The Story of the Hit Song Mr Jones: The Way Counting Crows Developed Their Defining Song

Adam Duritz Remembers the Formative Period

Our first albums were mostly produced in homes situated in the foothills above Los Angeles. August and Everything After marked a major milestone for the group, as it was their first release on a major label. Each member received an advance of $3,000; with it, I to buy a classic red convertible and drove it to LA.

Each day, my routine included by listening to a Poco track, which resembles the Beatles venturing into country music. Also, I was into a Benny Goodman album that my dad had acquired as a free giveaway at a Texaco station when I was young.

Mr Jones was included on a demo tape that we submitted to labels, but it proved a very difficult track to finish. It lacked a solid grasp at first. It’s not a slow ballad or a fast-paced number; instead, it moves with a rhythm, demanding a real feel to perform. The style is soulful – more akin to the Memphis soul style than folk.

Our drummer struggled to grasp the song as the others did – so T Bone brought in one of his idols to perform on it.

We considered several production candidates, but when I spoke with T Bone Burnett, he really understand where the group was headed. There was great potential, but I didn’t like with our overall tone – we hadn’t learned how to be a band. Eliminated all the synthesizers and guitar effects. The drummer couldn’t sync with the song’s rhythm, so T Bone invited Denny Fongheiser, one of Steve’s heroes, to play on it. Looking back, it’s amusing, but it was hard on Steve at the time.

Marty Jones and I had played in groups together prior to Counting Crows. Marty’s dad, David Serva, had made it in Spain and was returning in the Bay Area doing a tour. Attended one of his shows and spent the night with the flamenco troupe visiting bars. Next day, I went home and composed Mr Jones. The lyrics reflect our experience that evening, wishing we were accomplished artists so we could connect with the girls more easily.

In my view, it’s one of the best songs I’ve composed. After playing Round Here on Saturday Night Live in 1994, the record climbed 40 spots each week for five or six weeks. Afterwards, Mr Jones became a huge hit.

David Immerglück Recalls His Perspective

Back in the 80s, the band members were sharing a space in a warehouse complex in Berkeley. Previously, I performed with another band and was in an side project called Monks of Doom.

One evening, I found Adam with a new demo he’d just done with the guitarist. He played me this track called Mr Jones. Recorded with a Dr Rhythm pocket drum machine that sounded like a arcade sound or random noise, but his singing were on another level.

After the producer got involved, it felt like a complete transformation of Counting Crows. They shifted back to basics echoing Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, and the Band.

I got a call from Adam asking, “Listen, can you come down and play on this record?” When I got there, the producer had moved us to a recording space in LA’s Encino – previously used by a Jackson 5 member. Inside, we found instruments that Bob Dylan had recently used.

T Bone told me to perform behind the tempo the drums. He said, “If you rush before the drums comes off like an teenager rushing.” He has a Texas drawl, and his advice was to visualize putting your feet up on the mixing board and staying casual during the performance.

Counting Crows was, in some ways, a response to the grunge movement. Kurt Cobain’s death felt like the culmination. At the time, everyone were on heroin. The aim was obliteration, not enlightenment. That negativity had reached an extreme, and the trend shifted toward something more human and heartfelt. Counting Crows blended acoustic and electric with a heavy dose of soulful vibes.

The song remains timeless. On stage, when performing with Adam, I remember that moment when he played me the demo. It’s insane.