With over 30 years of music-making, Counting Crows have contributed to the alternative rock scene with numerous chart-topping hits and critically acclaimed albums. From their breakthrough debut album ‘August and Everything After’ to their latest release, ‘Somewhere Under Wonderland,’ the band has produced some of the most memorable songs in contemporary rock history.
In this article, we will delve into Counting Crows’ music catalog and rank their best five songs of all time. Exploring the band’s music and discovering the standout tracks that have made Counting Crows the band they are today will be an exciting journey for you, whether you’re a die-hard fan or a newcomer to the band’s music. Here are the top 5 Counting Crows songs that have captured the hearts of fans worldwide.
5. Colorblind (1999)
Written by Adam Duritz and Charlie Gillingham for Counting Crows’ third album ‘This Desert Life,’ ‘Colorblind’ rose to prominence after being featured in the 1999 drama film ‘Cruel Intentions.’ Following this appearance, the song has been covered by various artists, including Leona Lewis, Natalie Walker, and the progressive metal band Between the Buried and Me. ‘Colorblind’s success also contributed to the sales of ‘This Desert Life.’
Looking through its lyrics, ‘Colorblind’ is about the pressure of putting walls around us to defend ourselves from others. Yet, the song expresses a willingness to let our defense down for someone we truly love. ‘Colorblind’s slow, mournful melody is accompanied by Duritz’s soulful vocals and the piano playing in the background. So, it’s a song that evokes feelings of isolation and alienation when wanting to reveal our true nature.
4. A Long December (1996)
Released as the second single from Counting Crows’ second album, ‘Recovering the Satellites,’ ‘A Long December’ was written by Adam Duritz, who was inspired to write the song after one of his friends was hit by a car. While it’s a song about a tragic incident, ‘A Long December’ has an optimistic tone. Backed by a simple yet effective acoustic guitar and piano arrangement, the song reflects on accepting the passing of time and the fleeting nature of life while capturing the feeling of hope.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Adam Duritz said the following about ‘A Long December’:
“It’s a song about looking back on your life and seeing changes happening. And for once me, looking forward and thinking, ‘Ya know, things are gonna change for the better — ‘maybe this year will be better than the last.'”
After its release, ‘A Long December’ peaked at number 5 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. It had tremendous success in Canada, becoming a number 1 hit for two weeks and the seventh-most-successful song of 1997. Directed by Lawrence Carroll, ‘A Long December’s music video mainly has dull colors that aim to provoke a gloomy mood and features Duritz’s then-girlfriend Courteney Cox.
3. Round Here (1994)
‘Round Here’ was released in 1993 as the second single from Counting Crows’ successful debut ‘August and Everything After.’ However, Adam wrote the song long before the band’s formation, with The Himalayans members Dan Jewett, Chris Roldan, and Dave Janusko. Following its release, ‘Round Here’ peaked at number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart and 7 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart.
During a Counting Crows concert in Amsterdam in 1999, Adam Duritz said that ‘Round Here’ was written at a time when they were washing dishes and windows to play as a band in the night. He admitted that they were comparing their lives to their friends who made more money than they did. As Duritz recalled, they figured out they wanted to be in a rock and roll band rather than working at boring jobs.
Here is what Adam Duritz said about the backstory of ‘Round Here’:
“We wrote this song in 1989. We were all in bands, and we had shitty jobs. We would wash dishes, work in record stores, and wash windows to be in a rock and roll band at night. It was after college, and our friends were getting on with their lives. They had good, boring jobs, but they made more money than we did. They had futures, and we didn’t. And there comes the point in the life of everyone in a rock and roll band that you have to decide, will I do this with my life, or will I get one of those other jobs?
Because I can’t deal with washing dishes anymore, I can’t dig any more holes or wash another window. There are those that go, and there are those that stay. You walk out on the edge of the world, balance yourself there for a while, and try to figure out just which one you will be. Many of our friends are doing other things right now, and we’re standing right up here on this stage.“
The song starts with a man leaving behind his lover every day to go to his tedious job. He then realizes that this consumes him and makes him leave himself behind as well. Duritz also criticizes the life lessons parents give their children, like going to bed early, and points out the emptiness of these lessons in adulthood. So, ‘Round Here’ is about trying to find meaning in life.
2. Accidentally In Love (2004)
‘Accidentally In Love’ was written for the opening scene of the Dreamworks classic Shrek 2. It also appears on the movie’s soundtrack as the opening track. Released as a single two weeks before the movie’s premiere, ‘Accidentally In Love’ is different from a typical soundtrack. While Adam Duritz went to watch half of the film to get some inspiration, Dreamworks gave him the creative freedom to write a song about himself. In the end, Duritz was pleased with the results.
The song features a more upbeat and pop-oriented sound than much of Counting Crows’ earlier work, as Dreamworks studios wanted Adam Duritz to come up with an uplifting song. Looking through the lyrics, ‘Accidentally In Love’ tells the story of falling in love against one’s own will, as Duritz sings about the confusion and joy of finding someone special. Its catchy chorus, energetic feeling, and upbeat melody helped the song appeal to a broad audience.
1. Mr. Jones (1993)
Released as the lead single from the Counting Crows debut ‘August and Everything After,’ ‘Mr. Jones’ was the band’s first radio hit which helped them make a breakthrough. Following its release, the song reached number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay charts, peaking at number one in Canada and seven in France. ‘Mr. Jones” title refers to Adam Duritz’s friend and bandmate Marty Jones, who inspired the song’s central character.
The song’s lyrics reflect the struggle to find one’s place in the world, as Adam Duritz and Marty Jones desperately wanted to make it as famous musicians in the scene. The two went out one night to watch Marty’s father perform at New Amsterdam bar in San Francisco and saw Chris Isaak’s drummer Kenney Dale Johnsons sitting with three beautiful women. According to Duritz, they wished to be confident as Johnsons in talking to girls and thought that becoming rock stars could make this easier.
In a 2013 interview with HuffPost, Adam Duritz recalled the following about writing ‘Mr. Jones’:
“I wrote a song about me; I just happened to be out with him that night. It just seemed like, you know, we couldn’t even manage to talk to girls. We just thought if we were rock stars, it’d be easier. I went home and wrote the song.”
Due to its catchy chorus, relatable lyrics, and infectious energy, ‘Mr. Jones’ remains a fan favorite after all those years. The song’s driving rhythm and sing-along nature have made it a staple of rock radio and live shows. ‘Mr. Jones’s success helped launch Counting Crows’ career and became their signature song. So, it’s safe to say that it well deserves this spot.
