We’ve recently been looking at how our ancestors fought to secure the various civil and religious liberties that we enjoy today. We’ve noted that freedom should never be taken for granted and that we should be extremely wary of those, from both the left and the right, who would happily take such liberties away.
From a cultural perspective, artistic freedom must be defended at all costs. Art exists to challenge, provoke, entertain and inspire. The moment we start deciding what people are allowed to create, read, hear or perform, we begin travelling down a very dangerous road indeed.
Every Wednesday the Midweek Song List first appears on our Facebook page before making its way here to the Counter Culture website a little later. As always, we’ve cast our net far and wide. Punk sits alongside country. Glam rock rubs shoulders with indie. Established classics share space with newer discoveries. That’s exactly how we like it. Music should be an adventure rather than a comfort blanket.
This week’s selection includes songs about identity, celebration, perseverance and sheer theatricality. As ever, we hope something here sends you down a musical rabbit hole.
Cock Sparrer – England Belongs To Me
YouTube: Cock Sparrer – England Belongs To Me
Originally released in 1982 on the album Shock Troops, “England Belongs To Me” remains the song most closely associated with East London’s Cock Sparrer. Formed in 1972, the band predated the first wave of UK punk but found their audience when punk exploded later in the decade. Although frequently misunderstood by those unfamiliar with the lyrics, the song is less about exclusion and more about belonging, community and affection for one’s homeland.
The track has become one of the great football terrace anthems and is a fixture at Cock Sparrer concerts. It possesses that rare quality of sounding both intimate and communal. The audience invariably ends up singing as loudly as the band. Few songs invite participation as naturally as this one.
Several bands from the punk and Oi! scenes have covered or paid tribute to the song, but the original remains untouchable. Listening to it today, we’re reminded of a quote by George Lansbury, Labour Party leader from 1932 to 1935: “I love England more than I can say. As the years pass, my love has grown stronger. I think of this island as a jewel set in the sea.” Whatever your politics, there’s something undeniably human in that sentiment.
Billy Ray Cyrus – Achy Breaky Heart
YouTube: Billy Ray Cyrus – Achy Breaky Heart
Few songs have divided opinion as dramatically as “Achy Breaky Heart”. Released in 1992, it transformed Billy Ray Cyrus into an overnight superstar and helped ignite a worldwide line-dancing craze. Yet many of the people who claim to dislike it somehow know every word.
Interestingly, Cyrus didn’t write the song. It was penned by Don Von Tress and originally recorded as “Don’t Tell My Heart” by the Marcy Brothers. Billy Ray’s version became a global phenomenon, reaching the Top 10 in numerous countries and shifting millions of copies. At a time when country music was making major inroads into the mainstream, it arrived at precisely the right moment.
The song has been covered, parodied and referenced countless times over the last three decades. Weird Al Yankovic famously borrowed its melody for “Achy Breaky Song”, while everyone from country acts to novelty performers has taken a swing at it. Love it or loathe it, it remains one of the most recognisable country-pop recordings ever made. Not every song can claim to have entered popular culture to quite this extent.
Elbow – One Day Like This
YouTube: Elbow – One Day Like This (Abbey Road)
When Elbow released “One Day Like This” in 2008, few could have predicted the extraordinary journey that lay ahead. Appearing on the Mercury Prize-winning album The Seldom Seen Kid, it steadily evolved from a well-received single into one of Britain’s most beloved modern anthems.
Frontman Guy Garvey has often spoken about creating a song that celebrated optimism and possibility. The result was a soaring piece of songwriting built around a memorable string arrangement and a chorus that practically demands to be sung by thousands of voices simultaneously. Following its use during the London 2012 Olympics, the song became even more deeply embedded in the national consciousness.
The Corrs, who featured recently on the Song List, have produced a fine interpretation, while numerous orchestras, choirs and community groups have adopted the piece. This performance from Abbey Road captures all the qualities that made the song endure. Sometimes a record arrives at precisely the point people need it. “One Day Like This” feels very much like one of those records.
The Filthy Animals – Fox On The Run
YouTube: The Filthy Animals – Fox On The Run
Readers of this page will know we’re never far away from a discussion about glam rock. The Sweet remain one of the greatest singles bands Britain has ever produced and “Fox On The Run” stands among their finest achievements. Released in 1975, it was written by band members Brian Connolly, Steve Priest, Andy Scott and Mick Tucker, an important milestone as the group increasingly sought creative independence.
The original became an international hit and remains instantly recognisable thanks to its distinctive opening synthesiser riff. While many glam-era records are firmly tied to their period, “Fox On The Run” seems immune to ageing. It still sounds fresh, energetic and gloriously mischievous.
Over the years the song has been covered by numerous artists, ranging from Scorpions to country and hard rock acts. The Filthy Animals remain reasonably faithful to the spirit of the original while adding enough of their own character to justify the exercise. That balance is harder to achieve than many people realise.
Queen – Lap Of The Gods
YouTube: Queen – Lap Of The Gods (Live)
Before Queen conquered stadiums and became one of the biggest bands on the planet, they were already experimenting with ambitious arrangements and grand ideas. “Lap Of The Gods” appeared on the 1974 album Sheer Heart Attack, a record many fans consider the bridge between the band’s early work and the global success that followed.
The song is notable for Freddie Mercury’s remarkable vocal performance. Producer Roy Thomas Baker heavily manipulated parts of the original recording, creating an almost otherworldly sound. Even within Queen’s catalogue, it remains an unusual track. Its companion piece, “Lap Of The Gods… Revisited”, would later become a regular live showstopper.
Queen songs have been covered by hundreds of artists across every conceivable genre, from Metallica and Def Leppard to Elaine Paige and George Michael. Yet watching this early live footage reminds us why Queen became Queen. Long before the stadium spectacle, the moustaches and the mythology, there was simply a band overflowing with talent. Mercury’s range, confidence and stage presence were already there for all to see.
Until next week, keep listening widely, questioning freely and defending artistic freedom wherever you find it. The world would be a far poorer place without it.
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