Latest news with #SomewhereOverLaredo
CNN
a day ago
- Entertainment
- CNN
Lainey Wilson on what a July 4th looks like in her hometown
CNN's Boris Sanchez interviewed singer-songwriter Lainey Wilson at Summerfest about her July 4th memories, her new single 'Somewhere Over Laredo' and her upcoming performance on CNN's Fourth in America. Watch CNN's special celebrating the 249th anniversary of the United States' independence from 7pm ET to 1am ET.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Lainey Wilson Talks ‘Laredo,' the Kind of Familiar New Song That Comes Along ‘Once in a Lullaby'
'Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore.' Indeed, Lainey Wilson is flying high above Texas in her current single, 'Somewhere Over Laredo,' playing off the most iconic melodic interval in the best-known song from The Wizard of Oz, the Judy Garland movie that spawned the 'Kansas' dialogue. That melodic hook is a one-octave jump that launches the chorus of 'Over the Rainbow'; that element makes its way into the opening of Lainey's 'Laredo' chorus, which also rhymes with the original. More from Billboard Debbie Harry on Image Expectations in Music: 'I Wanted to Work' Wallows Recall Morrissey Walking Out of Their Show: 'That's the Perfect Morrissey Story' Bob Vylan Axed From Radar, Kave Fest After Glastonbury Backlash 'If you say 'somewhere over the rainbow' fast 10 times, it kind of sounds like 'somewhere over Laredo,' ' Lainey notes. 'That struck me as a perfect fit.' Songwriter Andy Albert ('Thinking 'Bout You,' 'Good Girl') had a similar thought when the idea appeared seemingly out of nowhere in 2024. 'I loved how hard the rhyme was and how perfect it was with the original,' Albert recalls. 'I was just like, 'There could be something really cool here if we unpack this story.' ' Albert sat on 'Laredo' for a bit, waiting for the right situation to present itself. Oddly enough, that moment came while in line for the VelociCoaster at Universal Orlando. Albert and songwriter Trannie Anderson ('Heart Like a Truck,' 'It Won't Be Long') visited the theme park on Aug. 24 when they had a morning to kill between performances during a two-night songwriter show booked at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, and they threw out song ideas during the long wait for the ride. Albert pitched the 'Laredo' concept, and they decided to work on it when they returned to Nashville, with Lainey in mind as a potential suitor. Anderson sat at the piano when they started, playing a melancholy progression that established the tone. They mapped out the essential parts of the chorus melody, carefully diverting from the original after mimicking the 'Some-where' octave jump. 'We were really intentional about trying to make sure we were off the melody the rest of the song,' Albert says. An essential change from 'Rainbow' came with the 'Laredo' chorus' second chord — Anderson moved from the tonic to a flatted seventh instead of the familiar minor third — and it forced the melody down a different path. With the basics of the chorus set, they shifted to the opening verse, using a plane to put the protagonist in the clouds above Laredo. Originally, they planned for her to travel from Dallas to California, but a quick search of Google Maps suggested that flight path wouldn't go near the Texas border. So they started the flight in Houston for realism. Traveling over Laredo stirred memories of a rodeo cowboy from the character's past — the writers cast the couple as 'Lone Star-crossed lovers' — and the chorus embraced the woman's honky-tonk path in the setup line, deftly referencing Alan Jackson in her 'chasin' this neon rainbow' wordplay. In short order, Lainey brought the 'Heart Wranglers' — her term for her writing partnership with Anderson and (no relation) Dallas Wilson ('Heart Like a Truck,' 'Can't Have Mine') — on the road during the Country's Cool Again Tour. After writing a couple of songs earlier in the trip, they found themselves sitting outside Lainey's bus at the Adams Center in Missoula, Mont., on Sept. 15, staring at the mountains and the wild Montana skies. 'I just knew I needed to show her this idea in that moment,' Anderson remembers. 'I didn't have an instrument on me, so I just sang the beginnings of this song a cappella and kept a beat on the side of my folding chair.' Lainey was sold. They tweaked the first two stanzas and wrote a second verse that captures the loneliness that accompanies life while traveling, a scenario that was central to Dorothy's character in Oz. ''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.' For the bridge, Lainey wanted to slide in a few more 'Rainbow' references — the bluebirds that fly in that song were transformed into blackbirds in 'Laredo,' and they repurposed the 'once in a lullaby' line from the original. 'She loved the thought of using the 'once in a lullaby,' ' Anderson says. 'And I really wanted to use the 'blackbirds' line because that just felt so spot-on with Texas. I grew up in Texas, and there are blackbirds freaking everywhere.' Dallas sang on the piano/vocal work tape, which Lainey, Anderson and tour mate Zach Top first heard on a private plane somewhere over Idaho. Lainey tried recording 'Laredo' several times with producer Jay Joyce (Eric Church, Miranda Lambert), but had trouble getting the vibe right. 'It took the scenic route,' she says. 'I'm talking about back roads and all. It kicked off its boots and stayed awhile. We cut it a few times, we rearranged it, we lived with it, but just kept chasing the feeling that we knew that we needed to have.' Over the ensuing months, Anderson's publisher — Sony Music Publishing, which controls the 'Rainbow' copyright — gave its blessing to the new use of the classic, with original composers Harold Arlen and E.Y. 'Yip' Harburg credited as 'Laredo' co-writers. Meanwhile, while rehearsing in Copenhagen on March 12, Lainey and her band found the right direction and nailed it when they returned to Nashville. Fiddler Sav Madigan slipped in another 'Rainbow' reference in the studio, applying the two-note verse melody as an instrumental enhancement to the 'Laredo' bridge. Clever as the octave jump may be, that twist is also difficult — the original is so iconic that it's tough not to break into the 'Rainbow' melody in the chorus. 'It's not easy,' Albert says. 'It took me a lot of practicing before I was confident singing it at a writers round.' 'When I get to that 'some-where' note,' Lainey adds, 'I catch myself thinking again — just like I've done with [the long note in] 'Heart Like a Truck' — 'Why in the world do I keep doing this to myself?' But honestly, that note is just part of what makes the song what it is, vocally. It wasn't about the technical side of things. It was all about putting myself into that emotional place of the song.' 'Laredo' is one of five new tracks planned for the deluxe version of her Whirlwind album, due Aug. 22, and Broken Bow released it to radio via PlayMPE on May 22, employing subtle scarecrow imagery in the accompany artwork. Whether it reminds listeners of Dorothy — or of the recent Oz-derived movie, Wicked, or simply connects to fan experiences with distance and loneliness — 'Laredo' tugs effectively at some difficult emotions. It's already at No. 24 after five weeks on the Country Airplay chart dated July 5. 'It is my job as a storyteller to write music for everybody,' Lainey says. 'And I feel like this song has something to offer everybody.' Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
CNN
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNN
Lainey Wilson on what a July 4th looks like in her hometown
CNN's Boris Sanchez interviewed singer-songwriter Lainey Wilson at Summerfest about her July 4th memories, her new single 'Somewhere Over Laredo' and her upcoming performance on CNN's Fourth in America. Watch CNN's special celebrating the 249th anniversary of the United States' independence from 7pm ET to 1am ET.
CNN
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNN
Lainey Wilson on what a July 4th looks like in her hometown
CNN's Boris Sanchez interviewed singer-songwriter Lainey Wilson at Summerfest about her July 4th memories, her new single 'Somewhere Over Laredo' and her upcoming performance on CNN's Fourth in America. Watch CNN's special celebrating the 249th anniversary of the United States' independence from 7pm ET to 1am ET.
Epoch Times
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Epoch Times
Lainey Wilson Debuts New Single ‘Somewhere Over Laredo,' Inspired by ‘The Wizard of Oz' Classic
Country singer Lainey Wilson has put a Southern spin on one of the most beloved and recognizable 'The Wizard of Oz' tunes with the release of 'Somewhere Over Laredo,' a new ballad that pays homage to small towns across the United States. The Louisiana native's latest single, which debuted on May 23, incorporates elements of 'Over the Rainbow,' an enduring melody made famous by actress Judy Garland in the classic 1939 musical, earning the Oscar for 'Best Original Song' the following year. The song, co-written with collaborators Trannie Anderson, Dallas Wilson, and Andy Albert, also reflects on past love, interweaving Wilson's poignant storytelling and signature country sound, according to a The Texas-inspired ditty puts the 33-year-old singer-songwriter in the window seat of a red-eye flight soaring out of Houston. 'Somewhere over Laredo, dreaming about those rodeo nights,' a portion of the song's Wilson, who launched her self-titled debut album in 2014, discussed the inspiration behind her new song on social media, explaining that the lyrics stemmed from her frequent traveling as a touring musician. Related Stories 5/1/2025 5/10/2024 'When I'm flying between shows I catch myself looking out the window, talking to God, dreaming, or even reminiscing,' she ''Somewhere Over Laredo' tells a story that speaks to that. I've always been inspired by putting myself into other peoples' shoes and telling stories from others' perspective, but I've found a new creative avenue with this one putting myself back into a pair of shoes that I wore years ago.' Wilson is scheduled to perform her new song live for the first time during the 2025 American Music Awards (AMAs). The 'Heart Like a Truck' singer is nominated for 'Favorite Female Country Artist' at the fan-voted award show, which is set to air on Memorial Day at 8 p.m. ET on CBS and Paramount+. Hosted by singer and actress Jennifer Lopez, this year's AMAs will also feature performances by singer-songwriter Janet Jackson, country crooner Blake Shelton, pop-rock star Benson Boone, and Latin pop singer Gloria Estefan, who will be taking the stage at the award show for the first time in more than 30 years.
