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)
Monkey
Counting Crows Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No place to go
Hey monkey, when you gonna show your face around me?
I know all the wrongs and rights
And I just want a little light to fall on me
Hey monkey, where you been?
This lonely spiral I've been in
Hey monkey, where you been?
We'll I'm all messed up
That's nothing new
Hey monkey, when you open up your blue eyes,
I don't know if I'm wide awake or dreaming
But all I ever need is everything
Hey monkey, where you been?
This lonely spiral I've been in
Hey monkey, when can we begin?
Hey monkey, where you been?
Just get the world off your shoulders
and close your pretty blue eyes
Hey monkey, what's life without an occasional surprise?
Got nowhere but home to go
Got Ben Folds on my radio right now
I'm in trouble for the things I need
Hey monkey don't you want to be needed too?
Hey monkey, where you been?
This lonely spiral I've been in
Hey monkey, when can we begin?
Hey monkey, where you been?
The lyrics to Counting Crows' song Monkey convey a sense of loneliness and longing, as the singer addresses a monkey who seems to represent his inner desire for companionship, understanding, and emotional connection. The opening line, "All dressed up, no place to go" suggests a feeling of being stuck or directionless, and the repeated question asking the monkey when it will show its face around him reveals a sense of anticipation and hopefulness. The singer then laments his own shortcomings and expresses a desire to have some clarity or guidance, saying "I know all the wrongs and rights, and I just want a little light to fall on me."
The chorus brings about a sense of urgency as the singer asks the monkey where it has been and when they can begin to find the connection that he desperately needs. The second verse gives a sense of confusion as he mentions being "all messed up" and not knowing if he is "wide awake or dreaming" when the monkey finally shows up. However, he still feels that all he needs is the monkey's companionship and understanding. He then asks the monkey to close its eyes and let go of the world's burdens, to embrace the occasional surprise that makes life worth living.
Overall, the lyrics to Monkey convey a sense of yearning for understanding and connection, while also acknowledging the singer's own faults and confusion. The monkey serves as a symbol for the elusive but crucial emotional bond he seeks.
Line by Line Meaning
All dressed up
I'm ready and willing to go out and have fun.
No place to go
But unfortunately, I have nowhere to go at the moment.
Hey monkey, when you gonna show your face around me?
Monkey here is a representation of someone the singer is waiting for to come around and bring excitement into their life.
I know all the wrongs and rights
The artist has a good understanding of what's right and what's wrong.
And I just want a little light to fall on me
Despite their understanding, the artist wants a bit of guidance on their situation.
Hey monkey, where you been?
The singer is still eagerly waiting for the person they're calling 'monkey'.
This lonely spiral I've been in
The singer feels stuck in a rut of loneliness and needs a change.
Hey monkey, when can we begin?
The artist is asking for the monkey to bring some excitement back into their life.
We'll I'm all messed up
The artist is feeling mixed up and confused.
That's nothing new
Unfortunately, this feeling is not new to the artist.
Hey monkey, when you open up your blue eyes,
The singer still feels like their happiness is dependent on this 'monkey' person.
I don't know if I'm wide awake or dreaming
The artist is unsure of whether they're in reality or still dreaming of what could be.
But all I ever need is everything
The singer knows that they're asking for a lot from this person, but it's all they really want.
Just get the world off your shoulders
The singer wants their 'monkey' to relax and stop worrying about everything else in their life.
and close your pretty blue eyes
Continuing the above sentiment that rest and relaxation is key.
Hey monkey, what's life without an occasional surprise?
The artist reminds the monkey that life is all about occasional surprises and joy.
Got nowhere but home to go
The artist is stuck at home with nothing to do at the moment.
Got Ben Folds on my radio right now
But at least they have good music to listen to.
I'm in trouble for the things I need
The singer is aware that their needs may not be seen as typical or expected of someone in their position, leading to some issues.
Hey monkey don't you want to be needed too?
The artist reminds the monkey that they're also needed and appreciated in the artist's life.
Hey monkey, where you been?
Once again, the artist is still eagerly waiting for the monkey to show up.
This lonely spiral I've been in
The artist is still feeling stuck and alone.
Hey monkey, when can we begin?
The singer is still asking the monkey to bring some excitement and happiness to their life.
Hey monkey, where you been?
And they're still waiting for the monkey to show up.
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
@CamVonBarren
All dressed up
No place to go
Hey monkey, when you gonna show your face around me?
I know all the wrongs and rights
And I just want a little light to fall on me
Hey monkey, where you been?
This lonely spiral I've been in
Hey monkey, when can we begin?
Hey monkey, where you been?
We'll I'm all messed up
That's nothing new
Hey monkey, when you open up your blue eyes
I don't know if I'm wide awake or dreaming
But all I ever need is everything
Hey monkey, where you been?
This lonely spiral I've been in
Hey monkey, when can we begin?
Hey monkey, where you been?
Just get the world off your shoulders
And close your pretty blue eyes
Hey monkey, what's life without an occasional surprise?
Got nowhere but home to go
Got Ben Folds on my radio right now
I'm in trouble for the things I need
Hey monkey don't you want to be needed too?
Hey monkey, where you been?
This lonely spiral I've been in
Hey monkey, when can we begin?
Hey monkey, where you been?
@bneyens
I love this song, it takes me back to being 20 years old in 2000
@hoarbaby
Same bro, glad I lived through the goat era
@pandemonionapandemiaprofal5679
Me too...
@InAnotherLife90
I could live inside this song forever. Indescribable feeling
@drinkuntilyoupodcast
This has been in my head all day
@3o3brine28
He wrote this song for Courtney Cox. They dated in 1996 and were fairly serious. I saw him talk about it in an an interview. She’s also in the video for ‘Long December’.
@docholiday13
Incorrect....This song is actually about a contemporary who happens to be in the lyrics btw. “Got nowhere but home to go / I’ve got Ben Folds on my radio right now.”
@TheJavaMonkey
One of my favorite songs. Since I was a baby, my older sister called me monkey... plus the lyrics have a lot of emotional weight to me.
@Camiel96
This song is like a comforting hug
@madwacka
I was so freakishly excited when I heard about this album coming out!!! I loved the way it rises and falls throughout the disc. awesome from start to finish. also, this song was the first time I ever heard the name Ben Folds...who I obviously rushed to listen to and found to be amazing!!!!