The Story of the Hit Song Mr Jones: How Counting Crows Developed Their Signature Track

The Lead Singer Shares the Early Days

The initial four records were mostly produced in houses located in the foothills above Los Angeles. Their debut major label album signified a significant milestone for the group, as it was their inaugural release on a large record company. We each got an upfront payment of $3,000; I used mine to buy a classic red convertible and traveled to LA.

Each day, I would start by listening to a Poco track, which resembles the Beatles exploring country music. Additionally, I frequently played a Benny Goodman album that my dad had acquired as a free giveaway at a gas station when I was young.

Mr Jones was included on a demo tape that we submitted to labels, but it proved a very difficult song to finish. We didn’t have a solid grasp at first. Neither a leisurely tune nor a fast-paced rock song; instead, it gallops along, requiring a deep understanding to play. It’s soul music – closer to the Stax Records sound than country.

Our drummer couldn’t hear the track as the rest of us did – thus the producer enlisted one of his idols to perform on it.

We looked at a few producers, but when I spoke with the producer, he seemed to get where the band was headed. We had great potential, but I wasn’t satisfied with our sound – we were still learning how to be a band. Eliminated all the synths and guitar effects. The drummer couldn’t sync with the song’s rhythm, so the producer called in a renowned drummer, one of Steve’s favorites, to play on it. It’s a funny story, but it was tough on Steve back then.

My best friend Marty and I had played in bands together prior to Counting Crows. His father, a flamenco musician, had succeeded in Spain and was returning in the Bay Area performing a tour. We went one of his performances and spent the night with the musicians bar-hopping. The next morning, I went home and composed the song. The lyrics reflect me and Marty that evening, dreaming we were cool musicians so we could connect with the women more easily.

I believe, it’s one of the best pieces I’ve ever written. We performed Round Here on Saturday Night Live in 1994, the record climbed 40 spots each week for over a month. Afterwards, the song became a major success.

David Immerglück Shares His Memories

In the late 1980s, 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.

Returning home one night, Adam had a fresh recording he’d created with the guitarist. I heard this song titled Mr Jones. Recorded with a Dr Rhythm pocket drum machine that resembled a arcade sound or random noise, but his singing were exceptional.

After the producer got involved, it felt like a total reinvention of Counting Crows. The approach toward roots influenced by Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, and the Band.

I got a call from Adam saying, “Listen, can you come down and play on this album?” By the time I got there, T Bone had moved us to a recording space in LA’s Encino – formerly used by a Jackson 5 member. Inside, we found instruments that Dylan had recently used.

T Bone instructed me to play my guitar slightly behind the drums. His words were, “If you rush ahead of the drums makes you sound like an adolescent rushing.” He has a southern accent, and his guidance was to visualize putting your feet up on the console and staying casual while playing.

The band was, to an extent, a reaction to grunge. Kurt Cobain’s death felt like the final act. Back then, everyone were on heroin. The goal was self-destruction, not enlightenment. That negativity had gone too far, and the trend shifted toward something more human and heartfelt. Counting Crows combined folk and rock with a strong influence of soulful vibes.

The song never gets old. Sometimes, when I am rocking out with Adam, I remember that moment when he first shared the demo. Absolutely incredible.