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versions, Joel Whitburn's "Top Adult (Contemporary) Songs" reported the song as a #3 or #1 easy listening hit, due to unpublished charts in Billboard.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
Danny Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm crossing you in style some day
Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker
Wherever you're going, I'm going 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
(Two drifters, off to see the world)
(There's such a lot of world to see)
We're after the same rainbow's end
Waiting 'round the bend
My huckleberry friend
Moon river, and me
The lyrics of Danny Williams's "Moon River" talk about a person's aspirations and dreams of wandering aimlessly, discovering new places and finding themselves in the process. The song compares a river called Moon River to life, both of which can be seen as 'wider than a mile.' The singer is dreaming of crossing the river 'in style some day' with a dream maker who's also a heartbreaker. Even though the singer doesn't know where the dream maker is going, he's willing to follow them and cross the river together.
Furthermore, the lyrics speak about two drifters who are off to see the world together. They are in search of the same thing, which is the elusive rainbow's end, and on their way to finding it, they come across a place called Moon River, where they find comfort and camaraderie. The singer and his huckleberry friend will stay together until they find their destination or until they stumble upon something else.
The lyrics of "Moon River" are known for their poetic imagery and metaphorical usage. The song has been interpreted in many different ways, but the most common interpretation is that it is about following one's dreams, no matter how difficult or uncertain the journey may be. The song's universal theme has made it one of the most popular ballads of all time.
Line by Line Meaning
Moon river, wider than a mile
The singer is in awe of the vastness of the river.
I'm crossing you in style some day
The singer plans to cross the river in a fashionable and memorable way.
Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker
The singer addresses the river, which is both a symbol of hope and a source of pain.
Wherever you're going, I'm going your way
The artist is committed to following the river wherever it leads.
Two drifters, off to see the world
The artist has a companion and they are both setting out on a journey to explore the world.
There's such a lot of world to see
The singer acknowledges the vastness and diversity of the world.
We're after the same rainbow's end
The singer and their companion share a common goal or dream.
Waiting 'round the bend
The artist and their companion anticipate obstacles and unknown challenges along their journey.
My Huckleberry friend
The artist affectionately addresses their companion.
Moon river and me
The artist acknowledges the river's significance in their journey and their ongoing connection to it.
Lyrics © Tratore
Written by: Johnny Mercer, Henry Mancini
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@peterhampson3542
The best version, nobody else gets even close to Danny,s version.
@gregcord3886
Amen!!
@alicetickle
This is the version I’ve been searching for! Thank you.
@crabbyoldman8209
What an inane comment.
@Raggy60
@@crabbyoldman8209 By whom ?
@Glamagal20091
I heard the Andy Williams version earlier today on the radio. I'm afraid it isn't a patch on this one. This is just superb.
@rosiekraxberger2086
Danny Williams has the most beautiful voice, hearing this beautiful song brings back memories to me.
@stevemathews9535
Without doubt the best version of this song. What a pity Danny Williams didn't receive the recognition his amazing voice deserved.
@desmondfitzgerald8063
even better than andy williams' version, believe it or not.
he had one or two more hits, minor hits, and evaporated or emigrated to the moon.
where is he today? maybe wikipedia knows!
by the way, he had a welsh surname and i maintian the welsh, blacks and italians were born to sing.
FULL STOP.
@jackspringheel8362
@@desmondfitzgerald8063 the best