The Story of the Hit Song Mr Jones: The Way Counting Crows Produced Their Signature Anthem

The Lead Singer Shares the Formative Period

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 first release on a major label. We each got an upfront payment of $3,000; I used mine to purchase a classic red convertible and drove it to LA.

Each day, I would start by listening to a Poco track, which resembles the Beatles venturing into country music. Also, I was into a Benny Goodman album that my father had picked up as a complimentary item at a Texaco station when I was young.

The song Mr Jones was included on a demo that we sent to record companies, but it was a very difficult track to finish. We didn’t have a solid grasp at first. Neither a slow ballad nor a straight ahead number; instead, it gallops along, requiring a deep understanding to perform. The style is soulful – more akin to the Memphis soul sound than folk.

The band’s drummer couldn’t hear the song as the rest of us did – so the producer enlisted one of his idols to perform on it.

We considered several producers, but when I spoke with the producer, he really understand where the group was headed. We had great potential, but I wasn’t satisfied with our sound – we hadn’t learned how to work together. Eliminated all the synthesizers and effects pedals. Our drummer Steve Bowman couldn’t sync with the song’s rhythm, so the producer 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 performed in groups together prior to Counting Crows. His father, a flamenco musician, had succeeded in Spain and was back in the Bay Area performing a series of shows. We went one of his shows and hung out with the flamenco troupe visiting bars. The next morning, I returned and composed Mr Jones. The lyrics reflect our experience that evening, wishing we were accomplished artists so we could connect with the girls more confidently.

I believe, it’s one of the best songs I’ve ever written. We performed another track on Saturday Night Live in 1994, the record jumped 40 spots each week for over a month. Afterwards, the song became a huge hit.

The Multi-Instrumentalist Recalls His Perspective

Back in the 80s, Adam, David Bryson, and I were living together in a industrial building in Berkeley. Previously, I performed with Camper Van Beethoven and had an offshoot band named Monks of Doom.

One evening, I found Adam with a new demo he’d created with Bryson. I heard this song titled Mr Jones. Recorded with a basic drum machine that sounded like a arcade sound or popcorn popping, but his vocals were exceptional.

After the producer took over, it felt like a total reinvention of Counting Crows. The approach back to basics influenced by Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, and the Band.

I got a call from Adam asking, “Hey, man, can you join us and contribute to this record?” By the time I arrived, T Bone had moved us to a studio in Encino, Los Angeles – formerly used by Tito Jackson. There were guitars that Dylan had just recorded on.

He instructed me to play my guitar slightly behind the beat. He said, “If you rush ahead of the drums comes off like an teenager hurrying.” With his southern accent, and his guidance was to imagine relaxing on the mixing board and staying casual while playing.

Counting Crows was, to an extent, a response to grunge. The tragic end of Cobain seemed the culmination. At the time, many were on heroin. The aim was obliteration, not enlightenment. The nihilism had gone too far, and the trend shifted toward something emotional and heartfelt. Their music combined acoustic and electric with a heavy dose of soulful vibes.

The song never gets old. On stage, when I am rocking out with Adam, I remember that time when he played me the early version. It’s insane.