Aside from his work in the contemporary and classic jazz fields he has produced albums in a variety of arenas, from jazz to rock to country. Most recently he has been establishing himself as a producer in the Christian Pop & Worship fields. His own worship songs, most notably '(I Will Not Be) Shaken' have been recorded and used in churches around the world. He has spoken and hosted at worship conferences in the U.S, South America and Eastern Europe. His monthly 'Musician's Corner' articles for Worship Leader Magazine have also been well received and has recently published a book entitled 'Attracting Quality Musicians', aimed at attracting quality musicians into the ministry. Tony served as a Music Director and as the Director of Creative Arts at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California (Rick Warren, Senior Pastor) from 1999-2010, where he worked with literally hundreds of musicians and singers on everything from weekly services to recordings to concerts. During several Christmas seasons, Saddleback successfully presented an original musical by Tony & Shawn King entitled 'The Journey', an original stage play entitled 'The Christmas Station' and many other concert and theater events.
Tony is very active as a fundraiser for several charitable and non-profit organizations. Each year he helps organize and hosts the KSBR Birthday Bash, a live concert event featuring approximately 30 headlining jazz artists on stage together to raise money for a local jazz station. He has organized benefits for The SMART Foundation, whose purpose is to fill the void left by disappearing music programs. Tony and his band have also appeared at events supporting Children's Hospital, The OC & LA Philharmonics, Muscular Dystrophy Association, American Cancer Society, and many more. Furthermore, Tony was instrumental in creating Artists United For Freedom.com, designed to help artists reach their fan bases to speak out on the issue of Modern-Day Slavery and Human Trafficking.
It's Only A Paper Moon
Tony Guerrero Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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 lyrics of Tony Guerrero's song "It's Only A Paper Moon" are a testament to the transformative power of love. The song likens the world to a circus where everything is just an illusion, from a paper moon to a canvas sky, and a phony Barnum and Bailey world. However, the singer insists that it wouldn't be make-believe if the person listening believed in him, highlighting a strong sense of trust in the bond between the singer and the recipient of the song. The song also underscores the emptiness of life without love, likening it to a honky-tonk parade or a melody played in a penny arcade.
The use of paper moon and canvas sky as metaphors highlights the fragility of faith and hope. The singer is fully aware that life is uncertain, but he believes that the power of love transcends all physical barriers. The song's lyrics also expose the sham and illusion of the human existence, leaving nothing but a false sense of purpose. However, the singer strongly believes that the power of love can saturate existence with meaning and purpose; it can transform the empty world into one full of life and love, where the absurdities of life seem less cruel.
Line by Line Meaning
Say, it's only a paper moon
This world we live in is fake and unrealistic, just like a paper moon.
Sailing over a cardboard sea
We are sailing over a fake sea, representing the limits of what we think is real.
But it wouldn't be make-believe
But if you look past that, you can see that it's not just pretend.
If you believed in me
If you believe in me, we can escape this fake world and create something real.
Yes, it's only a canvas sky
This sky above us is just a painting.
Hanging over a muslin tree
It's draped over a fake tree, representing the limitations of our dreams.
Without your love
Without you, my life is dull and empty.
It's a honky-tonk parade
It's like a depressing parade of meaningless events.
It's a melody played in a penny arcade
It's a forgettable tune, played at a tacky and cheap arcade.
It's a Barnum and Bailey world
Our world is like the circus; it's all for fun.
Just as phony as it can be
Everything is as fake as it can be.
But it wouldn't be make-believe
But if you look past that, you can see that it's not just pretend.
If you believed in me
If you believe in me, we can escape this fake world and create something real.
It's phony it's plain to see
It's clear that everything is fake and unrealistic.
How happy I would be
But if you believed in me, I would be really happy.
If you believed in me
If you believe in me, we can escape this fake world and create something real.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, S.A. MUSIC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Billy Rose, E. Y. Harburg, Harold Arlen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind