It's Only A Paper Moon
John Kirby & His Orchestra 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" by John Kirby & His Orchestra is a classic example of a love song that uses a metaphor to express the depth of emotions. The lyrics express the idea that the world is just like a circus, full of illusions and tricks, but despite this, love is the only thing that makes everything real. The singer tries to convince someone that if they believed in him and loved him, everything around them, including the cardboard sea and muslin tree, would be real.
The singer also points out that without the love of the person he is addressing, everything would be meaningless and just like a carnival parade, a melody played in a penny arcade or a Barnum and Bailey world. The song portrays the idea that love is powerful enough to transform the world into something real and significant, something that is no longer just make-believe.
In summary, the song is a beautiful way of expressing the idea that love has the power to give meaning to our lives and that without it, everything else is just an illusion. This song has become a timeless classic and has been interpreted by many other artists over the years.
Line by Line Meaning
Say, it's only a paper moon
Let's be clear, what we're looking at here is nothing more than a paper moon.
Sailing over a cardboard sea
This fragile, flimsy moon is gently drifting through a sea of cardboard.
But it wouldn't be make-believe
However, there's a chance that what we're seeing is real.
If you believed in me
If you only trusted in me and opened your mind to possibility.
Yes, it's only a canvas sky
Let's get one thing straight again, this blue sky we're looking at is just painted on canvas.
Hanging over a muslin tree
This tree is as real as it gets, but the sky hanging atop it is fake.
Without your love
In deep contrast, without the love of the person who makes my world feel real, this would just be a very sad sight.
It's a honky-tonk parade
This fake reality would be akin to the dredges of a bottom-of-the-barrel barroom parade without love.
It's a melody played in a penny arcade
Similar to a cheap tune heard echoing throughout a penny arcade, this canvas world wouldn't make an impact in my life without love.
It's a Barnum and Bailey world
This world, ladies and gentlemen, is just like the greatest show on Earth, full of phony illusions and tricks.
Just as phony as it can be
In fact, it's just as fake and full of trickery as it could ever be.
But it wouldn't be make-believe
However, there's a chance of authenticity in this canvas world.
If you believed in me
All I need is for my love to trust and have faith in me and we can make magic happen.
It's phony it's plain to see
It's very obvious that this world isn't real.
How happy I would be
But if you were to love me and believe in me, I would be as happy as can be.
If you believed in me
It all comes back to having that trust and faith in me.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, S.A. MUSIC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Billy Rose, E. Y. Harburg, Harold Arlen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ZippyMrMw
Perfect for my morning radio show. Thanks for sharing this arrangement
@lesterwyoung
Smooth.