Moon River Sheet Music - Items tagged as "Piano/vocal/chords"

Moon River first soared as a hit from Audrey Hepburn’s film, Breakfast at Tiffany’s. And it earned Johnny Mercer, the lyricist, and Henry Mancini, the composer, an Oscar in 1961 for the “Best Original Song.” To this day, Moon River still ranks on the list of the top 5 film songs by the American Film Institute. While it was first performed by Audrey Hepburn, Andy Williams recorded it in 1962 and it became the theme song for his award-winning show, The Andy Williams Show.

This simple song, slow with an unforgettable melody, is actually about the Back River (now known as Moon River) in Savannah, Georgia. Its romantic lyrics are about heading off together on an adventure and experiencing all that life has to offer. Moon River has been covered by many outstanding artists over the years, in addition to Andy Williams. Most famously, by entertainers such as Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, and Aretha Franklin.

Believe it or not, this song almost didn’t make it to the big screen. In the original screening of Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the runtime exceeded the allotted time and cuts had to be made. Guess what was on the chopping block? That’s right – the scene with Moon River. Thankfully, it was decided to cut other parts of the film and leave the music. That decision has left us with a timeless melody.