Alpert's musical accomplishments include five number one hits, twenty-eight albums on the Billboard charts, eight Grammy Awards, fourteen Platinum albums and fifteen Gold albums. As of 1996, Alpert had sold 72 million albums worldwide.
He was also the founder, along with Jerry Moss, of the legendary, artist-oriented record label, A&M Records.
A couple of the greatest artists of the 60's and 70's that he got to shine on A&M records were The Carpenters and Natalie Cole.
It's Only A Paper Moon
Herb Alpert 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
Herb Alpert's "It's Only a Paper Moon" is a wistful song about the power of belief and the imagination to transcend the limitations of the material world. The lyrics describe a world of cheap paper and canvas props that are nevertheless able to transport the singer and his beloved to a place of wonder and enchantment, as long as they believe in each other. The song opens with the line "Say, it's only a paper moon," a reference to the popular expression "a paper moon" meaning something that is insubstantial and illusory. The image of a paper moon sailing over a cardboard sea sets the tone for the rest of the song, which is about the ability of the imagination to create a world of infinite possibility.
The song is essentially a love song, with the singer evoking the power of his lover's belief to elevate him beyond the mundane world around him. The lines "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" express this sentiment perfectly, as they capture the paradox of a world that is simultaneously phony and magical. The song then takes a melancholy turn, with the lines "Without your love/It's a honky tonk parade/Without your love/It's a melody played in a penny arcade." Here, the singer acknowledges that without his lover's belief and love, the world would be a cheap and tawdry place indeed, devoid of any real meaning or beauty.
Line by Line Meaning
Say, it's only a paper moon
Let's establish that this is just an artificial moon made of paper
Sailing over a cardboard sea
It is moving over the sea made up of cardboard which is just fake.
But it wouldn't be make-believe
The situation would not be merely imaginary.
If you believed in me
If you trust me, it becomes a reality, even though it seems unreal.
Yes, it's only a canvas sky
This is a sky painted on canvas and nothing is real.
Hanging over a muslin tree
It is suspended over the tree made of muslin, just another illusion.
Without your love
In the absence of your love, my life becomes unbearable.
It's a honky-tonk parade
It becomes a noisy and low-quality procession or a collection of people, without your presence.
It's a melody played in a penny arcade
It sounds like a tune played on a cheap instrument for amusement, in your absence.
It's a Barnum and Bailey world
It's a world of freak shows and falsehoods designed to entertain.
Just as phony as it can be
Everything is fraudulent; nothing is sincere or genuine.
But it wouldn't be make-believe
The world would not be deceitful if you believe in me.
If you believed in me
If you had confidence in me, the world would seem perfect and truthful.
It's phony it's plain to see
It is evident that everything is false and counterfeit.
How happy I would be
It would bring significant contentment to me.
If you believed in me
If you had faith in me, then everything would feel real.
Lyrics © S.A. MUSIC, SHAPIRO BERNSTEIN & CO. INC.
Written by: BILLY ROSE, E.Y. HARBURG, HAROLD ARLEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bill Smith
This one just makes me smile. Nice to see his genuine smile at the end, too!
dearmalika
This is so great!
Chautla Puebla
I f someone has doubt about Herb Alpert, He is a great musician ! No doubt !... Thanks Herb for this
missteedub
Yes! Herb's still got it and is still a very good-looking man.
jeff malez
damn. still looks and sounds great!
maurizio bianchi
Un gigante! Grandioso! Mauri 1960 ❤️
Luichi Tejeda Parra
Bomba, super, que majistral mezcla de la sordina con la trompeta sola!
mysticmaverick1
Herb = perfection. And still handsome.
dean simms
What kind of double trumpet are you playing? I have never seen this before. Wow!
Stanton Haugen
Herb Alpert is my favorite trumpet player of all time ..... stan