James Taylor's "Moon River"
"Moon River" was known as the theme song of Andy Williams, cardigan-clad king of 50s and 60s Easy Listening music. Well, it's only "easy" listening if one doesn't have a visceral aversion to syrupy strings and those cheesy choruses of background singers that producers inflicted on everyone back then, even Ray Charles. As if Ray Charles needed sweetening and softening to be popular. Naturally, I'm protesting too much. Andy Williams was a very good singer and the over-orchestration on his version doesn't kill the song.
In the original Breakfast at Tiffany's version of the song, Audrey Hepburn sings it with just her own ukulele accompaniment, and, frankly, the song makes more sense that way, and is definitely more touching. James Taylor's version on his superb 2020 album, American Standard, splits the difference. It is built on on a gorgeous arrangement for two acoustic guitars, a six string and a seven string, that is at once intricate and elegant. It also features a melodica solo that sounds like a harmonica and which provides perfect melodic counterpoint to the main theme.
And what can you say? James Taylor is a great singer. He communicates. In fact, it was in listening to his version that I really started to engage with Johnny Mercer's words. And then one time, after a few listens, when it came around to the second verse, I had an epiphany: Yes, isn't that what we all are? Cosmic drifters "off to see the world"? We tend to overthink things when it comes to the meaning of life. Could it be that we are just here to experience it? To pick wild berries with friends? That's what that "huckleberry friend" line means, according to Mercer. It was based on his memory of carefree youth, picking wild huckleberries with his friends, and he also liked its resonance with Huckleberry Finn. Based on that, I think Jesus might enjoy the song, too. After all, he was insistent that unless you "become as little children, you will in no way enter into the kingdom of heaven." But unless he writes an Amazon review or the like on this Mancini-Mercer classic, I guess we will have to wait to find out.
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
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