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versions, Joel Whitburn's "Top Adult (Contemporary) Songs" reported the song as a #3 or #1 easy listening hit, due to unpublished charts in Billboard.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
Henry Mancini 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 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, waitin' 'round the bend
Moon river, wider than a mile
I'm crossin' you in style some day
Oh, 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 that same rainbow's end, waitin' 'round the Bend
My huckleberry friend, moon river, and me
The song "Moon River" by Henry Mancini is a melancholic ballad that paints a vivid picture of two wanderers seeking their fortunes in the wide-open spaces of the world. The first verse sets the tone with the opening line "Moon river, wider than a mile." This is a metaphor for the vastness of the world, and the idea that the two drifters are setting out to cross it in style someday. The dream maker referred to in the song is a reference to somebody who is going to help them overcome their fears and achieve their goals. However, this person is also a heartbreaker because the journey is never easy, and they have to be willing to take risks and push boundaries to get ahead.
The second verse continues the story by introducing two more characters, "Two drifters off to see the world." They are after the same rainbow's end, a reference to the mythical pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. The line "waiting' 'round the bend" implies that they are always looking towards the future, anticipating what's coming next, but also living in the moment. The final line of the verse, "My huckleberry friend, moon river, and me," is an expression of the deep friendship between the two wanderers and their love for the natural world.
Overall, "Moon River" is a beautiful, introspective song that captures the yearning for adventure and the deep bonds of friendship, and it continues to be one of the most beloved songs in the American Songbook.
Line by Line Meaning
Moon river, wider than a mile
The beauty of life's journey, full of experiences that are vast and abundant.
I'm crossing you in style some day
One day I will face this journey with confidence and poise, ready to take on what lies ahead.
Oh, dream maker, you heartbreaker
The creator of dreams that can also be the cause of heartbreak.
Wherever you're goin', I'm goin' your way
No matter where life takes me, I want to share that journey with those who are important to me.
Two drifters off to see the world
Two individuals who are seeking to explore the world and experience all that it offers.
There's such a lot of world to see
The world is vast and offers endless opportunities for exploration and adventure.
We're after the same rainbow's end, waitin' 'round the bend
We are both seeking to find our own personal pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, which is just around the corner waiting for us to discover it.
My huckleberry friend, moon river, and me
Together with my closest companion, we will navigate life's journey together and share in the beauty of the moonlit river.
Lyrics © Tratore
Written by: Johnny Mercer, Henry Mancini
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@anvarr5703
Beautiful music.Only true hearts will understand..
@milytedocampo
Why only true heart understand......
@Ciscodays
@@milytedocampo If you have to ask....
@SantoroSalerno
I'm 72 years & a young boy when this came out. Mega-hit for Mancini, and an absolutely beautiful song! Thanks Henry Mancini for the score & Johnny Mercer for the lyrics!
@osmanakman
Autumn Leaves too
@danno232323
You should search JACOB COLLIER doing this live - with the audience singing along - there are MANY videos/versions -- it's so beautiful i had to let you know.
@7272goldy
This song is so amazing... ❤
@gbuddy
Henry Mancini was truly a genius.
@AVportau
one of the greatest songs and pieces of music ever written from a golden era that is long gone but not forgotten.... as a young child this was magical and full of hope, and now in my older years it sings a memory i so long for again.
@hims12
Yeh, I have it on my playlist
And I just love it
I imagine dancing at my wedding with the man I wanted to marry, but he was never interested in me.
It truly is a Beautiful song
Blessings ❤🎉