It's Only A Paper Moon
Ulf Wakenius & Ray Brown Trio Lyrics


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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

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

Overall Meaning

The song "It's Only a Paper Moon" is a classic American song that was written in 1932 by Harold Arlen (music), E.Y. Harburg (lyrics), and Billy Rose (also a lyricist). The title of the song is derived from the popular expression "it's only a paper moon", which means something that is insubstantial, a fake or a figment of the imagination. The song is about the power of the imagination and belief, and how someone's belief in another person can make something real that would otherwise be just make-believe.


The first verse talks about a paper moon sailing over a cardboard sea, which is just a figment of the imagination, but it wouldn't be make-believe if the other person believed in the singer. The imagery of the paper moon and cardboard sea highlights the artificial nature of the world we live in but also shows that the imagination can make it real. The second verse continues with the same idea and talks about a canvas sky hanging over a muslin tree, and how it too wouldn't be make-believe if the other person believed in the singer.


The refrain "Without your love, it's a honky-tonk parade, it's a melody played in a penny arcade" shows the emptiness and soullessness of the world without love. The idea here is that without the other person's love, life is just a pointless and somewhat depressing parade of artificiality. The song ends on a positive note with the idea that although the world is fake and phony, the singer would be happy if the other person believed in them.


Line by Line Meaning

Say, it's only a paper moon
The singer is acknowledging that in reality, the moon they see is not real - it's just a paper prop.


Sailing over a cardboard sea
Similarly, the sea beneath the paper moon is not real either, just a fake set piece made of cardboard.


But it wouldn't be make-believe
Despite the objects being fake, the singer is suggesting that things could still be real, as long as the person they are addressing can believe in them.


If you believed in me
The artist is essentially saying that the other person, by believing in them, can make the fake world around them real.


Yes, it's only a canvas sky
The context here is the same as before - the object around them is not real, just a canvas sky background that they can see.


Hanging over a muslin tree
The tree beneath the canvas sky is similarly fake, made of muslin, which is a cheap fabric used in theater sets.


Without your love
The singer is suggesting that love is a key part of making things real - without it, even the most impressive visual effects and sets are just empty, hollow illusions.


It's a honky-tonk parade
Without love, the world around them is reduced in meaning and significance, like the cheap and tacky honky-tonk music that plays in low-quality bars.


It's a melody played in a penny arcade
The artist is emphasizing that the world they see without love is just as hollow and meaningless as the many penny arcade machines that churn out mindless, repetitive tunes.


It's a Barnum and Bailey world
The metaphor suggests that the world they see without love is like the world of the circus - seemingly impressive to the ignorant onlooker, but in reality, nothing more than an artificial illusion.


Just as phony as it can be
The singer is emphasizing that the illusion of the world around them is not just partially fake, but entirely and wholly so.


But it wouldn't be make-believe
Despite everything they see being fake, the artist reiterates that there is still a chance for things to become real, by believing in them.


If you believed in me
Just as before, the singer is suggesting that the person they are addressing has the power to make the fake world around them real, simply by believing in the singer.


It's phony it's plain to see
The singer is emphasizing once again that everything around them is completely fake, with no real deeper meaning or substance to it.


How happy I would be
The song ends with the singer expressing their hopefulness that the other person would come to see things in the same way they do, and share in the feelings of happiness and hope that come along with that perspective.


If you believed in me
The song began with this line, and ends with it as well, emphasizing the central message that the artist is trying to convey - that belief can make the world real, even when it is entirely fake.




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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