Paper Moon
Over the Rhine Lyrics

The song “Paper Moon” by Over the Rhine is an excellent example of the way that music can evoke a sense of nostalgia and longing for a simpler time. The lyrics describe a world that is not quite real; a paper moon sailing over a cardboard sea, a canvas sky hanging over a muslin tree. But, as the song points out, it wouldn’t be make-believe if you believed in me. The singer of this song is encouraging someone else to trust in their love and to believe that their world, no matter how phony it may seem, can be real if they are together.

The refrain of the song, “Without your love, it’s a honky-tonk parade. Without your love, it’s a melody played in the penny arcade,” is particularly poignant because it highlights the idea that even a world that seems fake or insubstantial can be transformed into something real and meaningful when we are with the people we love. The references to a “penny arcade” and “honky-tonk parade” are a nod to a bygone era of amusement parks, theaters, and carnivals, which were common forms of entertainment in the first half of the 20th century.

The overall tone of the lyrics is wistful and sweet, and the simple, almost childlike imagery of the paper moon and canvas sky add to the sense of sentimental nostalgia. The song speaks to the power of love to transform even the most mundane or fake-seeming aspects of life into something magical and real.