Judy Garland Classic Inspires Country Hit

Lainey Wilson has followed in the footsteps of legendary female vocalists like Barbara Mandrell, Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire.  On her way to building a catalog of hits like those icons, she's on her 9th Number One with 'Somewhere Over Loredo'.  Wilson admits that the song is loosely based on the Oz movie classic, with several lyrical nods to the American music standard. The CMA Entertainer of the year even stated, during a performance on the Grand Ole Opry, that this was her version of 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow'.  Furthermore, she told Billboard that "“If you say ‘somewhere over the rainbow’ fast 10 times, it kind of sounds like ‘somewhere over Laredo".

“‘Laredo’ isn’t just a place — it is a feeling,” Lainey explains. “It speaks to anyone who has ever looked back or remembered something and let that memory shape who they are. It also connects to all of those [small American] towns and people who are just trying to find their way home.”

Co-written by Lainey Wilson with Andy Albert, Trannie Anderson and Dallas Wilson, they also included Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg in the writing credits.  The writer and composer of 'Over The Rainbow', originally written in 1939 for 'The Wizard Of Oz' movie, and performed by Judy Garland. Think about the impact that movie and song has had on America! Here it is, 87 years later, and Number One Country Hits are still referencing Dorothy's trip to Oz.  Of course, you already knew that based on the success of the 'Wicked' movies.