(Note: this series was originally published elsewhere.)
Something in music: origin
One evening at a hot, trendy L.A. nightclub on a rare solo outing, yours truly found himself standing alone at the bar preparing to review the upcoming act. Before he had taken more than a few notes, however, he was bookended by a pair of vivacious vixens who insisted on engaging your rockin’ writer in cozy conversation. Strangely, the subject of “marriage” arose.
One of the young ladies noted that when a gal is about to get hitched, she needs “something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.” Your provocative penman was immediately inspired. After all, those very same terms could be applied to music too: “Something old” or classic, “something new” or recently released, “something borrowed”, a cover, and “something blue”, a blues song or a song with “blue” in the title. The rest is history.
‘Something’ in Music 287
Something Old
Our “something old” in this edition is the classic cut “All Day and All of the Night” recorded by the English rock group the Kinks. It was written by band member Ray Davies. The song was first released as a single in 1964 and also on their second US platter Kinks-Size in 1965.
Something New
Our “something new” this time is the new single “Touch Me Not” by the Los Angeles-based Cambodian and American rock band Dengue Fever. The group roster includes songstress Chhom Nimol, guitarist Zac Holtzman, keyboardist Ethan Holtzman, horn player David Ralicke, percussionist Paul Smith and bassist Senon Gaius Williams. “Touch Me Not” is the premiere single off their upcoming album titled Ting Mong.
In a recent email, Williams spoke of the work. He said: “We gave ourselves parameters recording Ting Mong, but we smashed the rules we created for ourselves on past albums. The songs' sole purpose was to let our lead singer Chhom Nimol’s voice soar.”
He concluded: “It was our mood or perhaps the mood of the world that gave us focus on the sublime and the melancholy. We purposely left the frenetic energy and noise to yesterday.” (Keep following this column for a possible review of the new release.)
Something Borrowed
Our “something borrowed” this edition is the song “Swing Brother, Swing” co-written by Clarence Williams, Walter Bishop and Lewis Raymond and most famously covered by American singer Billie Holiday in 1937. This individualistically arranged audio adaptation is by Los Angeles, California-based blues and jazz singer, songwriter, and arranger Michelly Cordova. It’s included on her 2009 debut collection of jazz standards titled Midnight Lounge.
Something Blue
Finally, our “something blue” this edition is the 12-bar blues tune titled “Three O'Clock Blues”. It was written and first recorded by American guitarist and songwriter Lowell Fulson in 1946. This recording is by American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist B.B. King who scored a hit with it in 1952.
Did we mention your favorite “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue”? If not, let us know. Don’t forget to send us your bride photos too!
(Images courtesy of Rock n Roll Bride)