Weeds may be best known as the founder and owner of Cory Weeds’ Cellar Jazz Club in Vancouver, which he successfully ran for more than 14 years. Weeds built the Cellar to become one of North America’s best Jazz clubs, where masters such as George Coleman, Jeff Hamilton, Louis Hayes, David “Fathead” Newman, Dr. Lonnie Smith, and the finest Jazz musicians from Vancouver and across Canada performed before it closed in February 2014.
But he wasn’t just the club owner. As a saxophonist who studied at the University of North Texas and Capilano University, Weeds spent many nights on the Cellar bandstand as a leader and sideman. He held his own when performing with icons like Joey DeFrancesco and Christian McBride. Weeds has also recorded fifteen albums as a leader, including: Live at Frankie’s (with Terell Stafford and Harold Mabern) Explosion (with Gary Smulyan, PJ Perry, Steve Davis and Joe Magnarelli), Let’s Groove (with Mike Ledonne), Dreamsville (with The Jeff Hamilton Trio), It’s Easy To Remember (with David Hazeltine, Joe Magnarelli, Paul Gill and Jason Tiemann, reached #1 on the Jazz Week Charts) This Happy Madness, (with The Jeff Hamilton Trio, reached #1 on the Jazz Week Charts), Condition Blue, The Music Of Jackie McLean (with Peter Bernstein, Mike LeDonne, and Joe Farnsworth)., As Of Now (with the Harold Mabern Trio), Let’s Go (with Steve Davis), the Juno-nominated Up A Step (Cory Weeds Quartet), With Benefits (with Lewis Nash and Peter Washington), Just Like That (with the Tilden Webb Trio), The Many Deeds of Cory Weeds (with Joey DeFrancesco), Everything’s Coming Up Weeds (with Jim Rotondi), and Big Weeds (with Peter Bernstein, Mike LeDonne, and Joe Farnsworth).
It's Only A Paper Moon
Cory Weeds 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
The song "It's Only A Paper Moon" was written by Harold Arlen, Yip Harburg, and Billy Rose and was first published in 1933. The lyrics of the song describe a world that is not real, a world that is constructed from paper, canvas, muslin trees, and cardboard seas. The singer acknowledges that the world is phony, just like Barnum and Bailey's circus, but it is still possible to make-believe if someone believes in them. The singer invites the listener to believe in them, and in doing so, the phony world becomes real. The song captures the essence of perseverance, and the idea that anything is achievable if we believe in ourselves and others.
The lyrics of the song can be interpreted in various ways. One interpretation is that the singer is talking to a lover, and if they believe in the singer, their love will make the world a better place. Alternatively, the song could be read as a message of hope to listeners, whose dreams and aspirations seem impossible. The singer tells them that even though the world may seem phony, they can make-believe and achieve their dreams if they believe in themselves.
Overall, "It's Only A Paper Moon" is a song of hope, perseverance, and belief. It encourages the listener to believe in themselves and to believe in others, even in a world that may seem phony.
Line by Line Meaning
Say, it's only a paper moon
I acknowledge that the situation might appear deceptive.
Sailing over a cardboard sea
The circumstances may seem unreal.
But it wouldn't be make-believe
Yet, it would be actual and authentic.
If you believed in me
If you had trust and confidence in me.
Yes, it's only a canvas sky
I recognize that it might seem like a fiction.
Hanging over a muslin tree
An appearance of happiness might be fragile.
Without your love
In the absence of your fondness.
It's a honky tonk parade
The world appears chaotic and unorganized.
Without your love
In the absence of your affection.
It's a melody played in a penny arcade
The world seems dull and uninteresting.
It's a Barnum and Bailey world
The atmosphere appears circus-like.
Just as phony as it can be
As deceptive and fraudulent as it could get.
But it wouldn't be make-believe
Still, it would be actual and genuine.
If you believed in me
If you had faith and trust in me.
Say, it's only a paper moon
I acknowledge that the situation might appear deceptive.
Sailing over a cardboard sea
The circumstances may seem unreal.
But it wouldn't be make-believe
Yet, it would be actual and authentic.
If you believed in me
If you had trust and confidence in me.
Yes, it's only a canvas sky
I recognize that it might seem like a fiction.
Hanging over a muslin tree
An appearance of happiness might be fragile.
Without your love
In the absence of your fondness.
It's a honky-tonk parade
The world appears chaotic and unorganized.
Without your love
In the absence of your affection.
It's a melody played in a penny arcade
The world seems dull and uninteresting.
It's a Barnum and Bailey world
The atmosphere appears circus-like.
Just as phony as it can be
As deceptive and fraudulent as it could get.
But it wouldn't be make-believe
Still, it would be actual and genuine.
If you believed in me
If you had faith and trust in me.
It's phony it's plain to see
The situation is evidently false.
How happy I would be
I would feel pleased and joyful.
If you believed in me
If you had faith and trust in me.
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