Mr. Jones
Counting Crows · Live In New York City-1997 [2012]
Mmm...
Uh huh.
I was down at the New Amsterdam
Staring at this yellow-haired girl
Mr. Jones strikes up a conversation
With a black-haired flamenco dancer
You know, she dances while his father plays guitar
She's suddenly beautiful
We all want something beautiful
Man, I wish I was beautiful.
So come dance the silence down through the morning
Sha la, la, la, la, la, la, la
Yeah
Uh huh
Yeah.
Cut up, Maria!
Show me some of that Spanish dancin'
Pass me a bottle, Mr. Jones
Believe in me
Help me believe in anything
'Cause I want to be someone who believes
Yeah.
Mr. Jones and me
Tell each other fairy tales
And we stare at the beautiful women
"She's looking at you
Ah, no, no, she's looking at me"
Smilin' in the bright lights
Coming through in stereo
When everybody loves you
You can never be lonely.
Well, I'm gonna paint my picture
Paint myself in blue and red and black and gray
All of the beautiful colors are very, very meaningful
Yeah, well, you know gray 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
Yeah, we stare at the beautiful women
"She's looking at you
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 will never be lonely
Said I'm never gonna be
Lonely.
I wanna be a lion
Yeah, everybody wants to pass as cats
We all wanna be big, big stars
Yeah, but we got different reasons for that
Believe in me
'Cause I don't believe in anything
And I wanna be someone to believe, to believe, to believe
Yeah!
Mr. Jones and me
Stumbling through the Barrio
Yeah, we stare at the beautiful women
"She's perfect for you
Man, there's got to be somebody for me"
I wanna be Bob Dylan
Mr. Jones wishes he was someone just a little more funky
When everybody love you
Oh! Son, that's just about as funky as you can be.
Mr. Jones and me
Starin' at the video
When I look at the television, I wanna see me
Staring right back at me
We all wanna be big stars
But we don't know why, and we don't know how
But when everybody loves me
I'm wanna be just about as happy as I can be
Mr. Jones and me
We're gonna be big stars.
Mr. Jones
Counting Crows' "Mr. Jones" is a haunting live rendition recorded during their 1997 tour, later released on the "Live In New York City-1997" compilation. The track exemplifies the band's signature blend of folk-rock and alternative country, characterized by Adam Duritz's emotive vocals and the group's signature acoustic instrumentation. Originally written for the film "The Big Lebowski," the song has become a staple of the band's live performances, showcasing their ability to transform studio recordings into powerful, atmospheric experiences. This version highlights the raw energy and improvisational depth that defined Counting Crows during their peak years, cementing the song's status as a defining piece of 1990s alternative rock. The recording captures the intimate connection between the musicians and the audience, offering a glimpse into the band's dynamic stage presence.