# The Strange Magic of: Counting Crows



## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

Here we have the energetic and volatile Adam Duritz and the Crows (not Black, not Sheryl) performing my absolute favorite CC song, _Mr. Jones_. While I am not the biggest CC fan, there are about a half-dozen songs, mostly from their first two albums, that resonate. _Mr. Jones_ has an irresistible rhythm, and delightful, evocative lyrics about two slightly off-center friends dreaming about a grand future while they try to make their way through the somewhat puzzling Now. The song closely reminds me of a fine similar tune by John Mellencamp, Theo and Weird Henry, as they are recalled by a bemused acquaintance. _Mr. Jones_ also references a flamenco dancer in its lyrics, a distinction it shares with only one other pop/rock song I can recall, Phil Ochs' Miranda.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

Department of Useless but Fascinating(?) Information: I just recalled that the Mr. Jones referred to as the sidekick of the above song's narrator (Adam Duritz), is the Crows' bass-player Marty Jones. It so happens that Marty Jones is the son of the American phenom flamenco guitarist/ace accompanist David Jones, aka David Serva, that I showed accompanying Manuel Agujetas in my Cante Flamenco article on Fandangos. Probably boring, but true. Maybe explains the reference to the black-haired flamenco dancer.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

First, a correction. In the previous post, I falsely said that Marty Jones, the Mister Jones of _Mister Jones_ was the bass player for Counting Crows. My rotting brain at work. Jones and Duritz did play together in The Himalayans years before, and formed an enduring friendship. But Marty Jones is/was never the bass player for the Crows.

But now, having eaten crow, I present _Have You Seen Me Lately?_, from the fine Recovering the Satellites album, here live.....


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Oh, they were dull and also precious into the bargain. My idea of 90's gig hell is Counting Crows sharing the billing with Hootie & The Blowfish.


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## Kjetil Heggelund (Jan 4, 2016)

Don't know about the band, but I like counting crows...


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

elgars ghost said:


> Oh, they were dull and also precious into the bargain. My idea of 90's gig hell is Counting Crows sharing the billing with Hootie & The Blowfish.


I can count my friend elgars ghost (no apostrophe) as a worthy replacement of our lost Morimur, of fond memory. Morimur always shuddered at my selections and I at his, so we were each excellent guides to great music. I also treasure that elgars' _ex cathedra_ pronouncements are offered as established fact rather than as far weaker and watery opinion; it gives them greater force .


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Strange Magic said:


> I can count my friend elgars ghost (no apostrophe) as a worthy replacement of our lost Morimur, of fond memory. Morimur always shuddered at my selections and I at his, so we were each excellent guides to great music. I also treasure that elgars' _ex cathedra_ pronouncements are offered as established fact rather than as far weaker and watery opinion; it gives them greater force .


Morimur! I'm not sure whether that is being a bit harsh or whether you are damning me with faint praise. :lol:

We have found common musical ground elsewhere on numerous occasions but if I don't like a band/act as nominated by your good self then I feel obliged to be honest enough in saying so, even at the risk of appearing to sound too arbitrary at times.

As for the missing apostrophe in my user name, it was there to begin with but some years ago I was asked by the administration to have it removed as it did something weird to their settings or something.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

elgars ghost said:


> Morimur! I'm not sure whether that is being a bit harsh or whether you are damning me with faint praise. :lol:
> 
> We have found common musical ground elsewhere on numerous occasions but if I don't like a band/act as nominated by your good self then I feel obliged to be honest enough in saying so, even at the risk of appearing to sound too arbitrary at times.
> 
> As for the missing apostrophe in my user name, it was there to begin with but some years ago I was asked by the administration to have it removed as it did something weird to their settings or something.


I enjoyed your response . One element in my recollection of Morimur was that he reminded me often of Eeyore, one of my favorite characters in the Winnie-the-Pooh classics; you do, however, tend to take a brighter view of things than 'E did! 

I have come to accept that we sometimes have different opinions , but the point I was making was that yours are delivered cunningly as "facts", and, as such, I turn immediately to the Encyclopedia Britannica or Wikipedia or some such authorities expecting to find them there, chiseled in granite: "Oh, they were dull and precious into the bargain." But then I smile, and remember: it's (only) elgars' opinion.. In contrast, I believe that the silence in which I envelope certain artists and composers itself speaks equivocal volumes.

And I hope that someday your lost apostrophe will be returned to you :lol:.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Thank you for tolerating my opinions. And you can rest assured that I'll keep them coming from time to time.

I could list at least five reasons why I reckon Counting Crows suck but that might seem like obsessing, especially if I were to bullet-point them. Plus there are enough bands out there which I could jump on for pretty much the same reasons, so perhaps it would be unfair of me to single just the CCs out.

As for the lost apostrophe, I've accepted that as a minor TC war wound.


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## Guest (Feb 19, 2018)

elgars ghost said:


> Oh, they were dull and also precious into the bargain. My idea of 90's gig hell is Counting Crows sharing the billing with Hootie & The Blowfish.


There is a very select group of artists that I find transcendentally turgid. CC have the honour of being in that cadre. I bought my partner a cassette of one of theirs years ago and just last week she has bought the same album on CD. Still, could be worse. Actually, no it couldn't.

Sorry if this is a promotional thread, but elgar started it. :tiphat:


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

dogen said:


> There is a very select group of artists that I find transcendentally turgid. CC have the honour of being in that cadre. I bought my partner a cassette of one of theirs years ago and just last week she has bought the same album on CD. Still, could be worse. Actually, no it couldn't.
> 
> Sorry if this is a promotional thread, but elgar started it. :tiphat:


Excellent! An opinion offered as such. I myself am not a huge CC fan, as I indicated in my opening post, but there are about a half-dozen songs of theirs that please me, from their early albums. I find this is my approach to all music and art: I focus on individual efforts, sift through for those that please irrespective of source, and discard the chaff. Thus I wheel down the road with _Mr. Jones_ pumping out of the speakers, and the world seems good. It's just a matter of finding the right material.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

The Black Crows were much better


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

And Stone The Crows.


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