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

The Lead Singer Recalls the Beginnings

Our first four records were mostly produced in houses situated in the foothills above Los Angeles. Their debut major label album marked a significant milestone for the group, as it was their first release on a major label. We each got an upfront payment of $3,000; I used mine to buy a classic red convertible and drove it to LA.

Every morning, my routine included by playing Pickin’ Up the Pieces by Poco, which resembles the Beatles venturing into American folk. Also, I was into a Benny Goodman album that my dad had picked up as a complimentary item at a Texaco station when I was young.

The song Mr Jones was part of a demo that we submitted to record companies, but it was a very difficult track to finish. We didn’t have a solid grasp at first. It’s not a leisurely tune or a straight ahead rock song; instead, it moves with a rhythm, requiring a real feel to play. It’s soul music – closer to the Stax Records sound than folk.

Our drummer couldn’t hear the track as the others did – so T Bone brought in one of his heroes to play it.

We looked at several production candidates, but when I spoke with the producer, he really understand where the group was headed. We had a lot of promise, but I didn’t like with our overall tone – we hadn’t learned how to be a band. Eliminated all the synthesizers and effects pedals. Our drummer Steve Bowman couldn’t sync with the song’s rhythm, so T Bone invited a renowned drummer, one of Steve’s heroes, to play on it. It’s a funny story, but it was tough on Steve at the time.

My best friend Marty and I performed in bands together before Counting Crows. His father, David Serva, had succeeded in Spain and was back in the San Francisco area performing a series of shows. We went one of his shows and hung out with the musicians visiting bars. The next morning, I went home and composed Mr Jones. The lyrics reflect our experience that night, dreaming 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 ever written. We performed another track on SNL in 1994, the record climbed dozens of positions weekly for over a month. Following that, the song turned into a major success.

The Multi-Instrumentalist Shares His Memories

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

Returning home one night, I found Adam with a new demo he’d created with the guitarist. I heard this song called Mr Jones. It was done with a Dr Rhythm pocket drum machine that sounded like a video game or random noise, but his vocals were exceptional.

Once T Bone took over, it was a total reinvention of Counting Crows. They shifted toward roots influenced by folk and soul legends.

I got a call from Adam asking, “Hey, man, can you come down and play on this record?” By the time I arrived, the producer had relocated us to a studio in Encino, Los Angeles – formerly used by a Jackson 5 member. Inside, we found guitars that Dylan had just recorded on.

T Bone instructed me to play my guitar behind the tempo the drums. He said, “Playing too fast before the drums makes you sound like an adolescent rushing.” With his Texas drawl, and his guidance was to visualize putting your feet up on the console and chewing gum during the performance.

The band was, in some ways, a response to the grunge movement. The tragic end of Cobain felt like the final act. Back then, everyone used heroin. The aim was obliteration, not enlightenment. The nihilism had reached an extreme, and the pendulum swung toward something emotional and heartfelt. Their music blended acoustic and electric with a strong influence of soulful vibes.

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