The Making of the Hit Song Mr Jones: How Counting Crows Developed Their Iconic Track

The Lead Singer Shares the Beginnings

Our first four records were mostly recorded 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 major label. Each member got an upfront payment of $3,000; with it, I to buy a classic red convertible and traveled to LA.

Each day, my routine included by playing Pickin’ Up the Pieces by Poco, which sounds like the Beatles venturing into American folk. Also, I frequently played a Benny Goodman album that my father had acquired as a complimentary item at a Texaco station during my childhood.

The song Mr Jones was included on a demo that we sent to labels, but it proved a very difficult track to complete. We didn’t have a clear direction at first. Neither a slow ballad or a fast-paced number; instead, it moves with a rhythm, requiring a deep understanding to perform. The style is soulful – more akin to the Memphis soul style than country.

The band’s drummer struggled to grasp the track as the rest of us did – so the producer brought in one of his heroes to perform on it.

We looked at a few producers, but when I discussed things with the producer, he seemed to get where the group was headed. We had great potential, but I didn’t like with our overall tone – we were still learning how to be a band. Eliminated all the synthesizers and guitar effects. The drummer had trouble with the song’s rhythm, so T Bone called in Denny Fongheiser, one of Steve’s favorites, to lay down the drums. It’s a funny story, but it was tough on Steve at the time.

My best friend Marty and I had played in bands together prior to Counting Crows. Marty’s dad, David Serva, had succeeded in Spain and was back in the San Francisco area performing a tour. We went one of his shows and hung out with the flamenco troupe visiting bars. The next morning, I went home and wrote the song. The lyrics reflect me and Marty that night, wishing we were cool musicians so we could talk to the women more confidently.

I believe, it’s among the finest songs I’ve ever written. We performed another track on SNL in 1994, the album jumped dozens of positions each week for five or six weeks. Following that, Mr Jones turned into a major success.

The Multi-Instrumentalist Recalls His Memories

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

Returning home one night, I found Adam with a new demo he’d created with Bryson. He played me this song titled Mr Jones. Recorded with a Dr Rhythm pocket drum machine that sounded like a arcade sound or popcorn popping, 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 folk and soul legends.

I got a call from Adam asking, “Hey, man, can you join us and play on this record?” By the time I arrived, T Bone had moved us to a recording space in Encino, Los Angeles – formerly used by a Jackson 5 member. There were guitars that Bob Dylan had just recorded on.

T Bone told me to play my guitar slightly behind the drums. He said, “Playing too fast ahead of the drums comes off like an teenager hurrying.” He has a southern accent, and his advice was to imagine relaxing on the console and staying casual while playing.

The band was, in some ways, a reaction to grunge. The tragic end of Cobain felt like the final act. Back then, everyone were on heroin. The goal was obliteration, not enlightenment. The nihilism had reached an extreme, and the trend shifted toward something more human and sincere. Counting Crows blended folk and rock with a strong influence of Van Morrison soul.

Mr Jones never gets old. Sometimes, when performing with Adam, I recall that time when he first shared the early version. Absolutely incredible.