(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 325

Something Old

Our “something old” in this edition is the classic cut “Lay It On The Line” recorded by the Canadian rock band Triumph. It was written by frontman Rik Emmett. It was originally included on the group's fourth studio platter Just a Game which hit the record racks back in 1979.

Something New

Our “something new” this time is the new song, “This Too Shall Pass”, written and recorded by Austin Texas's own singer-songwriter and musician Terry Klein. According to a recent email, the song has “a title drawn from a Solomonic parable and a story from a Zen koan about existence's impermanence,” and “could only be called rock and roll…” It’s the third and final single off his forthcoming disc, Leave the Light On, which is set to drop on November 10th. The work features Klein on acoustic guitar and vocals, Thomm Jutz on electric and acoustic guitar, Lynn Williams on drums, Tim Marks on bass, and Scotty Sanders on pedal steel guitar.

Something Borrowed

Our “something borrowed” for this edition is the song “I Am The Walrus” recorded by the Brit band the Beatles. It was written by John Lennon in 1967 for their Magical Mystery Tour EP and album. This fun cover is by the American Minnesota-based roots band Pert Near Sandstone.

Their audio adaptation is off the act’s 2010 album Minnesota Beatle Project, Volume 2. Care to hear more of their music? The band has a new album titled Waiting Days dropping on October 20, 2023. (Check out the full review right here!)

Something Blue

Last but certainly not least, our “something blue” this time is a cover of “Ambulance Blues” recorded by the Austin, Texas-based singer, songwriter and Americana musician Nichole Wagner. According to her website, this is “an intimate and mournful eight-minute take on Neil Young’s “Ambulance Blues” and was written to be “a gorgeous piano and violin trip through sadness and reflection…[although] none of it comes off as doom and gloom.” It is featured on her 2020 release titled Dance Songs for the Apocalypse.

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 and/or original owners)