Breakfast at Tiffany's: Music from the Motion Picture

Because of his success with title themes, such as the hit theme to the television show Peter Gunn, Henry Mancini was asked by director Blake Edwards to compose the soundtrack to Breakfast at Tiffany’s, a symphony jazz soundtrack. A protégé of jazz legend Glenn Miller, he created the Academy Award winning score for The Glenn Miller Story.[2] After a preview screening of the film an executive from Paramount Pictures was convinced that the song “Moon River” was dead weight in the film and it was due to be cut. Upon learning this, Hepburn responded, “Over my dead body.”[3] This response was likely due to the friendly relationship that she had with Mancini. Subsequent to the insistence that the song stay in the film it was not cut and went on to be a hit.

Blake Edwards and Henry Mancini met through Mancini's wife whom Edwards had known for a number of years. After connecting they decided to collaborate on the television show Peter Gunn, for which Mancini created the title theme. When Edwards learned he would be directing Breakfast at Tiffany’s he chose Mancini as his partner. Both times their partnership scored gold, and went on to work collaborate on four other films together.[4] All the credit for the song “Moon River” cannot be given to Mancini, as Johnny Mercer provided the lyrics for the song. The pair of artists also had a smooth relationship, which resulted in the creation of this song.[3] After Mancini played the melody for Mercer, he offered three different variations of lyrics and the two decided on a final combination. Mancini believed that Hepburn's recording was the best. He is quoted saying, “Moon River was written for her. No one else has ever understood it so completely. There have been more than a thousand versions of "Moon River", but hers is unquestionably the greatest.”* Mancini held complete adoration and respect for Audrey Hepburn and the feeling was mutual; after watching the film Audrey wrote a letter to Mancini saying, “Your music has lifted us all up and sent us soaring. Everything we cannot say with words or show with action you have expressed for us. You have done this with so much imagination, fun and beauty. You are the hippest of cats - and the most sensitive of composers!”[5]

All music composed by Henry Mancini.

1. "Moon River" (Henry Mancini, Johnny Mercer)
2. "Something for Cat"
3. "Sally's Tomato"
4. "Mr. Yunioshi"
5. "The Big Blow Out"
6. "Hub Caps and Tail Lights"
7. "Breakfast at Tiffany's"
8. "Latin Golightly"
9. "Holly"
10. "Loose Caboose"
11. "The Big Heist"
12. "Moon River Cha Cha" (Mancini, Mercer)

• Accordion – Carl Fortina
• Bass – Red Mitchell
• Chorus – RCA Victor Chorus
• Drums – Larry Bunker, Milt Holland, Ralph Collier, Shelly Manne
• Guitar – Al Hendrickson, Bob Bain, Laurindo Almeida
• Harmonica – Toots Thielemans
• Organ – Victor Piemonte
• Piano – Jimmy Rowles
• Percussion - Lou Singer
• Reeds – Gene Cipriano, Justin Gordon, Ronald Langinger, Wilbur Schwartz
• Trombone – Dick Nash, George Roberts, Jimmy Priddy, John Halliburton, Karl De Karske
• Trumpet – Frank Beach, Joe Triscari, Pete Candoli, Ray Triscari
• Vibraphone – Larry Bunker
• Accompanied By – Henry Mancini And His Orchestra
• Vocals, Guitar – Audrey Hepburn