For the group's first album, Adam and David added bassist Matt Malley, multi-instrument talent Charlie Gillingham, and drummer Steve Bowman. David Immergluck served as the second guitarist on the first album, but he did not officially join the band until 1999. Guitarist Dan Vickery was added just as the band set out on their first tour. As stated before, 'August and Everything After' provided the band with a surprise yet very welcome success, garnering them critical praise. Released on September 14, 1993 through Geffen Records, the album hit #2 on Billboard's Heatseekers chart, showing that their tunes had tapped into something.
Counting Crows, with their intimate and confessional yet smooth, often catchy musical approach, achieved a large fan base among melodic rock fans over the years. Their 90s acclaim reflected that a significant music scene looked for something different from the raging guitars of the Seattle-based grunge movement as well as from either boilerplate pop music or the budding electronic music subgenres. The group kept on releasing new songs into the new millennium.
The band's more recent successes include the 2004 hit song "Accidentally In Love", which was featured on the Shrek 2 soundtrack (that has sold over 1,000,000 copies). That song has also garnered nominations for a Grammy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and an Academy Award. That same year, the band released their first ever best of set, which they titled 'Films about Ghosts'. That album features songs from every phase of the Counting Crows' recording career. To date, the band has sold over 20 million albums worldwide.
The group made the news when 'Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings' was released on March 25th, 2008. In addition, on January 16, 2008, the band released a digital EP as a free download on their official web site, consisting of the songs "1492" and "When I Dream Of Michelangelo". The lead single from the album was "You Can't Count On Me", which was released for radio play on February 4, 2008.
The album itself is thematically and stylistically divided into two parts: the first, more rock-influenced Saturday Nights, and the second, more country-influenced Sunday Mornings. Theme changes along with style; in the Sunday Mornings portion of the album, songs become more reflective. The iTunes release contains several bonus tracks, including a track-by-track interview with Duritz.
Members of the band:
Adam Duritz - lead vocals, piano, wurlitzer, tamborine
David Bryson - guitars, dobro, vocals
Charles Gillingham - piano, organ, accordion, mellotron, vocals
Dan Vickery - guitars, sitar, banjo, vocals
David Immergluck - guitars, bass, electric sitar, mandolin, vocals
Jim Bogios - drums, percussion loops, vocals
Millard Powers - bass guitar, upright bass, piano, vocals
Ex-members of the band:
Matt Malley - guitars, double bass, vocals
Ben Mize - drums, percussion, tambourine, bulbs, vocals
Steve Bowman - drums, vocals
Ben Ulrich - drums
Marty Jones - bass guitar
Lydia Holly - keyboards
Toby Hawkins - drums
Albums
August And Everything After - (September 14, 1993)
Recovering The Satellites - (October 14, 1996)
Across a Wire - Live in New York City - (1998)
This Desert Life - (November 1, 1999)
Hard Candy - (July 8, 2002)
Films About Ghosts: The Best Of - (November 25, 2003)
*New Amsterdam: Live At Heineken Music Hall - (June 19, 2006)
August And Everything After, Deluxe Edition - (Fall 2007)
Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings - (March 25, 2008)
Somewhere Under Wonderland - (September 2, 2014)
Mercury
Counting Crows Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And they take a little every day
She is a victim of her own responses
Shackled to a heart that wants to settle
And then runs away
It's a sin to be fading endlessly
Yeah, but she's alright with me
She is leaving me in disarray
In the absence of a place to be
She stands there looking back at me
Hesitates, and then turns away
She'll change so suddenly
She's just like mercury
Yeah, but she's alright with me
Keep some sorrow in your hearts and minds
For the things that die before their time
For the restlessly abandoned homes
The tired and weary rambler's bones
And stay beside me where I lie
She's entwined in me
Crazy as can be
Yeah, but she's alright with me
The lyrics of Counting Crows' song "Mercury" seem to be about a woman who is feeling stuck and trapped in her own emotions. She is described as being "trapped inside a month of grey" and is losing a part of herself each day. The woman is a victim of her own reactions to life and is shackled to a heart that wants to settle down but at the same time keeps running away, and the singer acknowledges the difficulty of the situation he faces as he watches her fade away.
The woman is leaving on a walk away, leaving the singer in disarray. She hesitates, then turns away, suddenly changing like mercury so that it's difficult to predict her actions. As the song continues, the lyrics begin to take on a more philosophical tone: "Keep some sorrow in your hearts and minds for the things that die before their time." The rest of the song seems to be about walking alongside someone as they encounter the struggles of life, being present with them in their restlessness and weariness. The woman and the singer are described as being entwined and crazy with each other but it's okay, he is okay with her.
In summary, the song's meaning is complex, but can be interpreted as a love ballad about a man who is fully aware of the complications and difficulties of being with an unpredictable and emotional woman, but is still willing to accept and support her, and walk alongside her through life's ups and downs.
Line by Line Meaning
She is trapped inside a month of grey
She is stuck in a feeling of sadness and depression.
And they take a little every day
Her emotions seem to be slowly chipping away at her.
She is a victim of her own responses
Her reactions to things are causing her more trouble than good.
Shackled to a heart that wants to settle
She wants to find love and commit but is having a hard time doing so.
And then runs away
When things get too serious, she tends to back out.
It's a sin to be fading endlessly
It's tragic to lose yourself and fade away without truly living life.
Yeah, but she's alright with me
Despite all her flaws and struggles, the singer still loves and accepts her as she is.
She is leaving on a walkaway
She's leaving without really knowing where she's going or why.
She is leaving me in disarray
Her departure is causing the artist to feel lost and confused.
In the absence of a place to be
Without a clear destination, she's feeling lost and displaced.
She stands there looking back at me
She's having second thoughts about leaving and is reconsidering her decision.
Hesitates, and then turns away
She ultimately decides to leave despite her doubts and possible regret.
She'll change so suddenly
Her mind and emotions are unpredictable and can shift at any moment.
She's just like mercury
She's fluid and ever-changing, like the element mercury.
Keep some sorrow in your hearts and minds
Remember the things that have been lost and mourn for them.
For the things that die before their time
Acknowledge the pain and sadness of losing something too soon.
For the restlessly abandoned homes
Homes that are left empty and abandoned are also a source of sadness.
The tired and weary rambler's bones
The singer feels for those who have traveled across the land and are now worn down and tired.
And stay beside me where I lie
The singer is asking for comfort and someone to stay with them in their moment of sadness.
She's entwined in me
Despite her leaving, the artist still feels connected to her.
Crazy as can be
Despite any emotional baggage, the artist still loves her and is willing to be with her no matter what.
Yeah, but she's alright with me
The artist accepts her for who she is, even with her flaws and struggles.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVID LYNN BRYSON, ADAM FREDRIC DURITZ, CHARLES THOMAS GILLINGHAM, MATTHEW MARK MALLEY, BEN G MIZE, DANIEL JOHN VICKREY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind