It's Only A Paper Moon
Miles Davis & Sonny Rollins 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" is a classic American song that was first introduced in the 1932 musical "The Great Magoo". The lyrics were written by E.Y. Harburg and the music was composed by Harold Arlen. The song has since become a standard in American popular music, and has been recorded by countless performers, from Nat King Cole to Ella Fitzgerald to Frank Sinatra.
The song is a lighthearted meditation on the power of imagination and belief. The first verse sets the scene: a "paper moon" sailing over a "cardboard sea." But, the singer argues, this only becomes make-believe if the listener believes in the singer. The second verse offers a similar image: a "canvas sky" hanging over a "muslin tree." Again, the singer argues that it only counts as make-believe if the listener believes in the singer.
The third verse takes a darker turn, suggesting that without the listener's love, the world is a "phony" and "honky-tonk parade" or a "melody played in a penny arcade." But, the singer offers a glimmer of hope: even though the world may be "phony," it wouldn't be make-believe if the listener believed in the singer.
Overall, the song is a celebration of the power of imagination, and an affirmation of the importance of human connection and love.
Line by Line Meaning
Say, it's only a paper moon
I want to point out that this is just a paper moon.
Sailing over a cardboard sea
It's fake and flimsy, like it's sailing over a sea made out of cardboard.
But it wouldn't be make-believe
But if you trusted me and we believed in it together, it could be real.
If you believed in me
If you had faith in me and what we had, it could all come together.
Yes, it's only a canvas sky
Yes, I know the sky is just a painted canvas.
Hanging over a muslin tree
It's just a thin piece of cloth and a prop tree that it hangs over.
Without your love
If I don't have your love,
It's a honky-tonk parade
everything I do and see is like a tacky and sad parade in a cheap bar.
It's a melody played in a penny arcade
It's just a repetitive melody like the sounds coming from a penny arcade game.
It's a Barnum and Bailey world
The world is a circus show, like Barnum and Bailey's, full of unrealistic fairy tales and shows.
Just as phony as it can be
And it's all so fake and phony.
It's phony it's plain to see
I know all of this is fake and see it clearly.
How happy I would be
But imagine how happy I could be,
If you believed in me
if you trusted me and believed in our love.
Lyrics © SHAPIRO BERNSTEIN & CO. INC., S.A. MUSIC
Written by: E.Y. HARBURG, HAROLD ARLEN, BILLY ROSE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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