Album: August And Everything After (1993)

Charted: 28 5

License This Song 

• Sha-la-la-la-la-la-la
  Mmm
  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
  She's suddenly beautiful
  And we all want something beautiful
  Man, I wish I was beautiful
  
  So come dance the silence down through the morning
  Sha-la-la-la-la-la-la, yeah
  Uh huh, yeah
  
  Cut up, Maria
  Show me some of them Spanish dances
  Pass me a bottle, Mr. Jones
  Believe in me
  Help me believe in anything
  'Cause 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
  Smilin' in the bright lights
  Coming through in stereo
  When everybody loves you
  You can never be lonely
  
  Well, I'm gon' 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
  Said I'm never gonna be lonely
  
  I wanna be a lion
  Yeah, everybody wanna pass as cats
  We all wanna be big, big stars
  Yeah, but we got different reasons for that
  Believe in me
  'Cause I don't believe in anything
  And 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, ah son
  That's just about as funky as you can be
  
  Mr. Jones and me
  Staring at the video
  When I look at the television, I want to 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 about as happy as I can be
  Mr. Jones and me
  We're gonna be big stars Writer/s: Adam Fredric Duritz, Ben G Mize, Charles Thomas Gillingham, Daniel John Vickrey, David Lynn Bryson, Matthew Mark Malley, Steve Bowman
  Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 65

• Kit from MississippiI always thought it was about battling drug addiction!
• AnonymousWhat is the link between the color gray and Picasso? If there is any.
• AnonymousI thought Mr Jones was a bottle of alcohol cuz he talks about how you stumbled
• Lynnster from Alberta, CanadaIt kinda sucks to learn that the song’s lyrics are pretty straightforward, actually.
• Keith from Vancouver CanadaI always thought "Mr. Jones" was a reference to marijuana i.e. MJ
• Joe from Lincoln RiI think that "Maria" in Counting Crows songs may be Maria McKee of Lone Justice.
• John Doe from Tulsa, OkI've always thought of Mr. Jones as the sinister type. ya know? the one who's a best friend and has what you would call the best intentions yet helps or allows you to be mislead right? Obiviously it has a spiritual or metaphysical sense with the lyrics Mr. Jones and me stare into the future and tell each other fairytales. mostly its like the good trip dude on god and the Ricky Nelson meanings I believe to an extent. when everybody loves me i will never be lonely well what about do yall love yourselves enough to realize no one is gonna be lonely. secret fear of all is being alone. its like the song glycerine from the same time period by bush. we live in a wheel where everyone steals when you realize it's like Strawberry Fields. Right? Nothing to get hung about right? Living is easy with eyes half closed, misunderstanding all you see. It's getting hard to be someone but it all works out.
• Bocknobby from Toronto, OnDoes anyone know anything about the back-up singers who can be heard in the last half of the song? Great arrangement of their vocals. A timeless song.
• Keith from Goose Creek, ScLet me preface this comment with the following statement: I understand that this was not the meaning intended by the author, it is only how the song speaks to me. That said, here goes nothing. I have recently been searching for faith, and recognizing that my own beliefs are weakly held at best. I am desperately trying to find truth but am constantly distracted by my worldly desires and though I often feel that the Lord speaks to me, in my arrogance I end up trying to take credit for His glory. This song feels like that story to me.
  
  I was sitting in a bar having a drink and lusting after a woman, when the spirit of Jesus (Mr. Jones) begins speaking to the heart of a woman named Maria (Mary). She begins to dance as Mr. Jones’ father (God) plays the music (guitar) for her, and I suddenly recognize how spiritually beautiful she is- and I wish that I could be that beautiful. So I struggle with the silence in my own mind (the absence of the holy spirit in my life) through the metaphorical night until the dawn (the realization that I need Christ in my life). So I ask Maria to continue dancing for me, so that I can learn how to imitate her joyous abandon in the Lord- and ask Jesus to “pass me the bottle” (fill me with the Holy Spirit). I beg God to believe in me, because I recognize that I don’t truly believe in anything (myself included), and I want to be someone who believes.
  
  Jesus and I walk together and talk about the things I think I believe (fairy tales), and we stare at the beautiful women, He at their spirits, I at their bodies. My instinct tells me they’re looking at Him, but my arrogance says “no, no- they’re looking at me.” I stare into the lights coming in from two different directions (the physical lights of worldly things, and the spiritual light of the Truth of God), I know that when everyone loves “you” (Christ) no one will ever be lonely again.
  
  I paint the picture of my life, I paint myself in blue (sadness) and red (anger) and black (darkness, evil potential) and gray (potential for good, flawed by my sinful nature). I know that all of those things are necessary for my growth in life, and are therefore meaningful and beautiful, but gray (my potential for good) is my favorite aspect of myself. I know that if I am to stand before people and speak, that I will be a symbol for them, but I’m not yet capable of doing what is right. If I could, I would find someone who was able to see the beauty of creation through the chaos of reality and learn from them (like a Picasso), if I could do that I would stand up in front of God and everyone and play that “guitar”, while still remembering my own imperfection.
  
  Jesus and I, look into the future of my life, we stare at the beautiful women (same as above) and I once again try to take credit for His glory. I’m standing in front of the crowd (in the spotlight), I finally know how to speak correctly (my gray guitar), but I fail again because I try to take the credit again by saying that when everyone loves ME, I will never be lonely… I will never be lonely… no I’m never gonna be, lonely… The more I try to convince myself that I will be the one to make myself happy, the more I become aware that it will only come through God. I want desperately to speak the Truth with true authority (like a lion), it seems everyone around me is satisfied to “pass as cats” (only the appearance of authority), we all want to be great- it is in our nature to seek greatness- but we all have different reasons (some to help themselves, some to help others, some to serve God). I once again beg God to believe in me, because I still don’t truly believe in the freedom of Christ (as evidenced by my continuing failure to give Him the credit for my blessings), and I want to be someone that people can believe in.
  
  Jesus and I walk through the dirty streets of the “bario” together, we are still staring at the beautiful women, but now I finally see that they are perfect for Christ, and I know that there has to be someone right for me.
  I want to be a storyteller who touches peoples lives (like bob Dylan), Christ wishes He was someone a “little more funky” ( so many people imagine Christ as uptight, but He walks with us even through the “barrios” of our lives), God tells Him ( ah, Son) that He is as funky as it gets, because everyone loves Him.
  
  Christ and I watch the video of my life together, when I watch it with Him, I want to be able to look right into my own eyes staring back unashamed. We all want to be great- we just don’t know how to get it, or even why we want it, but when I become like Christ, and everyone loves me, I’ll finally be as happy as I can be.
  
  Jesus and I, we’re going to be big stars.
  I hope this interpretation doesn’t offend anyone- I do not intend that. I hope that if you are seeking like I am that this song speaks to you as deeply as it did for me and helps you on your journey.
• Kyle from St. Louis, IlI've always seen this song as having a deeper meaning and that the writer loathes that is a bit disheartening. Regardless, I don't think the artist's take is necessarily any more valid than a listener's so I'll give my take: The song is mostly simple, just about aspiration, and the realization that life is more than professional success. But I also get the vibe that he's commenting on God via Mr. Jones. I can't pick out why, that's just how I interpret it.
• Liv from Long Island, Nyum... maria is a spanish name. flamenco dancing is spanish.. so if maria is always in their songs why not make her the name of the dancer. and "his father" playing the guitar is Adams friends father playing while they drank. duhhhh
• Brian from Boston, MaGreat song.This whole album is great.I first got into the crows around 1996. Many years before I had taken a couple of guitar lessons but I never really stuck with it.I picked up my guitar again in the summer of 96 and one song I would hear a lot was Mr Jones.I realize that it had been released 3 years prior but because I was now back into playing guitar I noticed it more every time it came on the radio.I loved the rythm of this song. By that fall I had learned the chords.This was one of only a few songs that I had ever learned just by listening to it. Once I learned the chords the rythm is what I had practiced most.I have now seen lessons for this song on the internet and often times they play it on an acoustic guitar.This song sounds O.K on acoustic but it sounds best when played as it is on the album with an electric guitar using a clean tone.This is one of the best songs of the 90's.What a great album too.
• Gazza from Buenos Aires, ArgentinaDon't know if this has already been posted, but the "New Amsterdam" is now called the "International Sports Club" and is located at 1000 Columbus Avenue (Intersection with Taylor Street) in San Francisco.CA. Apparently they do a great happy hour with cheap beer. Sitting in Adam Duritz's seat is optional.
• Heloisa Argentina from Córdoba, ArgentinaPeople, one question on the sentence: "She dances while his father plays guitar." - Whose father are they talking about? Wasnt it supposed to be "her father"?
  At first I thought the Flamenco dancer could be the son of this "his father", but then Mr Jones would not be talking to a guy, right? SO the flamenco dancer is a girl (also because of the"She dances while..").
  Can someone help me understand whose father is the song talking about? Mr Jones' father??
• Clay from Henagar, AlGod this song gets really old really fast
• Xavier from Schenectady, NyI thought Mr. Jones was a drink in the song...
• Chad from Wilmington, DeWell, whatever you choose, the name, Mr. Jones is a common name- a nobody. A common name will somettimes be changed when a person achieves fame and music itself sometimes transforms the name when the man beocmes a famous musician. Sometimes the musician will keep his own name, but quite often it changes after he/she achieves fame. Or seldom is each individual band member's name is known. For example, we know the group that played the song as "Counting Crows", but I still could not tell you each indvidual band member's name.- Hope that helps...
• Brad from Topeka, KsFor the longest time, I thought "Mr. Jones" was a metaphor for loneliness. Still a great song!
• Fraser from Stirling, United KingdomHere's a blog abou the New Amsterdam features in the song: http://frazing.wordpress.com/2008/12/17/google-streeview/
• Jan from Antwerp, --I think it's clear that this song is about the times when think that if you would be rich and/or famous, you would get everything in life what you desire.
  Everybody who claims to be af Counting Crows fan knows that the singer soon discovered that this wasn't the case.
  That's why, in live versions, the lyrics change everytime, depening on his mood state.
• Steve from Charlotte, ScI'm a little bummed out that "Mr. Jones" is just a friend he got drunk with in a bar. I always thought "Mr Jones" was a clever euphamism for envyy and desire as in I'm Jonesn' for something or keeping up with the Jones'. In Jr. High School I had a friend that I would sneak off and smoke cigarettes with and he would always say "I'm Jonesn' for a smoke man I'm Mr. Jones Today..."
  
  To answer another post, there are several good songs about heroin even if this isn't one. Dead Flowers by the Stones is my favourite but CCKMP by Steve Earle, White Freight Liner by Townes Van Zandt and The Needle and the Damage Done by Neil Young are some others.
• Ekristheh from Halath, United StatesMaria is to Adam Duritz as Mary is to Bruce Springsteen.
• Michael from Pittsburgh, PaStuart, I don't know the Nazareth song you referred to, so it's possible that the lines "So you wanna be a rock'n'roll star / Just listen now to what I say / Get yourself an electric guitar / and take some time and learn to play" appear in it, but those lines are from the song "So You Want To Be A Rock and Roll Star" by the Byrds. It's possible that Nazareth was quoting that song.
• Sierra from Grand Forks, Ndok, so how the heck could this song be about a ding dong? hello? jesus that's just weird, i've known this song forever and the way i interpret is this: a guy has a friend that's kewler than him and they both wanna be famous and get the girls, i know there's more ways a song can be interpreted, but seriously, a penis?
• Steve from New York, NyI actually met Marty Jones while writing a magazine article about the search for Maria. He was a really cool guy who tells the background of "Mr. Jones" in the story: http://bit.ly/326a7Io
• Bertrand from Paris, FranceThe voice of Counting Crows' lead vocalist Adam Duritz is a magnificent instrument. "Mr. Jones" introduced music fans to Duritz' amazing facility at storytelling within the context of a song. Just try to sing along on "Mr. Jones" and after you finish gasping for breath, you realize just how phenomenal this performance is.
  
  
• Charlie from Durham, EnglandI've just registered just to protest against a comment written WAY above:
  
  "A song doesn't need to be complex to be good. Just look at Rick Nelson's "Garden Party." Simple and pure, but flippin' great rock n' roll. - Tony, Boston, MA"
  
  The author's point was to say how there doesn't have to be a deeper meaning to a song to make it good (which I agree with, tho I do like meaningful lyrics) but unfortunately the example of 'garden party' doesn't work - garden party is packed with hidden meanings!!
  
  It's all about how disillusioned Rick Nelson was when he played at a concert and noone was interested in his new material, it's not ACTUALLY about going to a garden party at all! It's packed with metaphors and references!
  
  But back to Mr.Jones, love that song, a world-wide hit, I even heard it once in a while in the clubs in Spain when I lived over there, and that was 2001-2005! Can't believe ppl thought it was about his penis, I don't even get how that would work!
• Natalie from Chiago, IlThis song wasn't delete because alot of people still love this song! I know I do! I was raised off the Counting Crows.
• J from Jackson, GaI don't know about you people but I like this song.
• Cory from Morden, CanadaI can't believe the song isn't about his (deleted)...I seriously have thought that for the past 13 years...
• Ty from Indianapolis, InEven though it is about Marty Jones in this song, Bob Dylan's Mr Jones is rumored to be Brian Jones from the Rolling Stones
• Stuart from Liverpool,, EnglandIf you listen to the version on the "Across A Wire - Live in New York" album, the song starts with the lyrics "So you wanna be a rock'n'roll star / Just listen now to what I say / Get yourself an electric guitar / and take some time and learn to play". These lyrics are borrowed directly from the Nazareth song Telegram.
• Nicole from Derby, EnglandEveryone goes on about Maria being a real person, but Adam Duritz quite clearly says that shes not! Shes just meant to represent girls. But she does crop up in loads of songs, and the lyrics on the album cover are to the song "August and Everything After" which only gets played live.
  Nicole xx
• Kayla from Cary, Ncaw this song is so cute and the lyrics are blunt so stop trying to interpret them
• Stephanie from Moreno Valley, Cathis song is also sung by Hidden In Plain View but its not in any of their cds that they have made.
• Tony from Boston, MaThis is just one of those great songs that will always be taken out of context. Adam Duritz wrote this song as a memory of a fun conversation he and his friend, Marty (Mr.) Jones once had at a bar. Simple as that. Nothing more, nothing less. A song doesn't need to be complex to be good. Just look at Rick Nelson's "Garden Party." Simple and pure, but flippin' great rock n' roll.
• Jo-c from Lima, PeruTo set this straight, the idea is to get many chicks and friends or whatever by becoming famous, like being in a rock band or something. Great song with great lyrics, easy to play on a band.
• Ekristheh from Halath, United StatesI think this repeated "heroin" comment is a prank. It appears in the comments field of nearly every song I have researched on Songfacts. If someone were to post the songfact for "Veni, Creator Spiritus" or Sister Janet Mead's "The Lord's Prayer", someone would be sure to comment "Totally a heroin song." At least, this is how it seems to me.
• Lisa from Perth, AustraliaI recommend that all who enjoy the music sung by Adam and backed up by the beautiful tempraments of the band itself is best heard through Across A Wire - Live In New York City. As Adam said best between songs "We're playing some of these electric songs because they've changed so much and because I think we really know how to play them now." So if you want to hear the meaning of the songs you love (especially Mr Jones)the album encapsulates so much of the current intention. You can actually feel his voice tremble with emotion and deepen with feeling, it may just be my imagination but I can actually hear everything they really want to say. I would love to see many more albums like this one. In regards to Mr Jones, why would you put a song to detrament by explaining it through him naming his dick or atributing great creativity to drugs, let it be what it is and find beauty in the pictures it creates. At the end of the day I think the intepretation says more about the person interpreting it than the person who's song it actually is.
• Cherie from Ny, NyI always thought the song was about his penis.
• Beth from Livonia, Mii agree with whoever said that this is one of those songs that are great because you can put yourself and your experiences into the song. I must say that saying this song is about heroin is a bit of a stretch- especially because there's barely any evidence in the song to support it. Sure, it talks about his guitar, but that's the only connection i can make between your argument and the song.
• Dan from Columbia, MdGreat song with great lyrics! My favorite...I will paint my picture, Paint myself in blue and red and black and gray All of the beautiful colors are very very meaningful.
• John from Cleveland, TnFunny, this song makes me think of a good good friend of mine when we were younger. At the time we really started listening to it, alot of the lyrics point to our real life. the first four lines point to my (at the time) blond girlfriend and also the black haired girl my friend was dating, who was also a dancer. And the line "She dances while his father plays guitar" also makes us think of the fact that there familes were in business for a short time. I could really get into, but it's a great song that definatly will be a favorite of mine for awhile...
• Dante from Here, ChinaThis song is very deep to me. It reminds me of how I felt when my girl and I broke up, at the same time my uncles girl left him also. We both just hung out together getting drunk and high talking about our women. This song is about two guys who feel alone and just need someone to care about them. Luckily my uncle and I both got back with our girls. This song lets me see how lonely we could have ended up.
• Matt from Millbrae, Cathis is actually a really good song. While everyone around them was jumping on the commercial pop gravy train, these guys had the guts to come out with a song that actually had meaning to the lyrics. for this, i applaud.
• Fabian from Nogales, MexicoI think that Mr Jones is Duritz alter ego and when he gets really drunk or high or whatever mr jones is released, that´s my intepretation for that song.
• Ben from Weymouth, Mathe song also seems like it could go along with the play "the death of a salesman."
• Michelle from Montreal, United Statesi understand how this song was supposed to be about adams friend, but i have a different interperitation. i know it is not what adam intended, but i think that is partly why "mr. jones" is such an amazing song: eeeverybody can find a way to make this song very personal to themselves. however lame some interperatations are, if they mean something to that person, then so be it! i hope this is taken into consideration
• Pat from Montreal, CanadaI used to think this song was about a skizophrenic, who became someone else when he lacked confidence, and eventually believes everybody likes this alter ego more than him. There is a wonderful acoustic version of this; it is to die for, except for the fact that they remove my favorite line: "Mr. Jones and mr, staring at the video; when I look at the television I want to see me, staring right back at me."
• Brittany from Waverly, Nyi would like to know why the drug that rock songs are always about is heroine. this is not about heroine. i highly doubt that there are many good songs about heroine.
• Monty from Omaha, NeI met Adam Duritiz in 200 when I was working at a local radio station, I asked him about the inspiration for this song and "Omaha"... This has nothing to do with drugs... WHY, why does everyone think Heroin is the bassis for ALL ROCK songs... Serriously, when ever someone says "This song is about heroin" I ignore the post...
  Hey you know that song, "Happy birthday" it's about Heroin... yeah they wrote it about taking smack for the first time, you know your "birthday as and adict.
  Se how stupid that sounds?
  
• TorbjÃ?rn from Trondheim, NorwayI heard one theory from someone who thought that "Mr.Jones" was a liquor-brand. so if you get the lyrics a bit wrong it might be "Pass me a bottle of Mr.Jones" - and later when he sings "Mr. Jones strikes up a conversation with this black-haired flamenco dancer" he's drunk and it's just the booze talking.. hehe, wouldn't put too much weight into that theory though..
• Katie from Royston, Gahave any of you guys heard of the movie "beautiful women" ?
  
  i don't kno when the movie or song came out but after i saw the movie i was convinced that it was connected.
  
  for one, the bar where they hung out was "mr jones's".
  
  when they were sitting in that building they were talkin bout the man being in love with the girl and he said "we all want somthing beautiful"
  . the name of the movie is beautiful women.
  
  and i don't kno exactly where new amsterdam is but im pretty sure its up in yankee teritory so that maybe also the setting of the movie.....there are more things but i havn't seen the movie in a while
  any one else see the connection?
• Nick from Arlington Heights, IlDuritz also substituted "Dave Lowery" of Cracker for "Bob Dylan" on another TV performance, Duritz was also wearing a Cracker T Shirt during this performance
• Matt from Durham, NhI don't care who he says it's about. Mr. Jones is Lester Bangs.
• Marty from Eugene, OrAdam knows she was looking at me. And i did go and talk to (and make a damn fool out of myself) with the one i had my eye on. But maybe if i had been a rock star....
• Rod from Ipswich, Australiaive got this mate david who believes the "Mr Jones" song by the Counting Crows is a freaking cover for crist sake. I hope this and other entries on the internet and tv/publications alike will set him straight. GOOD SONG and written by Adam Duritz and Counting Crows!
• Matt from St. Charles, MoI like the idea of Mr. Jones being Adam's alter ego. I think that it really shows the difference between a person who is sober, and a person who is high or drunk (Mr. Jones). Either way it's a great song that never got the respect it deserved.
• Katy from Eden Prairie, Mnjeffq who posted the first comment is obviosly confused. I would like to know where you heard that Adam had a herion adiction and pawned off his guitar before shows??? do you know how ridiculous you sound?
• Jeffq from Nekoosa, WiThis is about lead singer Adam Duritz' heroin addiction. Mr. Jones is his dealer, and the hardships of being a heroin addict. The band was named after a favorite pastime of his whilst flying high off of heroin; counting crows. He would usually pawn off his guitar for drug money and the rest of the band would have to go buy it back before every show.
• Jeremy from Gonzales, LaAdam Duritz said on VH1 Storytellers that the song was written when he and a friend were listening to his friends father (who was a flamenco guitar player) play at a bar called the 'New Amsterdam'. There were all of these pretty girls at the bar, and dancing to the music. 'Mr Jones' and Adam were drinking and talking about how they would have the nerve to talk to these women if they were famous. They then go on to dream about how all of their problems would be solved if they were famous.
• Jaffa from Auckland, New Zealandcould be what he wants to be but is to scared to try
• Karen from Virginia Beach, Va"Jones" can mean a passion, preoccupation, addiction or a craving... Mr. Jones is the singer's alt-ego. Who craves fame beliving it will bring him love and happiness. The singer is unsure of how people see him, do they see the real him or the fame. "She's looking at you,
  I don't think so. She's looking at me."
  Thank you to Bill for explaining this to me, it's a great song!
  Karen :-)
• Richard from Nederland, TxMr. Jones is not inspired by the Mr. Jones in the Dylan song. It's about Marty Jones one of Adam's friends from the Bay Area. Check any Crows press ever to back this up.
• Live Freak from Beirut, OtherCould Mr. Jones be what the singer turns into when he's drunk.........somebody check it ??
  
  "Pass me the bottle Mr. Jones..."
  

More Songfacts:

Live ForeverOasis

The Oasis song "Live Forever" was written in response to "I Hate Myself And I Want To Die" by Nirvana. "Kids don't need to hear that nonsense," said Noel Gallagher.

Lady MarmaladeLabelle

"Lady Marmalade" is the only song to hit #1 twice in both the UK and US.

Let's DanceDavid Bowie

David Bowie's "Let's Dance" is about more than just dancing. It's about dishonesty, particularly when we mask our true feelings.

Do You Believe In Love?Huey Lewis & the News

The first Huey Lewis & the News hit, "Do You Believe In Love?," is a cover of a song Mutt Lange wrote three years earlier called "We Both Believe In Love."

Station to StationDavid Bowie

David Bowie's "Station to Station" is over 10 minutes long. Bowie was doing a lot of drugs at the time and later said, "I have only flashes of making it."

RespectAretha Franklin

Props to Aretha Franklin: her song "Respect" introduced the term "propers" as a sign of proper respect.

Editor's Picks

Gene Simmons of KissSongwriter Interviews

The Kiss rocker covers a lot of ground in this interview, including why there are no Kiss collaborations, and why the Rock Hall has "become a sham."

Michael SchenkerSongwriter Interviews

The Scorpions and UFO guitarist is also a very prolific songwriter - he explains how he writes with his various groups, and why he was so keen to get out of Germany and into England.

Daniel LanoisSongwriter Interviews

Daniel Lanois on his album Heavy Sun, and the inside stories of songs he produced for U2, Peter Gabriel, and Bob Dylan.

Spooner OldhamSongwriter Interviews

His keyboard work helped define the Muscle Shoals sound and make him an integral part of many Neil Young recordings. Spooner is also an accomplished songwriter, whose hits include "I'm Your Puppet" and "Cry Like A Baby."

Songs Discussed in MoviesSong Writing

Bridesmaids, Reservoir Dogs, Willy Wonka - just a few of the flicks where characters discuss specific songs, sometimes as a prelude to murder.

Max Cavalera of Soulfly (ex-Sepultura)Songwriter Interviews

The Brazilian rocker sees pictures in his riffs. When he came up with one of his gnarliest songs, there was a riot going on.