It's Only A Paper Moon
Dion And The Belmonts 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" by Dion and The Belmonts is a classic tune that speaks about the power of belief and love. The song starts off by saying that a paper moon sailing over a cardboard sea may appear to be make-believe, but it wouldn't be if the listener believed in the singer. The lyrics denote that love and belief have the ability to make anything real, and even the plainest of objects can become magical if someone has a strong enough conviction. The song continues on to say that without love, life is like a honky-tonk parade or a melody played in a penny arcade, but with the power of belief and love, the world can become a happier and more fulfilling place.
The idea of a paper moon is an old concept that has been used in literature and theatre for many years, but the song brought it to the mainstream audience in the form of music. The lyrics are simple but are rich in meaning as they emphasize the power of belief and love. The song also laments the phony nature of the world we live in, but it also gives us hope that things can be different if we only believe in ourselves and each other.
Line by Line Meaning
Say, it's only a paper moon
Let me tell you that what you see above is not a real moon, it is just a paper moon
Sailing over a cardboard sea
It appears to be moving freely on water, but in reality, it is flowing on a sea made out cardboard
But it wouldn't be make-believe
This is not some made-up story or a product of fantasy, it is actually happening
If you believed in me
If you had faith in me, you would know that this is true
Yes, it's only a canvas sky
The sky above you is basically painted on a canvas
Hanging over a muslin tree
It is covering a tree made of muslin, a lightweight cotton fabric
Without your love
If I don't have your love in my life
It's a honky tonk parade
My life would become just a rough and rowdy scene, like a honky-tonk parade
It's a melody played in a penny arcade
Everything would sound like a cheap and repetitive melody played in a penny arcade
It's a Barnum and Bailey world
The world that we live in is like a circus just like Barnum and Bailey's - full of illusions and tricks
Just as phony as it can be
It is totally fake, and that's the fact
But it wouldn't be make-believe
Despite all this, it wouldn't be an illusion
If you believed in me
If you have faith in me, then you would know this is true
It's phony it's plain to see
The world is full of fakery, and that's quite clear
How happy I would be
I would be really happy
If you believed in me
If you trusted and had faith in me
Lyrics © S.A. MUSIC, SHAPIRO BERNSTEIN & CO. INC.
Written by: DAVID E SHAW, PETER F STUART, RANDY EDELMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind