Mr. Jones

Counting Crows

About Mr. Jones

"Mr. Jones" is a song by American alternative rock band Counting Crows. It was released in December 1993 as the lead single and third track from their debut album, August and Everything After (1993). It was the band's first radio hit and has been described as a "breakout" single. "Mr. Jones" reached number seven in France, number five in the United States, and number one in Canada.


Year:
1998
5:17
54 

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I was down at the New Amsterdam staring at this yellow-haired girl
Mr. Jones strikes up a conversation with this black-haired flamenco dancer
She dances while his father plays guitar
She's suddenly beautiful
We all want something beautiful
I wish I was beautiful
So come dance this silence down through the morning 
Cut Maria! Show me some of them Spanish dances
Pass me a bottle, Mr. Jones
Believe in me
Help me believe in anything
I want to be someone who believes

Mr. Jones and me tell each other fairy tales
Stare at the beautiful women
"She's looking at you. Ah, no, no, she's looking at me."
Smiling in the bright lights
Coming through in stereo
When everybody loves you, you can never be lonely

I will paint my picture
Paint myself in blue and red and black and gray 
All of the beautiful colors are very very meaningful
Grey is my favorite color
I felt so symbolic yesterday
If I knew Picasso
I would buy myself a gray guitar and play

Mr. Jones and me look into the future
Stare at the beautiful women
"She's looking at you.
Uh, I don't think so. She's looking at me."
Standing in the spotlight
I bought myself a gray guitar
When everybody loves me, I will never be lonely

I want to be a lion
Everybody wants to pass as cats
We all want to be big big stars, but we got different reasons for that Believe 
in me because I don't believe in anything
and I want to be someone to believe

Mr. Jones and me stumbling through the barrio
Yeah we star at the beautiful women
"She's perfect for you, Man, there's got to be somebody for me."
I want to be Bob Dylan
Mr. Jones wishes he was someone just a little more funky
When everybody loves you, son, that's just about as funky as you can be

Mr. Jones and me staring at the video
When I look at the television, I want to see me staring right back at me
We all want to be big stars, but we don't know why and we don't know how 
But when everybody loves me, I'm going to be just about as happy as can be
Mr. Jones and me, we're gonna be big stars

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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 »

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Written by: Adam Fredric Duritz, Ben G Mize, Charles Thomas Gillingham, Daniel John Vickrey, David Lynn Bryson, Matthew Mark Malley, Steve Bowman

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Origin and Inspiration
"Mr. Jones" is a song by American rock band Counting Crows, released in 1993. - The song was inspired by the lead singer's father, who was nicknamed Mr. Jones.
Debut Album Launch
It was included in their debut album "August and Everything After." - This song played a key role in making the band popular.
Billboard Charts
"Mr. Jones" peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100. - It was Counting Crows' highest-charting song in the United States.
Video and MTV Influence
The music video for "Mr. Jones" was in heavy rotation on MTV, which greatly contributed to the song's popularity. - Directed by Oliver Stone’s cinematographer, Robert Richardson, the video is known for its unique visual flair.
Lyrics Insight
The lyrics of the song reflect Adam Duritz's desire to be a rock star. - “Mr. Jones” is actually about Duritz’s childhood friend Marty Jones, and both aspiring to become famous.
Live Performances
The song's popularity led to Counting Crows performing it at almost all of their live shows. - Over the years, the band has developed numerous live versions of "Mr. Jones."
Cultural Impact
"Mr. Jones" gained cultural relevance and has been tapped for various TV show soundtracks and commercials. - Its distinctive guitar riff and catchy chorus made it a staple of '90s pop culture.
Critiques and Reception
Although the song was a commercial success, it received mixed reviews from critics. Some praised its lyrical depth, while others considered it overplayed. - Duritz himself has expressed mixed emotions about "Mr. Jones," saying that it was misinterpreted by fans and media.
Use in Media
The song has been featured in several films and television series, including Mr. Deeds, Zoo, and Happy Endings.
Cover Versions
Various cover versions of "Mr. Jones" have been done by different artists in a variety of styles. Some well-known covers include those by Marty Casey, Lovehammers, and Drivin N Cryin.

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