Counting Crows — Mr. Jones (live)
Album: Across a Wire - LIVE in New YorkAvg rating:
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Total ratings: 1817
Length: 5:15
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Sha la la la la la la, hmm, 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,
So she's suddenly beautiful,
And we all want something beautiful,
Man I wish I was beautiful.
So come dance this silence down through the mornin'
Sha la la la la la la la yeah, uh huh yeah,
Curl up, Maria! Show me some of that Spanish dancin'
And pass me a bottle, Mr. Jones.
Believe in me, help me believe in anything,
'Cause I, I wanna 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."
Smiling 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, son, I'm never gonna be lonely.
I wanna be a lion,
E-Everybody wants to pass as cats,
We all wanna be big big stars,
Yeah but we've got different reasons for that,
Believe in me 'cause I don't believe in anything,
And I, 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 loves you, oh, son,
That's just' bout as funky as you can be.
Mr. Jones and me staring 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 wanna be just' bout as happy as I could be,
Mr. Jones and me, we're gonna be big stars.
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,
So she's suddenly beautiful,
And we all want something beautiful,
Man I wish I was beautiful.
So come dance this silence down through the mornin'
Sha la la la la la la la yeah, uh huh yeah,
Curl up, Maria! Show me some of that Spanish dancin'
And pass me a bottle, Mr. Jones.
Believe in me, help me believe in anything,
'Cause I, I wanna 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."
Smiling 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, son, I'm never gonna be lonely.
I wanna be a lion,
E-Everybody wants to pass as cats,
We all wanna be big big stars,
Yeah but we've got different reasons for that,
Believe in me 'cause I don't believe in anything,
And I, 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 loves you, oh, son,
That's just' bout as funky as you can be.
Mr. Jones and me staring 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 wanna be just' bout as happy as I could be,
Mr. Jones and me, we're gonna be big stars.
Comments (199)add comment
unplugged?.... Would someone plug them back in?! I'm only going to count to crow and then I'm going to kick ass!
urk
mbolch30307 wrote:
Actually, you need a semi-colon after "differ." You can't separate two complete sentences with just a comma.
Prefer a dash - more modern...
Actually, you need a semi-colon after "differ." You can't separate two complete sentences with just a comma.
Prefer a dash - more modern...
I have to admit that I like this version, it has a different "flavour" than the studio version. It brings back memories ... good and bad ones. ;-)
AbileneTexas wrote:
ExploitingChaos wrote:
This song sucks Bob
Gotta agree with your assesment. However, I think a comma is needed after “sucks”
Bob may differ ;)
ExploitingChaos wrote:
This song sucks Bob
Gotta agree with your assesment. However, I think a comma is needed after “sucks”
Bob may differ ;)
springof63 wrote:
Ah, so is it for you that all the stuff, that other folk PSD, is being played?
Be pretty boring if we were all the same though eh!
LLRP
Oops Sorry folks!
LLRP indeed!!
Ah, so is it for you that all the stuff, that other folk PSD, is being played?
Be pretty boring if we were all the same though eh!
LLRP
Oops Sorry folks!
LLRP indeed!!
hellsgardener wrote:
Ah, so is it for you that all the stuff, that other folk PSD, is being played?
Be pretty boring if we were all the same though eh!
LLRP
Reading through the comments I now wonder if we've allbeen listening to the same thing - I prefer the studio version but quite enjoyed the live version too - it takes all sorts - I PSD stuff other folk seem to love 
Ah, so is it for you that all the stuff, that other folk PSD, is being played?
Be pretty boring if we were all the same though eh!
LLRP
I still like it.
Never heard Counting Crows like on RP. Very great.
Webfoot wrote:
Comma was perfect. Misspelling of assessment, not so much.
Gotta agree with your assesment. However, I think a comma is needed after “sucks”
But what do you think about the comma?
Comma was perfect. Misspelling of assessment, not so much.
Gotta agree with your assesment. However, I think a comma is needed after “sucks”
But what do you think about the comma?
Reading through the comments I now wonder if we've allbeen listening to the same thing - I prefer the studio version but quite enjoyed the live version too - it takes all sorts - I PSD stuff other folk seem to love
Just to offset the CC haters - I actually really like the studio version of this song.
Do have to agree tho that this version does very little for me.
Do have to agree tho that this version does very little for me.
horrible
Wow, the singer must hate this song, to do this to it. I thought I liked this song.
Only sore because I heard this playing in every girlfriend and girl-friend's room in college over and over and over...
When I hear this song I am grateful for RP's skip track feature.
Wow, I didn't think this song could get worse...but live is just awful.
It was bad enough that these guys actually recorded this but they gave them a live album as well.
I would throw something at the stereo but it ain't worth it....
I would throw something at the stereo but it ain't worth it....
The original is one of my favorite tunes from the early '90s but this, not so much.
"Counting Crows? More like Crapping Crows!"
- David Spade
- David Spade
Webfoot wrote:
AbileneTexas wrote:
Gotta agree with your assesment. However, I think a comma is needed after “sucks”
Salamus wrote:
I beg to differ, this is a live version of a masterpiece.
But what do you think about the comma?
Actually, you need a semi-colon after "differ." You can't separate two complete sentences with just a comma.
AbileneTexas wrote:
Gotta agree with your assesment. However, I think a comma is needed after “sucks”
Salamus wrote:
I beg to differ, this is a live version of a masterpiece.
But what do you think about the comma?
Actually, you need a semi-colon after "differ." You can't separate two complete sentences with just a comma.
This is extraordinary, the lyrics really come through powerfully in this version. Likely close to the original vision, and not the over produced studio version which I greatly dislike.
I've gone full 10 just to piss off the haters 
Going against the grain here: I love this version much more than the original one.
It's more intense imo, more raw.
It's more intense imo, more raw.
Omg, this song is so bad, his voice...so bad...so.....bad 
Boooo.
It doesn't just suck. It, like, really sucks. - Beavis.
mdnlsn wrote:
What a fantastic idea. I would never have to hear this crap band ever again.
I think one of the few things that could improve RP (besides a full moratorium on Counting Crows, which is probably not in the cards) is a Sucko-Barfo personal filter...anything you've rated as a 1 never shows up in your feed again. Which would effectively accomplish the same thing for me as a CC ban, while allowing others with more pedestrian tastes to enjoy them to their hearts' content. Win-win!
What a fantastic idea. I would never have to hear this crap band ever again.
some songs should JUST NOT BE ALTERED....this was decent for the first year and a half...way back when...although there were other songs on the album, much better..but all the live versions he ever did afterwards jusgt totally SUCKED
What an irritating piece of music. Grates on me every time it's played. Oh well. The next song will be better.
jasonthehead wrote:
LOL. They are so bad it's comical.
one of the worst songs from one of the worst bands I've heard in my life, thought that when it came out, and decades later, same. go away CCs
LOL. They are so bad it's comical.
The more I hear this version, the less I like it. :-(
I think one of the few things that could improve RP (besides a full moratorium on Counting Crows, which is probably not in the cards) is a Sucko-Barfo personal filter...anything you've rated as a 1 never shows up in your feed again. Which would effectively accomplish the same thing for me as a CC ban, while allowing others with more pedestrian tastes to enjoy them to their hearts' content. Win-win!
jasonthehead wrote:
Sorry you can't enjoy. You're missing out.
one of the worst songs from one of the worst bands I've heard in my life, thought that when it came out, and decades later, same. go away CCs
Sorry you can't enjoy. You're missing out.
one of the worst songs from one of the worst bands I've heard in my life, thought that when it came out, and decades later, same. go away CCs
ace-marc wrote:
I guess I'm not one of the People, cuz as I type this, and say it out loud, my rating is an 8 on this slowed down live version of an album track I rate a 9. So, BillG, thanks for not blindly following ace-marc's demand...and LLRP!!
Bill, the People have spoken ( or typed ).
Delete from playlist ASAP.
Delete from playlist ASAP.
I guess I'm not one of the People, cuz as I type this, and say it out loud, my rating is an 8 on this slowed down live version of an album track I rate a 9. So, BillG, thanks for not blindly following ace-marc's demand...and LLRP!!
AbileneTexas wrote:
Gotta agree with your assesment. However, I think a comma is needed after “sucks”
Salamus wrote:
I beg to differ, this is a live version of a masterpiece.
But what do you think about the comma?
Bill, the People have spoken ( or typed ).
Delete from playlist ASAP.
Delete from playlist ASAP.
Not anywhere near as good as the studio version. What the hell were they thinking??
AbileneTexas wrote:
Gotta agree with your assesment. However, I think a comma is needed after “sucks”
I beg to differ, this is a live version of a masterpiece.
Gotta agree with your assesment. However, I think a comma is needed after “sucks”
I beg to differ, this is a live version of a masterpiece.
Ouch. Uh...no
I like the way this song plays.
A nice contrast to the ultra high intensity original . . . . I love it
noe.architecte169 wrote:
A little bit annoying but it's good? Ah....OK....I'll keep my rating at huit…..Vive la RP!!
(I'm sure your English is better than my French....)
Un petit peu franchouillard mais c'est bon
A little bit annoying but it's good? Ah....OK....I'll keep my rating at huit…..Vive la RP!!
(I'm sure your English is better than my French....)
Sorry, I'm usually not that critical but thus song really sucks!
this is band/ record is a guilty pleasure.
Maybe it's the time it came out I was in a particularly dark part of my life, broody and anxious for no particular reason. I would play this and suddenly it wasn't that bad. it was comforting knowing the mopey lackadaisical band leader could pull down dating Jennifer Aniston and Courtney Cox in their prime.
Life was going to be alright.
As the years passed, life has turned out, alright.
Maybe it's the time it came out I was in a particularly dark part of my life, broody and anxious for no particular reason. I would play this and suddenly it wasn't that bad. it was comforting knowing the mopey lackadaisical band leader could pull down dating Jennifer Aniston and Courtney Cox in their prime.
Life was going to be alright.
As the years passed, life has turned out, alright.
Un petit peu franchouillard mais c'est bon
Everyone disses on this band since their inception. I however love Counting Crows. Every song I have discovered by them is more amazing than the last. This one is no exception.
Definitely better than the album version. Brilliant arrangement. Love it.
Not holding up so well, I'd say.
Whiny.
Your mission: make this horrible song even worse.
Mission accomplished.
Mission accomplished.
I looked over at the Wikipedia portion of the page & the caption below the picture, and read the last part, "Duritz, and Bryson is out of frame." My brain scrambled it a bit & registered the line as, "Duritz is out of tune", and thought, "Yeah, that's spot on."
I like the studio version of this song, with the playing tight enough that I can forgive Duritz's voice as idiosyncratic. With this, it's all so relatively sloppy that it doesn't work for me.
I like the studio version of this song, with the playing tight enough that I can forgive Duritz's voice as idiosyncratic. With this, it's all so relatively sloppy that it doesn't work for me.
Proclivities wrote:
Oddly, they never allowed people to bring rhinos to their shows, but I read somewhere about someone tossing a wildebeest at Nickelback a few years ago.
These guys are to roots rock what Nickelback is to hard rock.
Oddly, they never allowed people to bring rhinos to their shows, but I read somewhere about someone tossing a wildebeest at Nickelback a few years ago.
These guys are to roots rock what Nickelback is to hard rock.
drewd wrote:
I think this is what happens when a band tires of playing THE song they are known for. I agree with you, I'd be bummed if I was given this performance.
I like the song, but not this dirge. I think if I had paid to see the show, I would've wanted to hear the more upbeat version. Just my opinion.
I think this is what happens when a band tires of playing THE song they are known for. I agree with you, I'd be bummed if I was given this performance.
I would rather be counting crows than listening to this.
ExploitingChaos wrote:
Gotta agree with your assesment. However, I think a comma is needed after “sucks”
This song sucks Bob
Gotta agree with your assesment. However, I think a comma is needed after “sucks”
Aha! Thought you'd sneak it in today as a live version without me noticing! Another day, another 1-Sucko Barfo for Counting Crows.
3 ► 2, and I'm looking further south
Webfoot wrote:
Webfoot wrote:
4 —> 6, but I draw the line there.
I'd like to see a transcription of the lyrics he sings on this version ... there are some interesting changes.
...Mr Jones and me, we don't see each other much anymore."
...Mr Jones and me, we don't see each other much anymore."
4 --> 6, but I draw the line there.
oh well... I love the original. this.. not so much.
I want my money back.
Ahhhh, David Letterman's favorite band.......LOL
I am going to go back and raise the ratings of all songs I have ever rated to 9 or 10. Except for this one. This stays at 1. That is the only way to put things into proper perspective.
I like the song, but not this dirge. I think if I had paid to see the show, I would've wanted to hear the more upbeat version. Just my opinion.
ppopp wrote:
Oddly, they never allowed people to bring rhinos to their shows, but I read somewhere about someone tossing a wildebeest at Nickelback a few years ago.
Someone throw a rhino at the singer next time he grabs a mic.
Oddly, they never allowed people to bring rhinos to their shows, but I read somewhere about someone tossing a wildebeest at Nickelback a few years ago.
IMPROVEMENT
This song sucks Bob
Never understood why Counting Crows generates such a negative reaction. I loved the original of this and think this is a highly entertaining version.
yuck a "song" that stinks
Not working for me... his voice is like he's going to cry any time and this slow-version makes it even worse.
This has its novelty in being different from the overplayed radio version, but it ends at that.
a_genuine_find wrote:
"Somehow"? It is significantly worse than the original. And the original is an abomination.
Somehow, even worse than the original.
"Somehow"? It is significantly worse than the original. And the original is an abomination.
What a lazy version. Was he laying on the stage, singing in his sleep? zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
markybx wrote:A murder of crows?
iggam wrote:
A murder of crows?
A Murder of One Song.
A murder of crows?
Well I like it. 6.
a_genuine_find wrote:
Wouldn't go that far but the original just got played too often for me to cut this version a break.
Somehow, even worse than the original.
Wouldn't go that far but the original just got played too often for me to cut this version a break.
A Murder of One Song.
fatcatjb wrote:
Well, I am a CC fan, and I agree that this version of "Mr. Jones" is very good.
I am not a big CC fan but I like this song and I really like this version
Well, I am a CC fan, and I agree that this version of "Mr. Jones" is very good.
Always liked this song, but this version is dispassionate and whiny.
Self indulgent and self important. I don't really mind the album version, but the fake over-emoting doesn't do it for me.
I am not a big CC fan but I like this song and I really like this version
Wow, a lot of hate for this. I find it particularly wonderful. I'm off to find this version to download.
wierdsley wrote:
Yeah, I was recently re-listening to August and Everything After and it remains a real anomaly from that era, with lots of great stuff to like.
And then, over the next few albums they evolved into a pretty boring pop band.
And in between they had this thing where they'd do live shows and (to be generous) deconstruct their songs. I remember them being on Letterman and doing a version of Round Here that, like this, basically had Duritz mumbling along as if the song never had a melody in the first place.
This is kinda sorta interesting to hear once or twice (especially if you're fascinated by their post-August "gee, it's hard being famous!" stuff) but barely keeping the chord progression and totally dispensing with the melody makes it overall disappointing.
Loved the Crows w
hen they first arrived. Had an original sound that I found refreshing. This is not their best work but still miles ahead of much of the dreck that was released in that era.
hen they first arrived. Had an original sound that I found refreshing. This is not their best work but still miles ahead of much of the dreck that was released in that era.
Yeah, I was recently re-listening to August and Everything After and it remains a real anomaly from that era, with lots of great stuff to like.
And then, over the next few albums they evolved into a pretty boring pop band.
And in between they had this thing where they'd do live shows and (to be generous) deconstruct their songs. I remember them being on Letterman and doing a version of Round Here that, like this, basically had Duritz mumbling along as if the song never had a melody in the first place.
This is kinda sorta interesting to hear once or twice (especially if you're fascinated by their post-August "gee, it's hard being famous!" stuff) but barely keeping the chord progression and totally dispensing with the melody makes it overall disappointing.
I prefer the rockin version. Even that one, after numerous listens, begins to wear. But it has a good hook or melody.
dduncan wrote:
CC some icky stuff
Yuck, my ears just stepped in something. How did anyone ever compare this psuedo emoting to Van Morrison?
CC some icky stuff
thecuttywren wrote:
RP dont cater to happiness.
abrasive, irritating - would be happy to never hear this again
RP dont cater to happiness.
Somehow, even worse than the original.
When you get this terrible song, by this terrible band, and add equally terrible ad-libbing vocals, it is about as bad as it gets.
Counting Crows, Smashing Pumpkins, the era of Whiner Rock
Loved the Crows when they first arrived. Had an original sound that I found refreshing. This is not their best work but still miles ahead of much of the dreck that was released in that era.
Mommy, please make the bad man stop whining!
I loved this song once
abrasive, irritating - would be happy to never hear this again
Sono riusciti a rovinare l'unica bella canzone che avevano fatto
Danimal174 wrote:
Me too.
Haters gonna hate. I love this version.
Me too.
Wow, this live version sounds really good on my stereo. 
I still like it - I like the song, and I like this performance.
Argh
"Hello? Hello? Is anyone still there? It's us, Counting Crows. Hello?"
Awful.
Try as I like...nah, I have never really tried to like this band. Cannot identify anything specific other than the uninspired arrangements, the singing style that consistently misses the mark, and the remakes of their own and other's songs that manage to detract from the originals. I know it's only R&R, but I don't like it one bit. And yet others disagree with me. Weird.
PSD again.....
Did you 'have to be there'? Coz I wasn't there....
Haters gonna hate. I love this version.
Had I been there I would have wanted my money back.
(....guess I'm consistent in my experience looking down a bit!)I love the original/album version... this, not so much
Bit of a run of 'nasal' songs - night swimming, some dirge by Van Morrison and now this, ho hum
Great song, "decent" version 
Loved there version of Thunder Road that I saw them do live a few years ago.
Similar tone to how the started this with So You Wanna Be a Rock and Roll Star.
Like to hear a different take on familiar tunes.
Similar tone to how the started this with So You Wanna Be a Rock and Roll Star.
Like to hear a different take on familiar tunes.
maxjboxer wrote:
ya indeed - been at a concert in Munich years ago and they played this version. This was the big disappointment of the show
Love the original but have heard it so many times, it's nice to hear it done differently.
However, if I was at the concert, I'd prefer to hear the original.
However, if I was at the concert, I'd prefer to hear the original.
ya indeed - been at a concert in Munich years ago and they played this version. This was the big disappointment of the show
Kind of a vacuous, noodly, mess ...
Someone throw a rhino at the singer next time he grabs a mic.
Love the original but have heard it so many times, it's nice to hear it done differently.
However, if I was at the concert, I'd prefer to hear the original.
However, if I was at the concert, I'd prefer to hear the original.
Yuck, my ears just stepped in something. How did anyone ever compare this psuedo emoting to Van Morrison?
Trying to imagine having thrown down money to see these guys live and hear them play this instead of the absolutely wonderful arrangement from the studio album.................not that this is terrible but come on....