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versions, Joel Whitburn's "Top Adult (Contemporary) Songs" reported the song as a #3 or #1 easy listening hit, due to unpublished charts in Billboard.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
Paul Anka 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.
The iconic song "Moon River" by Paul Anka is a beautiful ballad that was originally written by Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer. The song is a whimsical and romantic ode to life's journey and the unknown adventures that lie ahead. The opening lyrics "Moon River, wider than a mile, I'm crossing you in style some day" conjure up vivid imagery of a winding river that stretches far and wide, while the singer confidently states that he will one day cross it in style, implying a sense of adventure and excitement to come.
As the song progresses, the lyric "Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker, wherever you're going I'm going your way" suggests that the singer is willing to take a leap of faith and trust in the unknown path that lies ahead, even if it may be heart-wrenching at times. The lines "Two drifters off to see the world, there's such a lot of world to see" paint an image of two adventurous and carefree souls who seek to explore the vastness of the world, without concern for the hassles and hardships they may encounter.
The song's chorus, "We're after the same rainbow's end, waiting 'round the bend, my huckleberry friend, Moon River and me" can be interpreted as a metaphor for the journey of life, and the elusive search for true happiness or fulfillment. The concept of two friends searching for the end of the rainbow together implies that the journey they are on is not just about the final destination or goal, but rather, the countless experiences they will share along the way. Overall, the lyrics of "Moon River" are a testament to the beauty and uncertainty of life, and the endless possibilities that await us if we're willing to take a chance.
Line by Line Meaning
Moon River, wider than a mile,
The river I'm looking at is called Moon River and it's very wide, way more than one mile.
I'm crossing you in style some day.
One day, I will cross this river in a stylish and fashionable way.
Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker,
The person who controls and creates dreams is both a dream maker and a heart breaker.
Wherever you're going I'm going your way.
I will follow you wherever you go, and we will travel together.
Two drifters off to see the world.
The two of us are wanderers, we are traveling to see the world together.
There's such a lot of world to see.
The world is vast and full of incredible things to explore and experience.
We're after the same rainbow's end
We both are chasing the end of a rainbow, trying to find the pot of gold.
Waiting 'round the bend,
We are waiting around the corner to see where the rainbow leads us.
My huckleberry friend,
You are my special friend and companion on this adventure.
Moon River and me.
Together, we are exploring Moon River and enjoying this journey.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Tratore
Written by: Johnny Mercer, Henry Mancini
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Zev Feldman
beautiful cover
Nontas Sfikas
Fantastic! Love from Greece!
Rodrigo C.
Bayonetta