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

Adam Duritz Shares the Early Days

The initial albums were primarily recorded in homes situated in the hills above Los Angeles. August and Everything After marked a significant milestone for the band, as it was their inaugural release on a major label. Each member received an upfront payment of $3,000; with it, I to buy a classic red convertible and traveled to LA.

Every morning, my routine included by playing a Poco track, which resembles the Beatles exploring American folk. Also, I frequently played a jazz record that my dad had picked up as a free giveaway at a gas station when I was young.

Mr Jones was part of a demo that we sent to labels, but it was a very difficult song to complete. We didn’t have a clear direction at first. It’s not a slow ballad nor a fast-paced rock song; rather, it moves with a rhythm, demanding a deep understanding to play. The style is soulful – closer to the Memphis soul sound than folk.

The band’s drummer couldn’t hear the song like the rest of us did – thus T Bone brought in one of his heroes to play it.

We looked at several producers, but when I discussed things with the producer, he seemed to understand where the band was at. There was great potential, but I didn’t like with our overall tone – we were still learning how to be a band. Eliminated all the synths and effects pedals. Our drummer Steve Bowman had trouble with the song’s rhythm, so the producer invited Denny Fongheiser, one of Steve’s favorites, to lay down the drums. It’s a funny story, but it was tough on Steve back then.

Marty Jones and I performed in bands together prior to Counting Crows. His father, a flamenco musician, had succeeded in Spain and was returning in the San Francisco area doing a tour. Attended one of his shows and spent the night with the musicians visiting bars. Next day, I went home and composed Mr Jones. It’s about me and Marty that night, dreaming we were accomplished artists so we could connect with the women more easily.

In my view, it’s among the finest pieces I’ve composed. After playing Round Here on SNL in 1994, the record climbed 40 spots each week for five or six weeks. Following that, the song turned into a huge hit.

David Immerglück Shares His Memories

In the late 1980s, Adam, David Bryson, and I were sharing a space in a industrial building in Berkeley. I had been playing with another band and had an side project named Monks of Doom.

One evening, I found Adam with a new demo he’d just done with the guitarist. He played me this song called Mr Jones. It was done with a Dr Rhythm pocket drum machine that resembled a arcade sound or popcorn popping, but his singing were exceptional.

Once T Bone got involved, it was a total reinvention of Counting Crows. The approach toward roots echoing Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, and the Band.

Adam called me saying, “Hey, man, can you come down and contribute to this record?” By the time I arrived, T Bone had relocated us to a recording space in LA’s Encino – formerly used by Tito Jackson. Inside, we found guitars that Bob Dylan had just recorded on.

T Bone instructed me to play my guitar behind the tempo the beat. His words were, “If you rush ahead of the drums makes you sound like an teenager rushing.” He has a Texas drawl, and his advice was to imagine putting your feet up on the console and staying casual during the performance.

The band was, in some ways, a reaction to the grunge movement. The tragic end of Cobain felt like the final act. At the time, everyone were on heroin. The goal was obliteration, not mind expansion. That negativity had gone too far, and the pendulum swung toward something more human and sincere. Counting Crows combined acoustic and electric with a strong influence of Van Morrison soul.

Mr Jones never gets old. Sometimes, when performing with Adam, I remember that moment when he first shared the early version. It’s insane.