1492

Counting Crows

About 1492

"1492" is the first song on Counting Crows' 2008 album Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings. Adam Duritz announced in a voicemail message to his fans on January 12, 2008, that this song would be released as part of a digital 45 release to precede the release of Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings, with "When I Dream of Michelangelo" to be featured as its B-side. It is, however, not the lead commercial single, as "You Can't Count On Me" was released as the lead airplay/video single on February 4, 2008. Duritz said that "We just came from New Orleans, we spent about four days in New Orleans. Which at times has been like a home away from home for me, but a rather exhausting one. I expect to have a hangover for the next week. A truly debauched place. If you ever get a chance to go to Italy, and you end up in some dark underground club in Milan with the disco lights flashing all around you, and people writhing on the floor, liquor flying everywhere, and smoke so thick it hurts your eyes, then you'll understand this song, which is about finding what's real for yourself, whether that's in friends you may or may not have, or laying drunk face down on the floor of some club in Milan, or walking in the middle of the street past train stations and transvestite prostitutes parading in front of you. So this is a song about American history and Italian discovery, and tranny whores. And in the wake of the last four days, it seems like a perfectly good subject, and it's called '1492'." 


Year:
2008
3:50
224 
#1

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I'm a Russian Jew American
Impersonating African Jamaican
What I wanna be's an Indian
I'm gonna be a cowboy in the end I guess
I guess I bought a gun cause it impresses
All the little girls I see
And then they all wanna sleep with me

Oh, where do we disappear?
Into the silence that surrounds us
and then drowns us in the end
Where all these people who impersonate our friends
Say, "Come again, come again, come again"

Into the dark Italian underground of disco lights and disco sound
And skinny girls who drink champagne
And take me on their knees again
Then pull me up and out the door
Past railway cars and tranny whores
And morning spreading out across the feathered thighs of angels

Oh, where do we disappear?
Into the silence that surrounds us
and then drowns us in the end
Where they try to push you out to keep you in
And say, "Come again, come again, come again"

In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue
In 1493, came home across the deep blue sea
In 1494, he did it with the girl next door
In 1495, he barely made it out alive
In 1964, these sailors left me at the door
In 1970, some people got their hands on me
Now I'm the king of everything
And I'm the king of nothing
Now I'm the king of everything
I am the king of nothing

Oh, where do we disappear?
Into the silence that surrounds us
And then drowns us in the end
Where all these people who impersonate our friends
Say, "Come again, come again. come again"

Oh, where do we disappear?
Into the silence that surrounds us
And then drowns us in the end
Where they try to get you out to get you in
And all these people who impersonate our friends
Say, "Come again, come again, come again"

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Counting Crows

Counting Crows is an American rock band from Berkeley, California, formed in 1991. The band consists of Adam Duritz (lead vocals, piano), David Bryson (guitar), Charlie Gillingham (accordion, keyboards), Dan Vickrey (lead guitar), David Immerglück (guitar, banjo, mandolin), Jim Bogios (drums) and Millard Powers (bass). more »

7 fans

Written by: JAMES BOGIOS, DAVID LYNN BRYSON, ADAM FREDRIC DURITZ, CHARLES THOMAS GILLINGHAM, DAVID A IMMERGLUCK, DANIEL JOHN VICKREY

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


8 facts about this song

Album/Release
"1492" is a song by American rock band Counting Crows, appearing on their fifth studio album, "Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings", released in 2008.
Song Theme
The song 1492 features a heavier rock musical style and more aggressive singing than most Counting Crows songs. It is generally believed to be a commentary on the modern American experience, drawing parallels with the year of Christopher Columbus' voyage as a point of drastic change.
Album Division
"1492" is the opening track of the "Saturday Nights" half of the album "Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings". The first half of the album, including 1492, showcases a harsher, rock-influenced sound, while the 'Sunday Mornings' half is milder and more melancholic.
Live Performances
Despite not being a single, "1492" has been frequently performed live by Counting Crows and is considered a fan favorite. It is often used to kick off their live shows, quite like its position in the album.
Song's Length
This track lasts 3 minutes and 50 seconds, making it one of the shorter songs on the album.
Music and Lyrics
Adam Duritz, the lead singer and principal songwriter of Counting Crows, is known for his personal and vivid lyricism. In "1492", his lyrics could possibly represent feelings of isolation, frustration, and confusion amidst change.
Artistic Intent
Adam Duritz reportedly aimed to separate the album into two halves to represent the duality of life, with 1492 embodying the harder, rock and roll, live-for-the-moment mentality.
Critical Reception
While reviews to the album were mixed, "1492" was generally well received and praised for its energy, instrumental work, and impactful opening lyrics ("I guess you heard about the bummer beat, 'oh yeah!' dumb, dumb").

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