It's Only A Paper Moon
Helen Forrest with Artie Shaw and His Orchestra Lyrics

Say, it's only a paper moon
Let's acknowledge that this image we're seeing isn't real, it's just a paper moon.

Sailing over a cardboard sea
The sea it's sailing over is just made of cardboard, like a kid's toy boat.

But it wouldn't be make-believe
However, this wouldn't be just a fantasy if you trusted me.

If you believed in me
If you had faith in me.

Yes, it's only a canvas sky
The sky we are looking at is just painted on a canvas.

Hanging over a muslin tree
And the tree underneath it is just made of muslin, not real at all.

Without your love
If I don't have your love.

It's a honky tonk parade
Life is just a noisy, silly parade.

It's a melody played in a penny arcade
Like the kind of music you'd hear in an old penny arcade.

It's a Barnum and Bailey world
This world is like a circus show, with lots of illusions.

Just as phony as it can be
Everything's incredibly fake.

But it wouldn't be make-believe
But if you had faith in me.

If you believed in me
If you trusted me.

It's phony it's plain to see
This falsehood is really obvious.

How happy I would be
How much joy I would feel.

If you believed in me
If you trusted me.