It's Only A Paper Moon
Sammy Davis Jr. Lyrics


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I never feel a thing is real
When I'm away from you
Out of your embrace
The world's a temporary parking place

Mmm, mm, mm, mm
A bubble for a minute
Mmm, mm, mm, mm
You smile, the bubble has a rainbow in it

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 phoney as it can be




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

Overall Meaning

In Sammy Davis Jr.'s "It's Only A Paper Moon," the lyrics describe the singer's feeling of detachment from reality when they are away from their love. The world feels temporary, like a mere parking place, and nothing feels real without the embrace of the person they love. The singer sings about the temporary nature of life, comparing it to bubbles that pop so easily but can be beautiful while they last. The reference to a rainbow in the bubble hints at the idea that even temporary things can hold beauty and wonder.


The chorus of the song is a declaration of the power of belief. The phrases "it's only a paper moon" and "it's only a canvas sky" evoke ideas of things that are not real, but are simply illusions. However, the singer suggests that these illusions can become real and "not make-believe" if the person you love believes in you. In this way, the power of love and connection can make even the most temporary things feel real and profound.


Line by Line Meaning

I never feel a thing is real
I don't experience anything as genuine


When I'm away from you
Unless I'm with you


Out of your embrace
Lacking your physical affection


The world's a temporary parking place
The rest of life is unimportant


A bubble for a minute
Fleeting joy


You smile, the bubble has a rainbow in it
Your contentment makes everything better


Say, it's only a paper moon
I understand it's not real


Sailing over a cardboard sea
Journeying over something unreal


But it wouldn't be make-believe
It could be real


If you believed in me
If you trusted me


Yes, it's only a canvas sky
I understand it's not reality


Hanging over a muslin tree
Just an illusion


Without your love
If I don't have your love


It's a honky-tonk parade
Life's a low-grade spectacle


It's a melody played in a penny arcade
An inauthentic tune on a cheap instrument


It's a Barnum and Bailey world
Life can feel like a circus


Just as phoney as it can be
As fake as can be


But it wouldn't be make-believe
It could be real


If you believed in me
If you had faith in me




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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