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versions, Joel Whitburn's "Top Adult (Contemporary) Songs" reported the song as a #3 or #1 easy listening hit, due to unpublished charts in Billboard.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
Barbra Streisand Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm crossing you in style someday
Old dream maker you heart breaker
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 rainbows end
Waitin' round the bend
Moon River and me
Old dream maker you heart breaker
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 rainbows end
Waitin' round the bend
My Huckleberry friend
Moon River and me
"Moon River" is a timeless classic that communicates a sense of serenity any time you hear it. The lyrics suggest a journey that could be taken across a river of dreams, but it is unclear whether the journey is metaphorical or literal. At first glance, the song seems like a sweet love ballad, but in reality, it is about holding onto dreams and the beauty of life. It expresses the idea of two people uniting to chase their dreams together. When the songwriter mentions ‘Old Dream Maker,’ the old songwriter refers to life, which is the dream maker and either makes your dreams come true or breaks your heart through the harsh realities of life.
The song refers to drifters, who symbolize people who don’t have a steady home and live as nomads, moving from place to place. Even though this is a life of uncertainty, the two characters in the song are optimistic about the future and are hopeful of seeing the world. The idea is that wherever the dream maker is taking the drifters, these two will always be together. The line, ‘We’re after the same rainbow’s end,’ calls to mind that sense of seeking a pot of gold, representing everyone’s search for happiness wherever they look.
Line by Line Meaning
Moon River wider than a mile
The vastness and beauty of the world is represented by the metaphor of the incredibly wide moon river.
I'm crossing you in style someday
One day, I will gracefully traverse the moon river in a stylish manner.
Old dream maker you heart breaker
The personification of the dream maker as an old figure who has the power to both make dreams come true and break hearts.
Wherever you're goin' I'm goin' your way
I am willing to follow the dream maker anywhere they go and on any path they choose.
Two drifters off to see the world
Two aimless wanderers who are exploring and experiencing the world without a specific destination in mind.
There's such a lot of world to see
The world is vast, and there are countless places to discover and explore.
We're after the same rainbows end
Both the singer and the dream maker are seeking the elusive and mythical ends of rainbows, representing impossible or ideal goals.
Waitin' round the bend
The end of the rainbow is always just out of reach and around the next turn or bend in the path.
My Huckleberry friend
A term of endearment for a close companion or confidant who shares the singer's sense of adventure and wanderlust.
Moon River and me
The singer and the moon river are inextricably linked, representing the vastness and mystery of the world and the singer's desire to explore and experience it all.
Lyrics © Tratore
Written by: Johnny Mercer, Henry Mancini
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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