It's Only A Paper Moon
The Tony Burgos Orchestra 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 Tony Burgos Orchestra’s song “It’s Only A Paper Moon” is a song about the power of belief and imagination. The lyrics compare the world we live in to a phony, make-believe world, with paper moons, cardboard seas, and canvas skies hanging over muslin trees. Through these comparisons, the song is saying that the world is what we believe it is. If we believe in something strong enough, it can become real to us. The first verse states that “it wouldn’t be make-believe if you believed in me”, implying that with love and faith, the seemingly fake world can become real.
The song then goes on to talk about the importance of love. Without love, the world is a “honky tonk parade” and a “melody played in a penny arcade”. Love is what brings color and meaning to the phony world. The second verse then repeats the same idea as the first, that the world may seem fake and phony, but it wouldn’t be make-believe if you believed in the singer.
The message of the song is powerful in its simplicity. The world is what we make of it. By finding faith, love, and imagination, the world can become more than it is. Life can be much happier if we believe in something strong enough to give it meaning.
Line by Line Meaning
Say, it's only a paper moon
I know it might seem fake, but let's not focus on that.
Sailing over a cardboard sea
This world we're in might be flimsy, but we can still enjoy it.
But it wouldn't be make-believe
Despite everything that could make us doubt, there's something true in our connection.
If you believed in me
If you had faith in what we have together.
Yes, it's only a canvas sky
Even the sky we imagine in our minds is not real, but it can still give us comfort.
Hanging over a muslin tree
We can create something beautiful out of the most ordinary materials.
Without your love
If I don't have your affection.
It's a honky-tonk parade
The world turns into a noisy spectacle without meaning.
It's a melody played in a penny arcade
Life becomes just another tune played for pennies, with no soul or inspiration.
It's a Barnum and Bailey world
Our existence is a circus show, full of illusions and trickery.
Just as phony as it can be
As fake as it gets.
But it wouldn't be make-believe
Despite everything that could make us doubt, there's something true in our connection.
If you believed in me
If you had faith in what we have together.
It's phony it's plain to see
I see how fake it all is.
How happy I would be
I know I could be happier if you were by my side.
If you believed in me
If you had faith in what we have together.
Lyrics © S.A. MUSIC, SHAPIRO BERNSTEIN & CO. INC.
Written by: BILLY ROSE, E.Y. HARBURG, HAROLD ARLEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind