Moon River
Mancini Henry His Orchestra & Chorus Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Moon river, wider than a mile
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
My huckleberry friend, moon river, and me

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

Overall Meaning

The song "Moon River" was originally written for the 1961 film "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and performed by Audrey Hepburn. The lyrics of the song were written by Johnny Mercer and the music was composed by Henry Mancini. The song has since become a classic, with many artists covering it over the years. The sultry, dream-like quality of the song has been interpreted in many different ways, but the lyrics themselves convey a sense of longing and wandering.


The opening line "Moon river, wider than a mile," invokes a sense of grandeur and vastness. The moon is often a symbol of mystery and romance, and the river adds an element of flowing movement. The singer of the song is "crossing" the moon river "in style," implying a sense of confidence and grace. The second line "I'm crossing you in style someday" suggests that the singer is on a journey, but is not yet sure when they will fully arrive at their destination.


The third line of the song "Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker" introduces a sense of melancholy. The "dream maker" may be a symbol for the singer's aspirations or desires, and the "heart breaker" suggests that these aspirations are not easily attainable. The final line of this stanza "Wherever you're goin', I'm goin' your way" reinforces the idea that the singer is following their dreams, wherever they may lead.


The second stanza introduces the idea of the singer and the "huckleberry friend" as "drifters, off to see the world." This sense of wandering and adventure is juxtaposed against the "after that same rainbow's end" which suggests a search for a sense of stability or uniformity. The final line "My huckleberry friend, moon river, and me" brings the song full circle, returning to the image of the moon river and the singer's sense of journeying.


Overall, "Moon River" is a song about longing and searching, exploring the idea of following one's dreams and the difficulties that come with that. Its dreamy, romantic quality has lent it to many different interpretations over the years, and it continues to be a beloved classic.


Line by Line Meaning

Moon river, wider than a mile
The metaphorical 'Moon river', which is vast in its expanse, is being referred to as a representation of life's journey.


I'm crossing you in style some day
The journey through life will be made with style and grace, possibly referencing the idea that every person has their own unique journey to embark on.


Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker
The 'Dream maker' metaphorically represents the forces that create desires and ambitions, but can also act as a force leading to heartbreak and disappointment.


Wherever you're goin', I'm goin' your way
The singer is offering to follow along with the personification of the journey through life, wherever it may lead.


Two drifters, off to see the world
The two characters are being referred to as 'drifters', indicating that they have no fixed path or destination, but are instead taking an exploratory approach to their journey.


There's such a lot of world to see
The world is vast and full of opportunities to explore and discover, making the journey through life exciting and full of possibility.


We're after the same rainbow's end, waitin' 'round the bend
The 'rainbow's end' metaphorically represents an elusive goal or destination, and both the singer and the other character are united in their pursuit of this goal.


My huckleberry friend, moon river, and me
The singer and the companion they are addressing are 'huckleberry friends', an expression referring to two people who share a simple but deep bond. The two of them are united in their journey through life represented by the 'Moon river'.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Johnny Mercer, Henry Mancini

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@davidhertzberg

You can hear the original here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpxYuv2O46c // A photo album with close ups of the images displayed in this video can be reviewed here: https://plus.google.com/photos/108298623225603793041/albums/5743435896248444481?banner=pwa

@tl-zn5et

Such an exquisite song and a timeless movie! Thank you all.

@irishtaz44017

The first date I went on with my husband (which was a blind date, by the way!), he sat down & played this on the piano. His rendition was so beautiful, I cried...and the rest, as they say, is history!! We celebrated 36 years of marriage this past June & we're still as much in love now as we were then!!

@DougCeleste

IRISHTAZ: WOW, what a VERY lovely post and thanks so much for sharing!!! I was really touched by your words and all couples should be in love like you and your husband. And by the way, HAPPY 26TH ANNIVERSARY and God bless you both!!!

@SteveEcksteinDouglasDrive

MY WIFE'S FAV = "AUTUMN LEAVES" & " LOVES GROWN DEEP"(KENNY NOLAND),OUR WEDDING SONG. MY PICK;"WILDFLOWER" BY SKYLARK(DAVID(FAMOUS)FOSTER>MARRIED 8/14/77,

@therezabulhoes9204

@@SteveEcksteinDouglasDrive oki

@therezabulhoes9204

Folhas mortas

@brentbabb6559

aww that's so beautiful

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@janefuller7335

I had them play the Lou Armstrong version of this for the final dance at our wedding. I lost my sweetie to cancer 13 years later, and I still can't listen to this song without crying. I miss my Huckleberry friend so much! 😢

@evensout

this was my wife's favorite song, I stop by to revisit it--from time to time, and I can almost feel her hand n mine...

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