Paper Moon
Shauna Antoniuc 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
Shauna Antoniuc's song "Paper Moon" is an homage to the power of belief and the role it plays in our ability to make our dreams a reality. The first verse describes a paper moon sailing over a cardboard sea - an image that is clearly artificial and seems very temporary. However, the next line suggests that this image would become real if someone believed in it. The second verse extends this idea, describing a canvas sky and a muslin tree that, again, are clearly fake; but if someone believed in them, they would become real. The notion here is that our realities are shaped by our perceptions, and by choosing to believe in something that feels improbable, we can make it a reality.
Line by Line Meaning
Say, it's only a paper moon
The singer acknowledges that their situation might not seem real or believable.
Sailing over a cardboard sea
The singer is describing the imaginary world they find themselves in.
But it wouldn't be make-believe
The singer believes that their situation could become real if the addressee believes in them.
If you believed in me
The artist thinks that the addressee's belief in them is essential for their situation to become real.
Yes, it's only a canvas sky
The artist acknowledges that their surroundings are not genuine or natural.
Hanging over a muslin tree
The singer continues to describe the imaginary world they find themselves in.
Without your love
The singer emphasizes the importance of the addressee's love in their life.
It's a honky tonk parade
Without the addressee's love, the world feels cheap and meaningless to the artist.
It's a melody played in a penny arcade
Another way of describing the emptiness of the world without the addressee's love.
It's a Barnum and Bailey world
The artist sees the world and its many attractions as superficial and fake.
Just as phony as it can be
The singer reiterates the fact that the world around them is fake and insincere.
It's phony it's plain to see
The artist emphasizes the fact that the world is fake and insincere.
How happy I would be
The singer expresses their desire to be happy.
If you believed in me
The singer believes that the addressee's belief in them is the key to their happiness.
Lyrics © S.A. MUSIC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Billy Rose, E. Y. Harburg, Harold Arlen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind