“Somewhere Over the Rainbow” is a classic song performed by Judy Garland in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. It’s about feeling trapped and dreaming of a better place.
This tune has been covered many times over the years, including the very popular medley by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole.
Below is a section-by-section interpretation of the lyrics in “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”
- Song: Somewhere Over the Rainbow
- Artist: Judy Garland
- Songwriters: Harold Arlen, E.Y. Harburg
- Released: 1939
- Album: The Wizard of Oz
- Genre: Ballad
What is “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” About?
Verse 1: Searching for a Dream
Somewhere over the rainbow
Way up high
The song opens with a wish for a distant, faraway place.
The image of the rainbow is a classic symbol of hope and an unreachable goal.
She is looking for something better, located far from where she currently is.
There’s a land that I heard of
Once in a lullaby
This idea of a perfect place is not new to her. It’s a concept she’s known since childhood, a bedtime story that has always stayed with her.
This gives the dream a long history, something she has carried with her for a long time.
Verse 2: The Reality of Hope
Somewhere over the rainbow
Skies are blue
She starts to describe what this other world is like.
The sky being blue represents a simple kind of happiness and clarity. Unlike the grey, colorless landscape of Kansas that Dorothy lives in, this place is bright and full of life.
It’s an escape from the sadness of her daily existence.
And the dreams that you dare to dream
Really do come true
In her world, dreams are just that. But somewhere over the rainbow, they become real.
She feels stuck in a difficult reality, where a true sense of hope is hard to come by.
Lyric Stories Newsletter
Don’t miss out on our latest song interpretations and curated music lists!
Bridge: Wishing for Escape
Someday I’ll wish upon a star
Wishing on a star is a common idea for children who want something to happen.
It shows she is clinging to a naive, innocent belief in magic to fix her problems.
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me
The clouds symbolize problems and sadness. She wants to wake up in a place where those are gone completely.
The “waking up” part suggests that this better place is a dream. She knows that getting away from home is nearly impossible.
Where troubles melt like lemon drops
She dreams of a place where problems disappear instantly, like sugar dissolving.
This is a childish image, and that’s the point.
Away above the chimney tops
That’s where you’ll find me
She imagines being able to fly, soaring high above her home and everyday surroundings. What she’s saying is that she wants to be so far away that no one from home can get to her.
“That’s where you’ll find me” is not just a hope but a firm declaration. She is confident that this dream world is where she belongs and where she will eventually be.
Verse 3: The Unreachable Goal
Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly
The bluebird is a long-held symbol of happiness.
Bluebirds are free and able to fly wherever they want. They represent the freedom and happiness she wants.
Birds fly over the rainbow
Why, then, oh, why can’t I?
These lines are a key part of the song’s meaning, as they show her frustration and sadness.
She can see a symbol of happiness and freedom flying past her, but she is stuck.
This is a painful question that shows the limits of her situation. She is a girl who wants to “fly” away, but she doesn’t know how.
Outro: A Hopeful but Sad Ending
If happy little bluebirds fly
Beyond the rainbow
Why, oh, why can’t I?
The final words repeat her wish to escape, but they don’t give her an answer.
It ends without her achieving her goal, showing that this place “over the rainbow” is still just a dream.
“Somewhere Over the Rainbow” Song Meaning: The Desire to Escape an Unhappy Reality
“Somewhere Over the Rainbow” is a song about longing for a better life and dreaming of a world that seems just out of reach. Judy Garland, as Dorothy, feels trapped in the black-and-white, difficult world in Kansas. The rainbow is a symbol of a colorful, exciting place that is the opposite of her current home.
The song is not happy or joyful. It’s about someone who feels stuck and helpless. While there is some hope in the lyrics, it is a hope that lives in dreams, not in reality.
The central idea of the song is the painful experience of wanting to escape a bad situation but having no real power to do so. This feeling is not just for a child in a story but for anyone who has ever felt like they were in a bad place and needed to get away.
Songs Like “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”
Here are more songs with similar themes of dreaming and searching for a better place:
1. “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” by Ilene Woods
From Cinderella, “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” is a song about hoping for a brighter tomorrow while stuck in a painful situation. It shares the same belief that holding onto dreams can help someone survive difficult times.
2. “Rainbow” by Kacey Musgraves
“Rainbow” offers words of encouragement to someone going through dark times, saying that things can get better. It uses the rainbow to symbolize hope after a storm.
3. “Imagine” by John Lennon
“Imagine” is another song about a dreamer who wants to see the world change for the better. Lennon asks listeners to think about a world without borders, war, or greed.
Related: “Imagine” Song Meaning
Conclusion: A Dream for a Better Place
“Somewhere Over the Rainbow” is a song about the not-so-uncommon human desire to escape from a difficult reality and find a place where their dreams can come true. It captures the painful but hopeful feeling of being stuck in a bad situation, but never giving up on the idea of a better world.
Check out more Song Meanings!
