It became the theme song for Andy Williams, who first recorded the song in 1961 and performed it at the Academy Awards ceremonies in 1962. He sang the first eight bars of the song at the beginning of his television show; he also named his production company and venue in Branson, Missouri after Moon River. Williams' version was vetoed by Cadence president Archie Bleyer, who believed it had little or no appeal to teenagers. Williams' famous version never charted, except as an LP track, which he recorded for Columbia in a hit album of 1962.
The success of the song was responsible for relaunching Mercer's career as a songwriter, which had stalled in the mid-1950s because rock and roll replaced jazz standards as the popular music of the time. An inlet near Savannah, Georgia, Johnny Mercer's hometown, was named Moon River in honor of him and this song. The popularity of the song is such that it has been used as a test sample in a study on people's memories of popular songs.
The original version
Mercer and Mancini wrote the song for Audrey Hepburn to fit her vocal range. Initially the lyrics started, "I'm Holly, like I want to be / like Holly on a tree back home...", however they were later changed to fit the theme to the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's.
Although an instrumental version is played over the film's opening titles, the lyrics are first heard in a scene where Paul 'Fred' Varjak (George Peppard) discovers Holly Golightly (Hepburn) singing them, accompanied by her guitar, on the fire-escape outside their apartments.
There was much behind-the-scenes consternation which erupted when a Paramount Pictures executive suggested deleting the song from the film immediately after a very successful San Francisco preview. Hepburn's reaction has been described by Mancini and others in degrees varying from her saying "over my dead body" to her using somewhat more colorful language to make the same point.
Hepburn's version was not included in the original score album to Breakfast at Tiffany's. Instead, an album version recorded by Mancini and his chorus was released as a single and became a #11 hit. In different versions, Joel Whitburn's "Top Adult (Contemporary) Songs" reported the song as a #3 or #1 easy listening hit, due to unpublished charts in Billboard. Only months after Hepburn's death in 1993, her version was released on an album entitled Music from the Films of Audrey Hepburn.
Other recordings
"Moon River" was released by South African singer Danny Williams, and reached #1 in the UK. Shortly thereafter, Andy Williams recorded the song and made it his theme song. It was a hit for Jerry Butler in 1961, reaching #11 in the Billboard charts. Other artists that have covered the song are The Afghan Whigs, Benny Anderssons Orkester, Paul Anka, Blake, Louis Armstrong, Vince Guaraldi, Beru Revue, Mary Black, Sarah Brightman, Liz Callaway, Perry Como, Ray Conniff, Bobby Darin, Ania Dąbrowska, Dr. John, Dump, Billy Eckstine, The Four Freshmen, Connie Francis, Bill Frisell (instrumental), Emi Fujita, Judy Garland, Karel Gott, Grant Green (instrumental), Patty Griffin, The Innocence Mission (although this version is sometimes incorrectly cited as being performed by Milla Jovovich), Bradley Joseph (instrumental), Kim Yoo-jin, James Last, Joey McIntyre, Johnny Mathis, Brad Mehldau, Jane Monheit, Morrissey, Patsy Ann Noble, Jim Reeves, John Barrowman, R.E.M., Mia Riddle, Andrea Ross, Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Sarah Vaughan, Nan Vernon, Kid Koala, Westlife, Victoria Williams, The Divine Comedy, and Tata Young.
Mercer himself recorded the song in 1974 for his album (appropriately named) My Huckleberry Friend.
Moon River
Andrea Ross Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm crossin' you in style someday.
Old dream maker, you heartbreaker,
Wherever you're goin', I'm goin'your way.
Two drifters, off to see the world.
There's such a lot of world to see.
We're after the same rainbow's end,
My huckleberry friend,
Moon River and me.
The song "Moon River" by Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini, featured in the 1961 movie Breakfast at Tiffany's, is a symbol of freedom, adventure, and friendship. The opening line "Moon River, wider than a mile" perfectly captures the serene and meandering quality of a river that spans wide and beyond imagination. The singer is evoking a sense of wonder and curiosity as she declares to cross the river in style someday, which represents the prospect of finding new adventures and embracing life's possibilities.
The song's second verse talks about two drifters, who have set out to explore the world and discover new experiences. They are chasing the elusive and ever-engaging rainbow's end, their dreams that they aim to achieve. The singer refers to her companion as her huckleberry friend, which means a constant companion or someone who is on the same level as the singer. The lyrics reflect a deep sense of friendship and companionship, and the promise of experiencing the wonders of the world together. The refrain "Moon River and me" reinforces the idea of abandoning everyday life's restrictions and setting out on a journey of discovery.
Line by Line Meaning
Moon River, wider than a mile
The vast and mysterious river known as 'Moon River'
I'm crossin' you in style someday
One day, I will impossibly traverse this immense river in a fashionable manner.
Old dream maker, you heartbreaker
The maker of dreams, who is also capable of causing pain.
Wherever you're goin', I'm goin'your way
I will follow this elusive dream maker wherever they may lead.
Two drifters, off to see the world
Two aimless wanderers, seeking new experiences and landscapes.
There's such a lot of world to see
The world is vast and full of endless possibilities.
We're after the same rainbow's end
Both of us are pursuing the same elusive, unattainable goal.
Waitin' round the bend
Despite the uncertainty, we remain hopeful for the future.
My huckleberry friend
My closest and most dependable comrade on this journey.
Moon River and me
Together, we will explore the world and chase our dreams along the mystifying Moon River.
Lyrics © Tratore
Written by: Johnny Mercer, Henry Mancini
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Joe DiSantis
She sings so softly - like cotton but beautifully. Does great justice to an iconic song.
edgedg
I listened to all covers of Moon River found here on Youtube, and this must be the best one. The subtle play with the long notes...
NOOB Fart
Oh yes!
zero
Not to be a fanboy but i perfer Melissa Benoist's cover more, don't get me wrong i love tjis one too but....
John Lagan
Ditto, 11 years later.
Jim Sia
Yes right octave and pace
Jim Sia
Superb
Wendy Fiolek
Wow. Her voice is so amazing.
Gerald Pace
She sings this perfectly I'm swept up in its magic.
AdilHadad
I truly love this song, so full of nostalgia, and this version of Miss Ross is an extremely beautifully sung!