The Story of the Hit Song Mr Jones: How Counting Crows Produced Their Defining Track

The Lead Singer Recalls the Formative Period

The initial albums were mostly produced in houses situated in the foothills above Los Angeles. Their debut major label album marked a major step for the band, as it was their inaugural release on a large record company. Each member 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 sounds like the Beatles venturing into American folk. Also, I was into a Benny Goodman album 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 tape that we submitted to labels, but it was a very difficult track to complete. We didn’t have a clear direction at first. It’s not a leisurely tune or a straight ahead number; rather, it gallops along, demanding a real feel to perform. It’s soul music – closer to the Stax Records sound than country.

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

We looked at a few producers, but when I discussed things with T Bone Burnett, he seemed to understand where the group was at. There was great potential, but I didn’t like with our overall tone – we hadn’t learned how to work together. We removed all the synths and guitar effects. Our drummer Steve Bowman had trouble with the song’s rhythm, so T Bone invited Denny Fongheiser, one of Steve’s favorites, to lay down the drums. Looking back, it’s amusing, but it was tough on Steve at the time.

Marty Jones and I had played in bands together prior to Counting Crows. His father, David Serva, had succeeded in Spain and was back in the San Francisco area doing a series of shows. Attended one of his shows and spent the night with the flamenco troupe visiting bars. The next morning, I returned and composed Mr Jones. It’s about me and Marty that night, dreaming we were accomplished artists so we could connect with the girls more confidently.

In my view, it’s one of the best songs I’ve ever written. After playing another track on SNL in 1994, the album climbed dozens of positions each week for over a month. Afterwards, the song turned into a major success.

The Multi-Instrumentalist Shares His Memories

Back in the 80s, the band members were living together in a warehouse complex in Berkeley. Previously, I performed with another band and had an offshoot band named Monks of Doom.

One evening, I found Adam with a fresh recording he’d just done with the guitarist. I heard this song titled the now-famous tune. Recorded with a Dr Rhythm pocket drum machine that sounded like a arcade sound or random noise, but his singing were on another level.

After the producer got involved, it was a complete transformation of Counting Crows. The approach back to basics influenced by Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, and the Band.

Adam called me asking, “Hey, man, can you join us and play on this record?” When I arrived, T Bone had relocated us to a recording space in LA’s Encino – previously used by a Jackson 5 member. There were guitars that Dylan had recently used.

He instructed me to perform slightly behind the beat. He said, “If you rush before the drums makes you sound like an teenager rushing.” He has a Texas drawl, and his guidance was to imagine relaxing on the mixing board and staying casual while playing.

The band was, in some ways, a reaction to the grunge movement. The tragic end of Cobain seemed the culmination. Back then, many were on heroin. The aim was self-destruction, not enlightenment. That negativity had gone too far, and the pendulum swung toward something emotional and heartfelt. Their music blended acoustic and electric with a strong influence of soulful vibes.

Mr Jones remains timeless. Sometimes, when performing with Adam, I recall that time when he played me the demo. Absolutely incredible.