Today’s random selection has the distinction of being my least favorite Counting Crows song. The opening track of the band’s fifth album, 2008’s Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings, ‘1492’ is a loud and graceless rock song that lacks the nuance and melodicism of the band’s usual output.
Following four stellar albums released between 1992 and 2002, Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings was the Crows’ first miss. A concept album featuring one side of rockers and one side of acoustic ballads, the collection produced only a couple of memorable tracks.
The band’s next release was a 2012 covers album, and their next original set (2014’s Somewhere Under Wonderland) was mostly forgettable. A 2021 EP called Butter Miracle, Suite One made up the tepid first half of a planned album, with Suite Two on the way.
That means it’s been 20 years since Counting Crows’ last great release, twice as long as their initial run of excellent albums. Is it foolhardy to hope for a comeback?
Impersonating African Jamaican
What I wanna be’s an Indian
I’m gonna be a cowboy in the end I guess
I bought a gun cuz it impresses
All the little girls I see
And then they all wanna sleep with me
Oh, where do we disappear?
Into the silence that surrounds us
And then drowns us in the end
Where all these people who impersonate our friends
Say, “Come again, come again, come again…”
Into the dark Italian underground of disco lights and disco sound
And skinny girls who drink champagne
And take me on their knees again
Then pull me up and out the door
Past railway cars and tranny whores
And morning spreading out across the feathered thighs of angels
Oh, where do we disappear?
Into the silence that surrounds us
And then drowns us in the end
Where they try to push you out to keep you in
And say, “Come again, come again, come again…”
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In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue
In 1493, came home across the deep blue sea
In 1494, he did it with the girl next door
In 1495, he barely made it out alive
In 1964, these sailors left me at the door
In 1970, some people got their hands on me
Now I’m the king of everything
And I’m the king of nothing
Now I am the king of everything
I am the king of nothing
Oh, where do we disappear?
Into the silence that surrounds us
And then drowns us in the end
Where all these people who impersonate our friends
Say, “Come again, come again, come again…”
Oh, where do we disappear?
Into the silence that surrounds us
And then drowns us in the end
Where they try to get you out to get you in
And all these people who impersonate our friends
Say, “Come again, come again, come again, come again, come again…”
Meet Me In Montauk 
I think there were good songs on the second half of this album, as well as the subsequent ones, but, yes, we are overdue for a complete great album.