The music for “Moon River” was written by Henry Mancini and the lyrics were written by Johnny Mercer, who grew up in Savannah, Georgia, picking huckleberries and watching the river roll by without a care.
Writing a song about those Southern summer days and gently flowing rivers, he incorporated “my huckleberry friend” as an homage to the carefree days of his youth.
Not known as a singer, Hepburn performs the song in the opening scene of Breakfast at Tiffany’s, singing sweetly, if sparingly, filling the screen with a romantic yearning for a simpler life.
Moon river, wider than a mile,
I’m crossing you in style some day.
Old dreammaker, you heartbreaker,
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.”