Moon River Moon River "Moon River" is a song composed by Henry Mancini with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. It was originally performed by Audrey Hepburn in the 1961 movie "Breakfast at Tiffany's", winning an Academy Award for Best Original Song. The song also won the 1962 Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. The song has been covered by many other artists. It became the theme song for Andy Williams, who first recorded it in 1962 (and performed it at the Academy Awards ceremony that year). He sang the first eight bars of the song at the
Down by the River (Neil Young song) Down by the River (Neil Young song) "Down by the River" is a song composed by Neil Young. It was first released on his 1969 album with Crazy Horse, "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere". Young explained the context of the story in the liner notes of his 1977 anthology album "Decade", stating that he wrote "Down by the River," "Cinnamon Girl" and "Cowgirl in the Sand" while delirious in bed in Topanga Canyon with a fever. The lyrics are apparently about someone who kills his lover by shooting her, as in a murder ballad." An author argues the killer's motive