show for us.
Just as phony as it can be
The world is as phony as it can be, making it hard to see what is real and what is not.
It's phony it's plain to see
It's easy to see that the world is fake, and not everything is real.
How happy I would be
If you believed in me, I would be overjoyed, and everything in our phony world would become real.
If you believed in me
Belief can make things real, and if you believe in me, we can enjoy life together, making even the fake things in the world seem real.
Lyrics © S.A. MUSIC, SHAPIRO BERNSTEIN & CO. INC.
Written by: BILLY ROSE, E.Y. HARBURG, HAROLD ARLEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind