Say Its Only A Paper Moon chords by Ella Fitzgerald

Chords with lyrics

Chords are based on Ella's quite well known 1933 version of this wonderful standard
featuring the vocal quartet "Ink Spots".

Key: Bb majorBb

Verse (00:09)

Bbmaj7Bbmaj7  BdimBdim  Cm7Cm7  F9F9
Say it's only a paper moon
Cm7Cm7   F9F9  Bbmaj7Bbmaj7    (F9F9)
hanging over a cardboard sea
Bb7Bb7        Eb6Eb6  EdimEdim
but it wouldn't be make-believe
  F9F9       Bbmaj7Bbmaj7  F9F9
if you believed in me

same for next Verse

Yes, its only a canvas sky
hanging over a muslin tree
but it would be make believe
if you believed in me

Chorus (00:40)

Eb6Eb6   EdimEdim  B/F
Without your love
    Cm7Cm7  F7F7   Cmaj7Cmaj7
it's a honky-tonk parade
Eb6Eb6   EdimEdim B/F G7G7
without your love
    Cm7Cm7         F7F7
it's a melody played in the penny arcade

Verse (0:56)
same as first verse

It's a barnum and bailey world
just as phoney as it can be
but it wouldn't be make-believe
if you believed in me

(Ink Spots)

Say it's only a paper moon
hanging over a cardboard sea
but it wouldnt 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

Chorus (1:43)

as before,
repeat twice

Possible chord voicings:
You can always make up your own, depending on what effect you're aiming for & what
instruments you're plaing with. These are just some suggestions.

Bbmaj7: 6x776x or x1323x
Bdim:  7x776x or x2323x
Cm7:  x3534x , x3131x or 8x888x
F9:   1x121x or x8788x
Bb7:  x1313x or 6x676x
Eb6:  x6554x or x6558x
Edim:  x7878x
B/F:  1x333x or x8876x
G7:   3x343x or xx5767

For those interested:
The Melody

e|-----------------------------|--------------------------------|------------|
BB|---------6--6---6---4--3-----|------------4--4--4--3----------|------------|
G+G|--------------------------5--|----3---3---------------5---3---|------------|
D MajorD|---3--3----------------------|--------------------------------|------------|
A augmentedA|-----------------------------|--------------------------------|------------|
E MajorE|-----------------------------|--------------------------------|------------|


e|------------------3----------|--------------------------------|
BB|---------6--6---7----4-------|----8---6-----------------------|
G+G|-----------------------5-----|--------------------------------|o
D MajorD|---3--3--------------------8-|-7-----------7--8--------(8)----|o repeat
A augmentedA|-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
E MajorE|-----------------------------|--------------------------------|


e|-----------------------------|--------------------------------------------|
BB|---------------8--6-6--------|-----------------6--6-6--6-------8--8-8--8--|
G+G|----5--6--7--8---------7-7---|----5--6--7--6-7------------6-7-------------|
D MajorD|-8-------------------------8-|-8------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|-----------------------------|--------------------------------------------|
E MajorE|-----------------------------|--------------------------------------------|