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Ella Fitzgerald & Ink Spots 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 song "It's Only a Paper Moon" is a classic tune originally written in 1932 by Harold Arlen, E. Y. Harburg, and Billy Rose. The song has been covered many times over the years, but the version by Ella Fitzgerald is one of the most famous. The song is essentially about the power of belief and how it can make even the most phony or unrealistic things seem real. The lyrics describe a paper moon and a cardboard sea, but the singer sings that it wouldn't be make-believe if the person listening to the song believed in her.
The first verse refers to a paper moon - the idea that the moon is made of paper, which is obviously not true. Similarly, the idea of a canvas sky or a muslin tree may seem phony or unrealistic, but the singer argues that if the listener believes in her or in their love, then those things can become real. The second verse describes how life is dull and without color without the love of the person the singer is addressing. The imagery of a honky-tonk parade or a penny arcade is bleak and lifeless, but once again, the singer insists that if the person believed in her, everything would be different.
The final verse repeats the sentiment of the first two, with the singer acknowledging that the world can be phony, but it wouldn't be make-believe if the person listening to the song believed in her. The final line, "How happy I would be if you believed in me" is a plea to the listener to accept the power of belief and to invest in the possibility of a happy ending.
Line by Line Meaning
Say, it's only a paper moon
Let’s acknowledge that what we’re looking at isn’t real, it’s just a paper moon
Sailing over a cardboard sea
This ‘moon’ is floating over a sea created from cardboard - not a real sea at all
But it wouldn't be make-believe
Despite this scenery being fake, it could be real if you just believe in it
If you believed in me
All you need to make something real is genuine belief, in this case, belief in me
Yes, it's only a canvas sky
This blue sky isn't real either, it's just a canvas creating a background
Hanging over a muslin tree
This tree also isn't real, it's just made from muslin material and decorated to look like a tree
Without your love
When I don't have your love in my life
It's a honky-tonk parade
Everything falls into chaos and it's all just noise like a carnival parade
It's a melody played in a penny arcade
Or, chaotic, cheap music played in a penny arcade
It's a Barnum and Bailey world
The world we live in can be compared to a circus show
Just as phony as it can be
Just as fake and insincere as it gets
But it wouldn't be make-believe
But again, it could be real if you believe
If you believed in me
All you need to make this circus world feel real is to have faith in me
It's phony it's plain to see
It's easy to see that everything is fake and pretend
How happy I would be
But if you believe in me, you'll make me incredibly happy
If you believed in me
All you need to do to make me happy and make our world real is have 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
@microwave1952
"Some rain must fall." Preston hated that
@aidenconderman8545
It should be strong hated that because he hates everything
@altvertue347
Kersrtr if you look up you can actually see the joke going over your head whoah
@spikespiegel5878
@@aidenconderman8545 or paladin danse since rain would make his power armour rust
@zeroxl505
preston: "*I hope this rain let's up soon*"
@FIRSTNAMELASTNAME-zt4kf
STFU PRESTON
@KnightGunny
[Speech:100%] I think we should like this video
@strangeboy9911
Moira Brown: That's a great idea! Before they do that though, maybe they should think about getting a eeny weeny bit of radiation poisoning for me! It would be so helpful for my research!
@mekhj4278
[SUCCESS] well, I guess so
@Endet_
lmao