Make Believe Lyrics – Show Boat

Song Overview

Song Credits

• Featured: Magnolia Hawks, Gaylord Ravenal (characters)
• Producer: Original Broadway Production
• Composer: Jerome Kern
• Lyricist: Oscar Hammerstein II
• Release Date: December 27, 1927
• Genre: Broadway, Show Tune
• Album: Show Boat (Original Broadway Cast)
• Label: N/A (pre-modern recording labels)
• Length: Approximately 4 minutes
• Language: English
• Instruments: Orchestra, Piano, Strings
• Music Style: Early Broadway, Romantic Ballad
• Copyrights: © 1927, Jerome Kern & Oscar Hammerstein II

Song Meaning and Annotations

"Make Believe" by Jerome Kern, wrapped in the soaring orchestration of early Broadway, isn't just a love song—it’s a delicate tightrope walk between fantasy and reality. The rhythm is tender, the kind that sways like a slow waltz on a riverboat deck, mirroring the hesitant flirtation of two strangers. The structure plays with call-and-response, almost like a polite dance, where each line inches the characters closer while still teetering on the edge of 'what if' rather than 'what is.'

The song arrives early in Show Boat, during the initial spark between Magnolia Hawks and Gaylord Ravenal. It's set in a world where social expectations are carved in stone, but here, in this quiet exchange, two people momentarily step outside those boundaries. In 1927, this was more than just charming—it subtly questioned the stiffness of social conventions. The melody swirls gently, with that unmistakable Broadway bravado, but under it all, it’s whispering about longing, escapism, and the bittersweet comfort of pretending.

Only make believe I love you / Only make believe that you love me

It begins with a soft invitation: "Let's pretend." Gaylord suggests make-believing affection as a harmless escape, but his final confession—"for to tell the truth, I do"—tips the entire pretense over. This is the trick: the boundary between fantasy and truth blurs, and isn’t that often how love sneaks up on people?

Creation History

Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II's collaborative alchemy was legendary, and this song was a gem born of their typical process—Kern composed the melody first, and Hammerstein poured his words into its vessel. Interestingly, the first line, "Only make believe I love you," was Hammerstein's starting point, a rare instance where the line led the dance. The simplicity of the line is deceptive; it's casual on the surface, but it's loaded with tenderness and hesitation, like two teenagers pretending they aren’t already caught in the undertow of their emotions.

Verse Breakdown

Verse: The characters are self-aware—they acknowledge they're playing a role. Magnolia says, "We only pretend, you do not offend, in playing a lover's part." It's a theatrical wink, as if they’re actors knowingly writing their own script, though the stakes feel quietly real. There's also a lovely rebellion here: "We need not mind conventions, p's and q's." They're stepping out of the rigid societal lines—at least in their imaginations.

Chorus: The chorus wraps us in the shared fantasy. "Make believe our lips are blending in a phantom kiss or two or three?" Even the 'phantom' kisses feel more vivid than reality, as if the pretense itself becomes sweeter than the truth. And that final twist, Gaylord’s softly delivered confession—it's no longer a game. He's already fallen.

Metaphors and Symbols

The act of 'make believe' isn't just child’s play—it’s a refuge. The characters create a pocket universe where social status, expectations, and even reality are optional. The 'phantom kiss' is a beautiful image—ghostly, intangible, yet somehow more thrilling because it exists only in the realm of pretend. This mirrors the human tendency to retreat into daydreams when real life feels out of reach.

Historically, the 1920s were a time of challenging social norms, but Show Boat itself was groundbreaking for tackling racial and societal issues. Even in this seemingly light love song, there’s a current of quiet rebellion—a push against the rigid decorum that governed public romance.

Similar Songs

1. "If I Loved You" – Rodgers and Hammerstein (from Ccarousel)
   Another Broadway classic where love dances in the subjunctive tense. Both songs play with the tension of ‘if’ and ‘make believe,’ using hypothetical affection to veil deep emotional truths. The structure of ‘If I Loved You’—long, winding, hesitant—mirrors the indirect courtship style of ‘Make Believe,’ where the characters are almost afraid to say what they feel directly. There’s that same waltzing rhythm and an underlying ache that pulses just beneath the polite surface.
2. "Some Enchanted Evening" – Rodgers and Hammerstein (from South Pacific)
   This song also captures that sense of a chance encounter that spirals into destiny. Both songs dwell on the magic of first meetings and the intense, almost surreal pull between strangers. ‘Some Enchanted Evening’ feels like the older, more certain cousin of ‘Make Believe’—where the uncertainty of pretend has been replaced by the certainty of fate. The sweeping orchestration and lush melodies draw direct lines between these two Broadway masterpieces.
3. "People Will Say We're in Love" – Rodgers and Hammerstein (from Oklahoma!)
   This playful duet shares thematic DNA with ‘Make Believe.’ Both songs allow the characters to flirt through denial and suggestion. 'People Will Say We’re in Love' uses warnings and deflections to mask growing affection, just as ‘Make Believe’ cloaks real love in a costume of pretense. The back-and-forth phrasing, the teasing undertones, and the slow peeling away of defenses connect these songs like cousins at a family wedding—dancing around their feelings but inevitably drawing closer.

Questions and Answers

What is the main theme of "Make Believe" by Jerome Kern?

The central theme is the delicate dance between imagination and genuine emotion. The song uses 'pretend' love as a facade, but gradually reveals that the characters are truly falling for each other.

How does the melody support the song’s narrative?

The gentle, waltzing melody mirrors the tentative, playful nature of the characters’ flirtation. It creates a soft cushion for their ‘pretend’ romance to unfold, making the imaginary feel warm and tangible.

Why is "Make Believe" significant in the context of Show Boat?

It introduces the romantic storyline while subtly challenging societal norms. At a time when class and appearance dictated relationships, this song invites the characters—and the audience—to step briefly outside those constraints through imagination.

What does the phrase "phantom kiss" symbolize?

The 'phantom kiss' symbolizes an affection that exists only in the realm of pretend—or so they claim. It’s a metaphor for those sweet, untouchable moments we create in our minds when reality feels too rigid or distant.

Is "Make Believe" still relevant today?

Absolutely. The tension between fantasy and reality in love is timeless. People still 'make believe' through texting, social media personas, and idealized relationships. The song’s core idea—that pretending can sometimes lead us to the truth—still resonates.