--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Say, it's only a paper moon, Sailing over…" description: "\"Say, it's only a paper moon, Sailing over a cardboard sea, But it wouldn't be make believe, If you believed in me.\" — Billy Rose" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2b/billy-rose-44672_believe_say-it-s-only-a-paper-moon-sailing-over_1572794.png" --- # Say, it's only a paper moon, Sailing over a cardboard sea… ![“Say, it's only a paper moon, Sailing over a cardboard sea, But it wouldn't be make believe, If you believed in me.” quote by Billy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2b/billy-rose-44672_believe_say-it-s-only-a-paper-moon-sailing-over_1572794.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2b/billy-rose-44672_believe_say-it-s-only-a-paper-moon-sailing-over_1572794.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2b/billy-rose-44672_believe_say-it-s-only-a-paper-moon-sailing-over_1572794.png) > “Say, it's only a paper moon, Sailing over a cardboard sea, But it wouldn't be make believe, If you believed in me.” [Billy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-rose/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A metaphorical moon made of paper suggests belief can turn illusion into reality. **In simple terms:** Belief can make imagined things feel real. Key Takeaway Believe to transform imagination into reality. Themes imagination belief illusion creativity hope Mood hopeful inspirational Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - creative projects - storytelling - visual arts - personal goal setting Key Concepts psychology metaphor artistic expression Questions to Reflect On - What do you need beyond belief to succeed? - How does imagination influence your actions? A Different Perspective Belief alone may not achieve tangible results. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Make believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-believe/) [Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moon/) [Sailing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sailing/) [Sea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sea/) ## Related quotes > [Say, it's only a paper moon, / Sailing over a cardboard sea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yip-harburg/say-it-s-only-a-paper-moon-sailing-over-a-cardboard-sea/) [Yip Harburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yip-harburg/) > [I think 'Paper Moon' is a comedy-drama. 'What's Up, Doc?' was the most severe comedy, but my favorite film of my own is 'They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bogdanovich/i-think-paper-moon-is-a-comedy-drama-what-s-up-doc-was-the-most/) [Peter Bogdanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bogdanovich/) > [Origami Striptease reads like William S. Burroughs and Djuna Barnes howling at a brutal paper moon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-stinson/origami-striptease-reads-like-william-s-burroughs-and-djuna-barnes/) Susan Stinson > [“She quietly stretched out a hand, and Tengo took it. The two of them stood there, side by side, as one, wordlessly watching the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/she-quietly-stretched-out-a-hand-and-tengo-took-it-the-two-of-them/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [Ryan finally came to my rescue. He'd thought working together in Paper Moon would help us bond.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatum-o-neal/ryan-finally-came-to-my-rescue-he-d-thought-working-together-in-paper/) [Tatum O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatum-o-neal/) > [As Peter Bogdanovich would say of Paper Moon: Ryan's wonderful in it, and he sat there and watched the kid steal the picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatum-o-neal/as-peter-bogdanovich-would-say-of-paper-moon-ryan-s-wonderful-in-it/) [Tatum O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatum-o-neal/) > [One of my favorite movies is 'Paper Moon.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-simmonds/one-of-my-favorite-movies-is-paper-moon/) [Millicent Simmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-simmonds/) > [Money makes the world go 'round, it's only a paper moon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/efiosiugbore/money-makes-the-world-go-round-it-s-only-a-paper-moon/) @efiosiugbore > [I have a restaurant in Milan, and Paper Moon is five minutes away from my hotel, so I always go there for lunch. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nobu-matsuhisa/i-have-a-restaurant-in-milan-and-paper-moon-is-five-minutes-away-from/) [Nobu Matsuhisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nobu-matsuhisa/) > [I enjoy films where two characters are coming of age, just different ages. That's why I love 'Paper Moon' so much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-forrest/i-enjoy-films-where-two-characters-are-coming-of-age-just-different/) [Emma Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-forrest/) > [Paper Moon didn't bring me love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatum-o-neal/paper-moon-didn-t-bring-me-love/) [Tatum O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatum-o-neal/) > [“I want to make something of myself. I believe it’s called a statue.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-want-to-make-something-of-myself-i-believe-it-s-called-a-statue/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Here is the world of imagination, hopes, and dreams. In this timeless land of enchantment, the age of chivalry, magic and make-believe are reborn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/here-is-the-world-of-imagination-hopes-and-dreams-in-this-timeless/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [“You make me believe in happiness... if I had my way, if anything were up to me, I’d never be without you. You are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-kirchoff/you-make-me-believe-in-happiness-if-i-had-my-way-if-anything-were-up/) [Courtney Kirchoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-kirchoff/) > [I think all children love to dress up and play make believe. It's just that I never stopped.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-bonnar/i-think-all-children-love-to-dress-up-and-play-make-believe-it-s-just/) [Mark Bonnar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-bonnar/) ## More by Billy Rose > [Me and my shadow Strolling down the avenue Oh, me and my shadow Not a soul to tell our troubles to And when it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-rose/me-and-my-shadow-strolling-down-the-avenue-oh-me-and-my-shadow-not-a/) [Billy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-rose/) > [Never invest your money in anything that eats or needs repainting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-rose/never-invest-your-money-in-anything-that-eats-or-needs-repainting/) [Billy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-rose/) > [Never invest in anything that eats or needs painting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-rose/never-invest-in-anything-that-eats-or-needs-painting/) [Billy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-rose/) > [Never invest your money in anything that eats or needs painting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-rose/never-invest-your-money-in-anything-that-eats-or-needs-painting/) [Billy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-rose/) > [If the Russians ever decide to atom bomb us, they're certain to drop an especially large one on the plant in Pleasantville.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-rose/if-the-russians-ever-decide-to-atom-bomb-us-they-re-certain-to-drop/) [Billy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-rose/) > [It's hard for a fellow to keep a chip on his shoulder if you allow him to take a bow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-rose/it-s-hard-for-a-fellow-to-keep-a-chip-on-his-shoulder-if-you-allow/) [Billy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-rose/) > [Without a song the day would never end Without a song the road would never bend When things go wrong a man ain't got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-rose/without-a-song-the-day-would-never-end-without-a-song-the-road-would/) [Billy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-rose/) > [Asking me what I think of Oscar (Hammerstein) is like asking me what I think of the Yankees, Man o' War and Strawberry Sundaes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-rose/asking-me-what-i-think-of-oscar-hammerstein-is-like-asking-me-what-i/) [Billy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-rose/) [Explore all 9 Billy Rose quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-rose/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Say, it's only a paper moon, Sailing over a cardboard sea, But it wouldn't be make believe, If you believed in me.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Billy Rose" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-rose/say-it-s-only-a-paper-moon-sailing-over-a-cardboard-sea-but-it-wouldn/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-rose/say-it-s-only-a-paper-moon-sailing-over-a-cardboard-sea-but-it-wouldn/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2b/billy-rose-44672_believe_say-it-s-only-a-paper-moon-sailing-over_1572794.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2b/billy-rose-44672_believe_say-it-s-only-a-paper-moon-sailing-over_1572794.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2b/billy-rose-44672_believe_say-it-s-only-a-paper-moon-sailing-over_1572794.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Say, it's only a paper moon, Sailing over a cardboard sea, But it wouldn't be make believe, If you believed…” — Billy Rose", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Billy Rose", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-rose/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Say, it's only a paper moon,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-rose/say-it-s-only-a-paper-moon-sailing-over-a-cardboard-sea-but-it-wouldn/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-rose/say-it-s-only-a-paper-moon-sailing-over-a-cardboard-sea-but-it-wouldn/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```