Oh Sweet Lorraine

Album: Single Release Only (2013)
Charted: 42
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This features the Peoria, Illinois-based Green Shoe Studio CEO/producer Colgan Jacob Colgan and Fred Stobaugh, who penned the song. 96-year-old Stobaugh wrote "Lorraine" for his wife of 72 years, who died in April 2013. "Well, after she passed away," he recalled in the song's official documentary video , "I was just sitting in the front room one evening by myself. It just [came] to me. I kept humming it. It just seemed like it fit her."
  • Stobaugh entered his tune in a songwriting contest that Green Shoe studio was running. Colgan remembered receiving his letter. "What made Fred's entry so special was instead of a video, it was a large manila envelope titled Green Shoe Studio Singer Songwriter contest. It's an online contest. People [were] supposed to upload their videos," he said. "But, we received a manila envelope. Lo and behold, it was a letter from a 96-year-old man who said, 'I've written a song for my [late] wife.'"

    Colgan added: "I started to read the lyrics and was so touched by the song and without even meeting Fred we thought, we're going to do something."
  • According to Colgan, Fred joked in his letter about his inability to sing. "On the actual envelope itself, it says ' P.S. I don't sing, I would scare people, haha,'" said the Green Shoe Studio CEO.
  • The song debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at #42, making Stobaugh the oldest-most credited artist to appear on the chart. He overtook Tony Bennett, who was 85 years and two months old when "Body and Soul" with Amy Winehouse, spent a week on the survey in 2011.

    Fred Stobaugh's record was broken in March 2024 when Ariana Grande's "Ordinary Things" featuring her 98-year-old gran, Marjorie "Nonna" Grande, debuted at #55 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Holly Knight ("The Best," "Love Is A Battlefield")

Holly Knight ("The Best," "Love Is A Battlefield")Songwriter Interviews

Holly Knight talks about some of the hit songs she wrote, including "The Warrior," "Never" and "The Best," and explains some songwriting philosophy, including how to think of a bridge.

Marc Campbell - "88 Lines About 44 Women"

Marc Campbell - "88 Lines About 44 Women"They're Playing My Song

The Nails lead singer Marc Campbell talks about those 44 women he sings about over a stock Casio keyboard track. He's married to one of them now - you might be surprised which.

Gentle Giant

Gentle GiantSongwriter Interviews

An interview with Ray and Derek Shulman of the progressive rock band Gentle Giant to discuss counterpoint, polyrhythms, and... Bon Jovi.

Paul Williams

Paul WilliamsSongwriter Interviews

He's a singer and an actor, but as a songwriter Paul helped make Kermit a cultured frog, turned a bank commercial into a huge hit and made love both "exciting and new" and "soft as an easy chair."

Al Kooper

Al KooperSongwriter Interviews

Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.

Edwin McCain

Edwin McCainSongwriter Interviews

"I'll Be" was what Edwin called his "Hail Mary" song. He says it proves "intention of the songwriter is 180 degrees from potential interpretation by an audience."