We’ve always said Counter Culture is as much about history as it is about music, and this month that’s been impossible to ignore. The Battle of the Somme began 110 years ago, on 1 July 1916, and the scale of loss still has the power to stop you in your tracks. Very few British units reached their objectives on that first day; the 36th (Ulster) Division was one of the exceptions, though the cost was appalling. More than 2,000 men killed on 1 July alone, and roughly 5,500 casualties within forty‑eight hours. Their sacrifice is marked today by the Ulster Tower at Thiepval — a quiet, stark reminder of what was spent in those fields.
With that in mind, we turn to music not as escapism, but as a way of lifting the spirits without forgetting the weight of the past. This week’s list is a proper spread: rockabilly oddities, neofolk underground, chart‑topping ballads, 60s pop, glam rock tenderness, and even a frog with a banjo. Variety is the point.
THE SONGS
The Baboons – “Drinkin’ Gasoline”
Belgium’s Baboons have always been a curious outfit — rockabilly at heart, but with a scruffy garage edge that keeps them from ever sounding nostalgic. “Drinkin’ Gasoline” is one of their rowdier numbers, all swagger and twang, the sort of track that feels like it’s been recorded in a bar where the walls sweat.
Blue Man Group – “I Feel Love”
Blue Man Group sit somewhere between performance art, percussion ensemble and fever dream. Their take on Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love” is exactly what you’d expect: metallic rhythms, alien‑blue faces, and a strange hypnotic pulse. Compared to them, Kermit really is the conservative option.
Celine Dion – “My Heart Will Go On”
The song that swallowed the late 90s whole. Written by James Horner and Will Jennings, and delivered with Dion’s trademark emotional precision, it became one of the best‑selling singles of all time. Whatever you think of Titanic, this track is a masterclass in the power‑ballad tradition.
Tim Hardin – “Reason to Believe”
Hardin’s songwriting has a fragility that few artists ever manage. “Reason to Believe” has been covered endlessly — Rod Stewart made it famous — but Hardin’s original remains the most affecting. Sparse, wounded, and utterly sincere.
Don Henley – “Boys of Summer”
Henley’s solo masterpiece. Co‑written with Mike Campbell of Tom Petty’s band, it’s a song about ageing, longing, and the ghosts of summers past. Synths, melancholy, and one of the great choruses of the 80s.
Tommy James & The Shondells – “I Think We’re Alone Now”
Before Tiffany turned it into a mall‑pop anthem in 1987, Tommy James delivered the original in 1967 — a bright, slightly psychedelic slice of American pop that climbed to No. 4 in the US charts. A reminder that the 60s weren’t all guitars and protest songs.
Elton John – “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word”
One of Elton’s most restrained and heartbreaking ballads. Released in 1976, written with Bernie Taupin, and built around a simple piano line that carries the whole emotional weight. A song about regret that never slips into melodrama.
Kermit the Frog – “Rainbow Connection”
Jim Henson’s gentle, searching voice made this song an unlikely chart success, reaching No. 25 in 1979. Written by Paul Williams and Kenneth Ascher, it’s become a modern standard — wistful, hopeful, and strangely profound for a puppet with a banjo.
Morrissey – “It’s Over”
Morrissey’s 2019 cover of the Roy Orbison classic appears on California Son, an album of reinterpretations. He leans into the drama of the song, giving it a sweeping, orchestral sadness.
Billy Odal (featuring Death in Rome) – “Connewitz”
Death in Rome have built a cult following by reimagining pop songs as neofolk dirges. Here they lend their shadowy aesthetic to Billy Odal, producing something atmospheric, unsettling, and oddly beautiful.
Mark Ronson & Miley Cyrus – “Nothing Breaks Like a Heart”
Ronson’s production meets Cyrus’s gravel‑edged vocal in a track that blends country, disco, and heartbreak. Released in 2018, it’s one of the strongest singles either artist has put out in years.
Slade – “Everyday”
A request from a long‑time reader. Slade began life as a skinhead band before becoming glam rock royalty, but “Everyday” shows a different side of them. Noddy Holder’s voice — usually associated with riotous choruses — proves surprisingly tender here.
A QUESTION TO END ON
Kermit reached the US Top 25 with “Rainbow Connection”. Can you think of another unusual song from a puppet‑related film or TV show that managed to chart as a single? Answers welcome — the stranger the better.
OTHER COUNTER CULTURE FEATURES
Songlist Specials – themed collections exploring particular scenes or eras:
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