Counting Crows' breakthrough hit 'Mr Jones' was born from a night out with a flamenco troupe, according to the band's guitarist David Bryson. The song, which appears on their debut album 'August and Everything After', tells the story of Bryson and his best friend Marty Jones wishing they were cool musicians to impress women.
The track was initially difficult to finish, as it required a specific galloping rhythm. Producer T Bone Burnett helped refine the song by stripping away synths and guitar effects, and brought in drummer Denny Fongheiser to replace Steve Bowman, who struggled with the arrangement. Burnett advised Bryson to play behind the tempo, telling him to imagine putting his feet up on the mixing board while chewing gum.
Bryson recalls the demo that singer Adam Duritz played him in the late 1980s, recorded with a Dr Rhythm pocket drum machine that sounded like 'popcorn popping'. Despite the rudimentary production, Duritz's vocals were exceptional. Burnett's production reinvented the band, drawing on influences like Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, and the Band.
The song's success followed a performance of 'Round Here' on Saturday Night Live in 1994, which caused the album to jump 40 spots in the charts for several weeks. Bryson describes 'Mr Jones' as one of the best things he has ever written, and it remains a staple of their live shows.
