Henry Mancini and Jonny Mercer were the composer and lyricist behind the song Moon River. The song was first performed by Audrey Hepburn in the 1961 movie Breakfast at Tiffany's. From then on, the song became famous and even won Academy Award for Best Original Song. This song of Mancini and Mercer also won the 1962's Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
According to Mercer, the lyrics were somehow inspired by one of the successful masterpieces of Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn, which is mentioned in the song. It reminds him of the unforgettable memories of his childhood.
The song was first heard in the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) when George Peppard discovered how Audrey Hepburn performed the song with the accompaniment of a guitar beautifully and touching.
Fun fact:
The song was supposedly taken out from the movie but Audrey Hepburn insisted to sing the song and even told the production team "over my dead body!"
If it weren't for Audrey Hepburn, I believe the song wouldn't be widely known as much as Hepburn made it to the public.
From then on, a series of covers made the song even more famous as Frank Sinatra, the classic jazz singer did perform it. Louis Armstrong, Rod Stewart, and Barbra Streisand were some of the big and successful singers and composers who have sung it too.
Breakfast at Tiffany's Movie Summary and Review
This movie is released in 1961, starring Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard.
This movie talks about Holly (Hepburn) who falls in love with a struggling author (Peppard) who has yet to publish a book in his 5th year of writing.
The movie started when a taxi pulled over at the Tiffany & Co. building (a prestigious famous luxury jewelry in New York) holding a paper bag with her (Hepburn) breakfast on it, looking at the jewelry displayed inside.
She left the building as soon as she's done sightseeing the necklaces and bracelets. Arriving at her apartment, she asks her landlord to open up her door because she forgot her keys.
Later, a sound awakens her when Paul (Heppard) rings her doorbell to let him in the apartment and introduces himself as her new neighbor.
The two get along with each other learning about their occupations and also about their personal lives.
Paul opens up to Holly about how he struggles with writer's block and how to publish a book in 5 years. Holly also explains that she is saving money to support her brother's finances in his army service.
The story unfolds when the estranged husband of Holly is trying to get her back.
Paul asked his assistant to investigate Holly's estranged husband to find out that they got married when Holly was only approaching 14.
As things reach their point when Holly's estranged husband was informed by Paul that the marriage is now annulled.
In a bar, Holly opens up to Paul that he wants to marry Trawler, one of the richest men in America under the age of 50, for his money.
Days later, Paul discovers in a newspaper that Trawler is marrying someone else. Leaving Holly heartbroken, he plans to give her the box containing the supposed present of Holly's ex-husband to her but then to his surprise, Holly went missing.
He soon finds out that Holly is flying to Brazil to marry Jose, a Brazilian wealthy politician, for his money again. Meanwhile, she received a telegram about her brother's death in a jeep crash.
Holly needed time to mourn for her brother and finally decided to go on with her life months later after her brother's death.
She invited Paul for a dinner, to say goodbye as she is leaving the country tomorrow. However, Paul and Holly were arrested in line with a connection of
Sally Tomato's illegal drug ring. Holly spends the night in jail then got released the day after.
Paul was waiting for Holly inside the cab, carrying her cat and the letter from Jose telling her that they need to stop their relationship because of the scandal she was recently got involved.
Holly still insisted to go to Brazil to make up with Jose but Paul convinced her that she deserves someone better and that's him. Holly contemplated for a while and then left the cab hugging Paul.
So here is my piano cover of Moon River
Set your volumes high because I recorded this softly because the neighborhood might hear 🙈😅
Thank you so much ❤
Ansarap pakinggan kakarelax, nakakaantok. Ang galing galing mo madam, parang ang sarap matulog sa bahay nyo habang nagpplay ka. Bakit ba wala akong katalent talent ? 😅