(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 353

Something Old

Our “something old” this edition is the classic cut “Bulls on Parade” written and originally recorded by the American rock band Rage Against the Machine. The song was meant to be a commentary on US military spending. It was the premiere single off the group’s 1996 disc titled Evil Empire.

Something New

Our “something new” this time is the trap track titled “Za 0 Vreme” by the online artist known only as 6Ikerya. It is off the upcoming online project named Internet Mixtape Vol. 1 “A Bridge Between Reality N Dream”. It features lyrics by 6Ikerya and beats by Erol Beats.

Something Borrowed

Our “something borrowed” for this edition is the song “Crazy For You” written by John Bettis and Jon Lind and famously recorded by American singer Madonna in 1985 for the “Vision Quest” film soundtrack. This cover cut is by Los Angeles, California’s own all-gal mariachi band known as Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea. Founded by Shea in 1999, they released this track on their 2023 disc titled Puro 80's Ama Tu Vida.

If you are in the L.A. area for the holidays and would like to see the band perform live, you’re in luck! Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea will be performing at the 64th annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration on Sunday, December 24th, 2023, from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. at The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, California. According to a recent email, the event will also include another 22 music acts, “choirs and dance companies representing the county’s many neighborhoods and cultures.”

The event will feature a variety “of diverse L.A.-based artists and performing arts groups who will showcase their talent, artistry, and holiday traditions, colorful costumes, and global sounds from China, Korea, Japan, India, Mexico, France Ukraine, Bulgaria, and more…They “hail from communities across L.A. County: from West L.A. and Culver City to Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley, and from the northern reaches of the Antelope and San Fernando Valleys to Downtown L.A., the South Bay and South Los Angeles.”

Specifically, as well as Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea, other returning faves include the “10-piece Latin jazz band Gabrielito y La Verdad; the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles; Jewish culture revival band Mostly Kosher;” the JazzAntiqua Dance & Music Ensemble; and Japanese drummers TAIKOPROJECT in a collaboration with the Indian-inspired act known as the Blue13 Dance Company.

There will be additional new acts as well including the Carnegie Gospel Choir; “America’s Got Talent quarter-finalists Divas and Drummers of Compton; the Hiza Yoo Korean Dance Institute; Mexican folklórico company Técnica Arte y Folklore; and Bulgarian dance ensemble XoroTroptzi.”

The program will be broadcast live “on PBS SoCal” and streaming “live on the pbssocal.org website.” After “the live broadcast, the Holiday Celebration will remain available to stream on-demand on pbssocal.org, as well as on the free PBS app. An encore presentation will be broadcast by PBS SoCal on Sunday, Dec. 24 at 6 p.m., and on KCET on Sunday, Dec. 24 at 9 p.m. and Monday, Dec. 25 at 12 p.m.”

Admission is free. No reservations or tickets are needed but seating is “on a first-come, first-seated basis. RSVPs are recommended, but do not guarantee seating. While the doors do not open until 2:30 p.m., the line generally “begins to form around noon.” Free parking is available in the Music Center parking garage. For more information, visit the official website.

Something Blue

Last but not least, our “something blue” this edition is the song “Jesus Was A Bluesman” performed by English blues musician and entertainer Chris English. English shared an official “artist statement” on social media about this live performance from 2007. He said the song is a “juxtaposition of the common folk with the revered. [It’s] not intended to offend or make a statement, other than the sincerity of living a sacred life.”

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)