After decades in obscurity, Jerry Jerome (in his mid-eighties) started to a… Read Full Bio ↴After decades in obscurity, Jerry Jerome (in his mid-eighties) started to appear on releases by the Arbors label in the 1990s. A superior swing tenor, Jerome was always a sidemen and was never a big name, although other musicians recognized his talents. He spent a period of time studying medicine but knew early on that he wanted to be a musician and he played in dance bands (most notably with Harry Reser in 1935) during college vacations before quitting school altogether. Jerome made his recording debut with Reser in 1936, was with Glenn Miller's early unsuccessful band (1936-1937), gigged with Red Norvo for a short period in 1938, and then worked as a studio player. Jerome spent some time with Artie Shaw in 1938, and gained a bit of fame playing with Benny Goodman during November 1938 to July 1940, including appearing on many of Goodman's sextet sessions with Charlie Christian; he also recorded with Lionel Hampton. Jerome next returned to Artie Shaw until March 1941. From then on he became a full-time studio musician, working as musical director at NBC during 1942-1946, spending a couple years as the head of A&R work at the Apollo and Keystone labels, and worked as musical director for WPIX-TV in New York. Starting in the mid-'50s, Jerome had a very successful career as a writer of advertising jingles. When he retired from that job, he moved to Florida in the '80s and returned to playing jazz. Happily Jerome's improvising abilities and style were unchanged and even into his eighties, he was very much in his musical prime. He continued to play up until his death on November 17, 2001, with dates booked near his Sarasota home into December. In addition to his sideman appearances, Jerome recorded as a leader in a variety of settings including a jam session with Charlie Christian in 1939, an extensive mid-'40s trio set with Teddy Wilson, a Dixieland date in 1944 for Stinson, many numbers for Apollo in 1947, a late-'50s album for ABC-Paramount, and a full CD for Arbors in 1996 which was coupled with highlights of his earlier career.

It's Only A Paper Moon
Jerry Jerome 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

Jerry Jerome's "It's Only a Paper Moon" is a classic 1930s tune that speaks of the power of love to turn the phony aspects of life into something real and meaningful. The lyrics describe a world that is constructed from papers, canvas, and muslin - all fake materials. The paper moon is said to sail over a cinematic sea made of cardboard, while the canvas sky hangs above a muslin tree. However, the song suggests that this world of make-believe could be real if only the singer's beloved would believe in him. The lyrics also emphasize the significant difference that love can make to a person's perspective. Without love, life is nothing more than a honky-tonk parade, but with love, it transforms into a melody that plays in a penny arcade.

The lyrics of "It's Only a Paper Moon" are simple yet profound. The song's message is that love can turn the everyday world into something extraordinary, full of wonder and magic. The song speaks to the fundamental human desire to find meaning in life, and how people can find that meaning through a connection with someone else. The song's melody and rhythm are equally light-hearted and charming, making it a classic.

Line by Line Meaning

Say, it's only a paper moon
Let's start by acknowledging that this world is made of superficial things that may seem fragile and temporary.

Sailing over a cardboard sea
All that surrounds us is just a mere representation of what we want to see and believe in.

But it wouldn't be make-believe
However, we can turn our make-believe reality into a real one by having someone who believes in us and shares our dreams.

If you believed in me
Someone who would love and support us no matter what. Someone who has faith in our abilities and our potential.

Yes, it's only a canvas sky
The sky we see is just a painted canvas, but it is our imagination and perception that give it life and meaning.

Hanging over a muslin tree
The tree under the sky is just a thin fabric, but it is what we use to ground ourselves in this world.

Without your love
Without love and support from someone who believes in us, our world becomes dull and monotonous.

It's a honky-tonk parade
We go through life like a circus show, with meaningless sounds and colors around us.

It's a melody played in a penny arcade
We become like a cheap music played in a gaming arcade, with no worth or value.

It's a Barnum and Bailey world
The world is like a circus where everything is an illusion and nothing is real.

Just as phony as it can be
Everything we see is fake and not worth it.

But it wouldn't be make-believe
But with someone who believes in us, supports us and loves us, we can turn this phony world into a real one.

If you believed in me
All we need is faith and love from someone who can see beyond the phony and support our dreams.

It's phony it's plain to see
Jerry Jerome sees through the phony world and recognizes its superficial nature.

How happy I would be
Nevertheless, with the presence and love of someone who believes in and supports him, Jerry Jerome can find true happiness and fulfillment.

If you believed in me
In conclusion, all we need is love, support, and faith from someone who can help us turn our make-believe world into a real one.

Lyrics © S.A. MUSIC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Billy Rose, E. Y. Harburg, Harold Arlen

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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