The Making of Mr Jones: How Counting Crows Developed Their Defining Song

The Lead Singer Shares the Early Days

Our first four records were primarily produced in homes situated in the foothills above Los Angeles. August and Everything After marked a significant step for the band, as it was their first release on a major label. We each received an advance of $3,000; I used mine to purchase a classic red convertible and drove it to LA.

Every morning, I would start by playing Pickin’ Up the Pieces by Poco, which sounds like the Beatles exploring country music. Additionally, I frequently played a jazz record that my dad had acquired as a complimentary item at a Texaco station during my childhood.

The song Mr Jones was part of a demo tape that we submitted to record companies, but it proved a very difficult track to complete. We didn’t have a clear direction at first. Neither a leisurely tune nor a straight ahead rock song; instead, it gallops along, demanding a real feel to perform. The style is soulful – more akin to the Memphis soul sound than country.

The band’s drummer couldn’t hear the track like the others did – thus T Bone enlisted one of his heroes to play it.

We considered a few producers, but when I spoke with T Bone Burnett, he seemed to understand where the group was at. There was a lot of promise, but I didn’t like with our sound – we were still learning how to be a band. We removed all the synthesizers and guitar effects. Our drummer Steve Bowman had trouble with the song’s rhythm, so the producer invited Denny Fongheiser, 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 before Counting Crows. His father, a flamenco musician, had made it in Spain and was returning in the Bay Area performing a tour. Attended one of his performances and spent the night with the musicians visiting bars. Next day, I went home and wrote Mr Jones. The lyrics reflect me and Marty that night, dreaming we were cool musicians so we could talk to the girls more confidently.

In my view, it’s one of the best pieces I’ve composed. After playing another track on Saturday Night Live in 1994, the album jumped 40 spots weekly for over a month. Afterwards, the song became a major success.

The Multi-Instrumentalist Shares His Memories

In the late 1980s, the band members were living together in a industrial building in Berkeley. Previously, I performed with another band and had an side project named Monks of Doom.

Returning home one night, Adam had a fresh recording he’d created with the guitarist. He played me this song titled the now-famous tune. Recorded with a basic drum machine that sounded like a arcade sound or popcorn popping, but his vocals were on another level.

Once T Bone got involved, it was a complete transformation of Counting Crows. The approach back to basics influenced by folk and soul legends.

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

He told me to perform slightly behind the drums. He said, “If you rush ahead of the drums comes off like an teenager hurrying.” With his Texas drawl, and his guidance was to imagine relaxing on the console and chewing gum while playing.

Counting Crows was, to an extent, a reaction to the grunge movement. The tragic end of Cobain seemed the culmination. At the time, many were on heroin. The goal was obliteration, not enlightenment. That negativity had reached an extreme, and the pendulum swung toward something emotional and heartfelt. Their music combined acoustic and electric with a heavy dose of soulful vibes.

The song remains timeless. Sometimes, when performing with the singer, I recall that time when he played me the demo. It’s insane.