Paper Moon
Count Basie & Zoot Sims Lyrics


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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

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

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "It's Only a Paper Moon" delve into the power of belief and imagination in shaping one's reality. The opening lines present the idea of a paper moon sailing over a cardboard sea, two objects that are clearly not real. However, the singer suggests that if someone believes in him or her, these objects can become real, suggesting that love and faith have the power to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. The following verse repeats this idea, this time with a canvas sky hanging over a muslin tree. The singer again suggests that if someone believes in him or her, even a fake world can become real.


The following chorus highlights the importance of this belief, suggesting how a lack of love and faith can turn one's world into a "honky-tonk parade" or a "melody played in a penny arcade." The last verse reinforces the idea that the world is "phony," but that belief in oneself and in others can make it real. The final line implores the listener to believe in the singer, suggesting that this belief is the key to happiness.


Line by Line Meaning

Say, it's only a paper moon
This world is like a paper moon, an illusion of happiness that is not real.


Sailing over a cardboard sea
The happiness one feels is fragile, just like a paper moon sailing over a cardboard sea.


But it wouldn't be make-believe
The love or happiness that one feels would not be make-believe if it's real.


If you believed in me
If someone believes in the artist, then their love or trust would become real, not make-believe.


Yes, it's only a canvas sky
The sky may be made of canvas, a temporary cover that's not real.


Hanging over a muslin tree
Just as the canvas sky is temporary, so is the tree, its fabric made of muslin.


Without your love
Without someone's love, the singer's life feels like a parade of unhappy moments.


It's a honky-tonk parade
The parade of unhappy moments is like a honky-tonk parade, full of chaos and noise.


It's a melody played in a penny arcade
The melody of life, without someone's love, is like a penny arcade, inauthentic and phony.


It's a Barnum and Bailey world
This world is just like the Barnum and Bailey circus, full of fake and false beliefs.


Just as phony as it can be
As the fake circus, this world is just as phony as it can be.


But it wouldn't be make-believe
Despite the phony Barnum and Bailey world, it wouldn't be make-believe if someone real loved the artist.


If you believed in me
The essence of true love is belief in each other. If someone truly believes in the singer, then they will have the love that they crave.


It's phony it's plain to see
The singer emphasizes that the world is phony and anybody can see that.


How happy I would be
The singer understands how happy they could be if they had the love they crave.


If you believed in me
The artist's happiness depends on someone else believing in them and loving them.




Lyrics © S.A. MUSIC, SHAPIRO BERNSTEIN & CO. INC.
Written by: BILLY ROSE, E.Y. HARBURG, HAROLD ARLEN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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