It's Only A Paper Moon
Maurice Hines 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" tells the story of make-believe and the power of belief itself. The lyrics are whimsical, with descriptions of paper moons, cardboard seas, muslin trees and canvas skies. These imaginative images are used to emphasize the idea that the world we create within our minds is as real as the one we see with our eyes. The chorus explicitly emphasizes this idea, suggesting that things which may seem fake or artificial become genuine once we believe in them.
Moreover, the song explores the effects of love on a person's perception of the world. The verses use comparative language to explain that life without love is a world lacking vibrancy, beauty, and meaning. The use of strong emotive words such as "phony," "melancholy," and "discordant" shows that without love, life appears insubstantial and inadequate, and joy is impossible to find. Conversely, as the chorus echoes, anything is possible when one is beloved, and the world becomes magical.
Maurice Hines's "It's Only a Paper Moon" is more than a whimsical song; it's a sentimental and loving tribute to the power of imagination and belief in the world of love. It's a celebration of human creativity and a reminder that there is more beauty to life than what we see in the material world.
Line by Line Meaning
Say, it's only a paper moon
I want you to understand that what I'm about to describe is not reality, but just an illusion.
Sailing over a cardboard sea
The paper moon is floating in the sky, but below it is just a cardboard sea that is not real or functional.
But it wouldn't be make-believe
Despite its artificial appearance, the paper moon could become a real thing.
If you believed in me
If you have faith in what I am saying, this paper moon can become more than just a dream.
Yes, it's only a canvas sky
In the same way, the canvas sky is just a painting, a prop used to create the illusion of skies.
Hanging over a muslin tree
Below it, the tree is made of muslin, a type of material used to create theater sets.
Without your love
It's a honky-tonk parade
Without your love
It's a melody played in a penny arcade
If you are not part of this dream with me, life would be miserable, and everything around me would feel fake and artificial.
It's a Barnum and Bailey world
The world around us is being run like a circus.
Just as phony as it can be
It is fake, but we are part of it and must still make-believe.
It's phony it's plain to see
I acknowledge that this world around us is a fabrication.
How happy I would be
If you believed in me
If only you were on board with this facade, then we could both find happiness in it.
Lyrics © S.A. MUSIC , SHAPIRO BERNSTEIN & CO. INC.
Written by: BILLY ROSE, E.Y. HARBURG, HAROLD ARLEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind