It's Only A Paper Moon
June Christy Lyrics


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So it's only a paper moon
Hanging over a cardboard sea
But it wouldn't be make believe
If you believe in me

Well it's only a canvas sky
Hanging over a muslin tree
But it wouldn't be make believe
If you believe in me

Without your love
It's a carnival parade
Without your love
It's a melody played on a penny arcade

It's a Barnum and Bailey world
Just as phoney as it could be




But it wouldn't be make believe
If you believe in me

Overall Meaning

The song It's Only a Paper Moon, as sung by June Christy, is all about the power of belief and imagination in the face of an often harsh and disappointing world. The first verse describes a paper moon hanging over a cardboard sea, both clearly fake and created, yet the singer says that it wouldn't be make believe if the listener believes in them. The second verse repeats this sentiment, this time with a canvas sky hanging over a muslin tree. The chorus then presents the stark contrast between a world with and without the love of the listener. Without their love, the world is nothing but a carnival parade or a melody played on a penny arcade - loud, flashy, and ultimately empty. In short, the song argues that the world is only as beautiful and meaningful as the love and belief that we find in it.


One interesting aspect of the song is that it was written by three different people: Harold Arlen, E.Y. Harburg, and Billy Rose. Arlen and Harburg had previously collaborated on the score for The Wizard of Oz, which included the iconic song "Over the Rainbow." "It's Only a Paper Moon" was written for a play called The Great Magoo, which opened on Broadway in 1932 - however, the play closed after just 36 performances. Despite the failure of the play, the song became a hit, with versions recorded by artists like Ella Fitzgerald and Nat King Cole. Another interesting fact is that the lyrics were reportedly inspired by a painting by Russian artist Marc Chagall, which depicted a man holding a ladder and standing next to a floating moon.


Interestingly, the song has also been featured in a number of films and TV shows, including American Graffiti, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and Boardwalk Empire. The melody and lyrics have been covered by countless musicians over the years, and the song is considered a jazz standard today. Finally, it's worth noting that the song has a strong connection to the Great Depression, which was unfolding at the time the song was written. The lyrics suggest a sense of escapism and hope in the face of economic hardship and uncertainty.


Chords (in the key of C):
Intro: Cmaj7 - Fmaj7 - Cmaj7 - C6
Verse 1: C7 - Cmaj7 - C7 - C6
Chorus: F7 - Dm7 - G7 - Cmaj7
Verse 2: C7 - Cmaj7 - C7 - C6
Chorus: F7 - Dm7 - G7 - Cmaj7
Verse 3: C7 - Cmaj7 - C7 - C6
Outro: Cmaj7 - Fmaj7 - Cmaj7 - C6


Line by Line Meaning

So it's only a paper moon
The moon in the sky is not real, it is just a flat, paper cutout.


Hanging over a cardboard sea
It is hanging above an artificial sea made out of cardboard.


But it wouldn't be make believe
It wouldn't be a fantasy if you have faith in me and believe in me.


If you believe in me
If you have faith in me and my words, you can change the view of the things you see around you.


Well it's only a canvas sky
The sky above is not authentic; it is made out of a painted canvas material.


Hanging over a muslin tree
It is hanging above a fake tree made out of plain cotton material.


But it wouldn't be make believe
It wouldn't be a make-believe setting if you believe in me and have confidence in the situation.


If you believe in me
Your outlook and view of the environment can change if you trust my words and trust me as a person.


Without your love
Without the love and care of your significant other, you cannot make sense of things around you.


It's a carnival parade
In the absence of love, life is just an extravagant and meaningless spectacle.


It's a melody played on a penny arcade
Without being cared for and loved, life becomes like a mechanical music box, playing tunes without true meaning.


It's a Barnum and Bailey world
Life can appear to be a place full of illusions like those seen in a circus or carnival.


Just as phoney as it could be
This world is as unrealistic, fake, and meaningless as it gets.


But it wouldn't be make believe
However, the world can be real and genuine if you only believe in me and have faith in love and life.


If you believe in me
The world can become a better place if you believe in me and the honesty of love and life.




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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