Moon River and Other Great Movie Themes is the ninth studio album by American pop singer Andy Williams. It was released on March 26, 1962, by Columbia Records and covered film songs that were mostly from the previous decade.
The album debuted on Billboard magazine's Top LP's chart in the issue dated May 12, 1962 and remained there for 176 weeks (the longest chart run of any of his albums), peaking at number 3.[3] it also debuted on the Cashbox albums chart in the issue dated April 28, 1962, and remained on the chart for 183 weeks, peaking at number 4.[4]
The album received Gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America on October 14, 1963, and thus became Williams's earliest recording to achieve this honor but not, however, the first to do so. His Days of Wine and Roses and Other TV Requests album, which was released in April 1963, received its Gold certification just one month prior to this one.[5] By 1967, the album had sold more than twomillion copies.[6]
In his autobiography Moon River and Me: A Memoir, Williams describes how Archie Bleyer, the head of his former record label, Cadence Records, had discouraged the singer from recording the song "Moon River" in 1961, assuming that young people wouldn't understand the line "my huckleberry friend". Williams writes, "He thought it was too abstract and didn't think it would be a hit single, so he turned it down." Williams moved on shortly thereafter to Columbia Records, where the powers-that-be loved the idea of an entire album of songs from movies, and he wound up recording the rejected song on January 4, 1962.[8] A few months later he was again offered the chance to sing "Moon River", this time at the Academy Awards on April 9 because of its nomination for Best Original Song.[9][10] The April 28 issue of Billboard magazine reported that the album had "racked up orders, according to Columbia Records, of close to 40,000 within two weeks' release. Platter was rushed out by the label to coincide with Williams' performance of the Mancini tune on the Academy Awards Show a fortnight ago."[11]
William Ruhlmann of AllMusic felt that Williams did a "masterful version" of the title track and "also does well with the rest of the songs," calling the album "a highlight in the singer's career."[1]
Billboard magazine described the album as "a listenable album", saying that it features a "selection of movie songs."[14]Cashbox gave positive results, saying he "displays a wide vocal range as he gives full-voiced treatments of 'Love Is A Many Splendored Thing'."[15]Variety noted in its review that "Williams's style is smooth and winning and Robert Mersey's arrangement add to the overall zest".[16] Nigel Hunter of Disc notes "His voice is absolutcly faultless from start to finish, presenting these high-calibre compositions at his very best, and Robert Mersey's arrangement and backings put the final gloss on these great tracks."[13]
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