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Round Here
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| "Round Here" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Counting Crows | ||||
| from the album August and Everything After | ||||
| Released | May 23, 1994 | |||
| Length | 5:32 | |||
| Label | Geffen | |||
| Songwriters |
| |||
| Producer | T-Bone Burnett | |||
| Counting Crows singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Round Here" on YouTube | ||||
"Round Here" is a song by American rock band Counting Crows, released as the second single from their debut album, August and Everything After (1993), on May 23, 1994, by Geffen Records. The song's origin predates the formation of Counting Crows, when the band's future frontman Adam Duritz wrote the song with the Himalayans members Dan Jewett, Chris Roldan and Dave Janusko.[1]
Despite not charting on the US Billboard Hot 100 due to rules in place at the time, "Round Here" peaked at number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart and number seven on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. The song also reached the top 20 in Canada and Iceland, peaking at number six in the former country and number 12 in the latter. The accompanying music video was directed by Mark Neale. In April 2022, American Songwriter ranked the song at number five on their list of "The Top 10 Counting Crows Songs".[2]
Song meaning
[edit]This section contains too many or overly lengthy quotations. (June 2023) |
Duritz explained on VH1 Storytellers the meaning to the song:
The first way Counting Crows ever sounded, it was me and Dave in bars and coffee houses playing open mics, doing this song this way. The song begins with a guy walking out the front door of his house, and leaving behind this woman. But the more he begins to leave people behind in his life, the more he feels like he's leaving himself behind as well. The less and less substantial he feels like he's becoming to himself. And that's sorta what the song's about because he feels that even as he disappears from the lives of people, he's disappearing more and more from his own life. The chorus is, he sorta keeps screaming out these idioms these lessons that your mother might say to you when you were a kid, sorta child lessons ya know, "round here we always stand up straight", "carving out our names". Things that you are told when you are a kid that you do these things that.. that when you're grown up it'll add up to something, you'll have a job, you'll have a life. I think for me and the character of the song they don't add up to anything, it's just a bunch of crap kinda. Your life comes to you or doesn't come to you, but those things don't really mean anything. By the end of the song he's so dismayed by this that he's kinda screaming out that he can stay up as long as he wants and that no one makes him wait...the sort of things that are important if you are a kid. You know that you don't have to go to bed, you don't have to do anything. The sort of things that don't make any difference at all when you're an adult, they're nothing. And uh and uh this is a song about, about me.
In a concert in Amsterdam for "This Desert Life", on October 17, 1999,[3] Duritz adds,
We wrote this song in 1989 ... We were all in bands and we had shitty jobs. We would wash dishes, work in record stores and wash windows and ... by day, so that we can be in a rock and roll band at night. You know? And it was after college and our friends are getting on with their lives. And they had good jobs, well... boring jobs... but they made more money than we did, and they had futures and we didn't. And there comes a point in the life of everyone in a rock and roll band that you have to sort of decide, am I going to do this with my life, or am I going to go get one of those other jobs? Because I can't deal with washing dishes anymore and I can't dig any more holes, and I can't wash another window. And there is those that go, and there is those that stay. And you walk out on the edge of the world and you balance yourself there for a while and you try to figure out just which one you're gonna be. And a lot of our friends are doing other things right now. And we're standing right up here on this stage.
Composition
[edit]The Counting Crows version (the more well-known recording) is a slow and mellow folk rock song. The original by the Himalayans is done in a more "pure" rock style—somewhat harder and faster, with prominent electric guitar and bass parts. In a tradition that has manifested in several Counting Crows songs, the two versions of this song feature somewhat different lyrics. Various live recordings of the song also feature significantly altered lyrics.
Critical reception
[edit]Upon the release of the single, Alan Jones from Music Week gave it a score of three out of five, writing, "A finely crafted rock ballad delivered in strong, melancholic style. While it is not really the stuff that daytime radio will embrace, the Crows' growing fanbase will embrace it, not least for the previously unreleased live track, 'The Ghost in You'."[4]
Music video
[edit]The music video for "Round Here", directed by British documentarian and film director Mark Neale and executive-produced by Debbie Samuelson,[5] starts with some buildings collapsing and falling down, and it features Adam Duritz singing and walking alone over a railroad tracks. At the same time a man stands in the Dry Lake desert with clocks and watches, a woman walks by the street carrying a sign saying "Nobody Move and Nobody Gets Hurt", and another woman (the Maria of the lyrics) walks with a suitcase by different locations of Los Angeles.
Track listings
[edit]- "Round Here" (LP version) – 5:28
- "Ghost Train" (LP version) – 4:01
- "The Ghost in You" (live) – 3:30
- "Round Here" (LP version) – 5:28
- "Rain King" (live) – 5:12
- "The Ghost in You" (live) – 3:30
Charts
[edit]
Weekly charts[edit]
|
Year-end charts[edit]
|
Certifications
[edit]| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[21] | Gold | 15,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
Release history
[edit]| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | May 23, 1994 |
|
Geffen | [22] |
| United Kingdom | June 20, 1994 |
|
[23] |
In popular culture
[edit]- Lyrics from the song are referenced by band the Gaslight Anthem in their song "High Lonesome" from the album The '59 Sound.
- Dustin Kensrue of the band Thrice has covered the song live.[24]
- Kasey Chambers covered the song on her single "Nothing at All".
- Panic! at the Disco has covered this song live many times.[25]
- David Ford occasionally plays this live.[26]
- Josh Ramsay of the band Marianas Trench (band) has sampled this song live.[27]
- Noah Gundersen released a live cover in 2024, describing it at the start of the recording as, "...the song that made me want to write music."
References
[edit]- ^ "Tyrannosaurus Records". Tyrannosaurusrecords.net. April 12, 2007. Archived from the original on January 21, 2012. Retrieved November 15, 2013.
- ^ Uitti, Jacob (April 29, 2022). "The Top 10 Counting Crows Songs". American Songwriter. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
- ^ Adam, Duritz. "Counting Crows - Round Here (Melkweg Amsterdam 17/10/1999)". YouTube. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ Jones, Alan (June 18, 1994). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 16. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
- ^ "Music Video: Production Notes" (PDF). Billboard. July 2, 1994. p. 35. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
- ^ "Counting Crows Round Here UK CD single (CD5 / 5") (126076)". Eil.com. Retrieved November 15, 2013.
- ^ Round Here (UK cassette single sleeve). Geffen Records. 1994. GFSC 74.
- ^ Round Here (European CD single liner notes). Geffen Records. 1994. GED 21916.
- ^ Round Here (Australian CD single liner notes). Geffen Records. 1994. GEFDM-21916.
- ^ "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 18 Sep 1994". ARIA. Retrieved March 14, 2016.
- ^ "Top RPM Singles: Image 2516". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
- ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (13.–19.10 '94)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). October 13, 1994. p. 16. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart on 9/7/1994 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
- ^ "Counting Crows Chart History (Radio Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
- ^ "Counting Crows Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
- ^ "Counting Crows Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
- ^ "Counting Crows Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
- ^ "RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1994". RPM. Retrieved August 7, 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
- ^ "Árslistinn 1994". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). January 2, 1995. p. 25. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
- ^ "The Year In Music 1994: Hot Modern Rock Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 52. December 24, 1994. p. YE-62. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
- ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Counting Crows – Round Here". Radioscope. Retrieved May 9, 2025. Type Round Here in the "Search:" field and press Enter.
- ^ "New Release Summary – Product Available from : 23/05/94: Singles". The ARIA Report. No. 223. May 22, 1994. p. 20.
- ^ "Single Releases". Music Week. June 18, 1994. p. 25.
- ^ "dustin kensrue round here (lyrics in description)". YouTube. July 22, 2011. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2013.
- ^ "Panic! at the disco: Round Here". YouTube. August 29, 2007. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2013.
- ^ "David Ford - Round Here (Counting Crows cover)". YouTube. December 22, 2007. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2013.
- ^ "Good to You - Marianas Trench Live @ The CNE". YouTube. September 1, 2011. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2013.
Round Here
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Origins and writing
"Round Here" originated in 1990 as a collaboration among members of the San Francisco band The Himalayans, with lyrics written by frontman Adam Duritz and music composed by guitarist Dan Jewett, bassist Dave Janusko, and drummer Chris Roldan. The song emerged during an experimental phase for the group, which Duritz had joined while studying at the University of California. An early demo version was recorded that year in a South of Market (SOMA) practice studio in San Francisco, capturing the track's raw, jammy essence that would later define its evolution.[2][8] Following The Himalayans' breakup in 1991, Duritz repurposed the song for his new project, Counting Crows, which he formed with guitarist David Bryson. He refined the lyrics significantly from the original demo, incorporating more introspective elements drawn from his life, while the music received additional contributions from Bryson and other band members. This adaptation transformed "Round Here" into a cornerstone of Counting Crows' debut album, August and Everything After (1993), with final credits listing Duritz, Jewett, Janusko, Roldan, Bryson, drummer Steve Bowman, keyboardist Charlie Gillingham, and bassist Matt Malley.[2][9] Duritz's lyrical contributions were inspired by his personal experiences of disillusionment in the Bay Area, particularly growing up in Berkeley, where he observed artistically gifted friends abandoning their dreams for mundane jobs and conventional lives. This sense of hometown alienation and broken promises from youth permeates the song, reflecting broader themes of emotional isolation and unfulfilled potential rooted in his early adulthood.[2][8]Recording and production
"Round Here" was recorded in 1993 as part of the sessions for Counting Crows' debut album August and Everything After, primarily in the living room of a rented house on a hill in Los Angeles, with overdubs handled at Kiva West Recording Studios, Conway Recording Studios, Village Recorders, and Sunset Sound, all in Los Angeles, California.[10] The mixing took place at Ocean Way Recording Studios in Hollywood.[10] These sessions, spanning February to June 1993, marked the band's first major studio effort following the song's origins in Adam Duritz's previous group, The Himalayans.[11] The track was produced by T-Bone Burnett, whose approach drew from his background in folk-roots rock to emphasize an acoustic, organic sound that highlighted the band's chemistry.[12] Burnett encouraged the group to perform live in the studio environment of the house to preserve a raw, intimate feel, aligning with Duritz's preference for minimal overdubs that retained the energy of their live rehearsals.[13] The core recording lineup consisted of Adam Duritz on vocals, David Bryson on guitar, Charlie Gillingham on keyboards, Steve Bowman on drums, and Matt Malley on bass.[10] The final version extends to 5:32, expanding from an earlier jam-like structure through improvised vocal and instrumental builds that Duritz developed during the sessions, creating a dynamic progression from quiet introspection to intense crescendo.[11] Compared to the early demo recorded with The Himalayans, the album rendition features a slower tempo, greater length, and enhanced atmospheric elements such as subtle reverb, transforming the original's more straightforward rock arrangement into a brooding, expansive piece.[11]Composition and lyrics
Musical structure
"Round Here" is composed in the key of G major and maintains a tempo of approximately 94 beats per minute (BPM), contributing to its deliberate, introspective pace. The song employs a verse-chorus form, beginning with a sparse acoustic guitar introduction that gradually builds intensity through layered instrumentation toward a climactic rock section in the chorus and outro.[14] This structure includes a bridge around the 2:42 mark, featuring piano accents and subtle string elements that heighten the emotional tension before resolving into the extended outro.[15] The primary instrumentation centers on acoustic and electric guitars played by David Bryson, providing the foundational rhythm and melodic lines, complemented by Charlie Gillingham's Hammond organ for atmospheric depth.[16] Bass duties are handled by Matt Malley, with Steve Bowman on drums establishing a steady, understated groove, with subtle orchestral swells, particularly in the bridge and outro, enhancing the song's dynamic range.[16] The arrangement emphasizes acoustic elements, a hallmark of producer T Bone Burnett's approach to capturing the band's raw, organic sound.[16] Stylistically, "Round Here" blends alternative rock with folk and roots influences, evoking the moody, ballad-like hybrids of 1990s acts such as R.E.M., through its introspective tone and narrative-driven progression.[17] The verse progression, notably IV-V-vi-I (C-D-Em-G in G major), underscores its emotional resonance and accessibility within the genre.[18] In live performances, the song often features variations from the album version, including extended jams and Adam Duritz's ad-libbed vocal improvisations in the outro, which can stretch the track to over ten minutes, as heard in recordings like the 2013 Echoes of the Outlaw Roadshow.[2]Themes and interpretation
"Round Here" explores themes of disillusionment, identity crisis, and the oppressive weight of familiarity in one's hometown, drawing heavily from the San Francisco Bay Area's foggy, introspective atmosphere where frontman Adam Duritz spent formative years feeling directionless.[19] The song portrays a protagonist grappling with emotional detachment and unfulfilled expectations, where everyday routines in a familiar yet stifling environment amplify inner turmoil, evoking the Bay Area's blend of urban promise and personal isolation, such as references to fog-shrouded streets and aimless wandering near Berkeley.[19] Central to the song's lyrical depth is its progression from quiet numbness to raw outburst, symbolizing a breakdown of suppressed emotions. The opening line, "Step out the front door like a ghost into the fog," represents emotional numbness and a fading sense of self, as the protagonist moves through a world that renders him invisible and insubstantial.[2] This builds to an explosive frustration in the outro, where repeated cries of "I want to get out of here" erupt amid an acoustic swell, capturing the crescendo of pent-up despair and the urge to escape one's stagnant reality.[2] Duritz has provided personal insights into the song's meaning, particularly during the 1997 VH1 Storytellers performance, where he described it as stemming from individual struggles with self-worth and broken promises from childhood—assurances that hard work and normalcy would lead to fulfillment, only to result in emptiness and disconnection.[2] In a broader context, as shared in live settings like the 1999 Amsterdam concert, Duritz framed the narrative as a commentary on the failure of the American dream, where societal ideals of success dissolve into personal alienation and unachieved potential.[19] The lyrics evolved significantly from their origins as a demo recorded with Duritz's pre-Counting Crows band, The Himalayans, where the song emerged spontaneously during rehearsal as a shorter, more fragmented piece.[20] For the final version on August and Everything After, additional verses were incorporated, emphasizing themes of isolation, such as the protagonist's encounters with a weary woman seeking escape and his own futile attempts at connection, heightening the sense of entrapment in routine.[20] Underlying these elements are psychological undertones influenced by Duritz's experiences with dissociative disorder, which he has discussed as creating a pervasive sense of unreality and difficulty connecting with the world—mirroring the song's ghostly detachment without being overtly autobiographical.[21] Duritz has noted that songwriting serves as a coping mechanism for such "craziness" in his life, infusing "Round Here" with an authentic portrayal of fragmented identity and emotional dissociation.[19]Release
Single formats
"Round Here" was released on May 23, 1994, by Geffen Records as the second single from the band's debut album, August and Everything After. The single was issued in several formats, including CD, 7-inch vinyl, and cassette, with variations in track listings across regions.[22] The UK CD single featured the album version of "Round Here," "Ghost Train" (LP version), and "The Ghost In You" (live). The European CD single included "Round Here" (LP version), "Rain King" (live), and "The Ghost In You" (live). In Australia, the CD edition included "Round Here" (LP version), "Rain King" (live), and "The Ghost In You" (live).[3][23][24] In the US, the single was released only as a promotional CD featuring the radio edit (5:17) and LP version (5:28).[9] The 7-inch vinyl and cassette formats were more limited, typically containing the LP version of "Round Here" on the A-side and "Ghost Train" (LP version) on the B-side. A promotional radio edit of the title track was prepared, shortened to 5:17 for airplay, though it was not included on commercial releases.[22] Packaging for the single consistently tied into the album's aesthetic, with cover art showcasing a black-and-white photograph of the band members, often in a candid group pose, and minimalistic design elements referencing the August and Everything After artwork. No major remixes of "Round Here" were issued as part of the single releases.[24]| Format | Region | Track Listing |
|---|---|---|
| CD Single | UK | 1. "Round Here" (LP Version) – 5:28 2. "Ghost Train" (LP Version) – 4:01 3. "The Ghost In You" (Live) – 3:30 |
| CD Single | Europe | 1. "Round Here" (LP Version) – 5:28 2. "Rain King" (Live) – 5:12 3. "The Ghost In You" (Live) – 3:30 |
| CD Single | Australia | 1. "Round Here" (LP Version) – 5:28 2. "Rain King" (Live) – 5:12 3. "The Ghost In You" (Live) – 3:30 |
| CD Single (Promo) | US | 1. "Round Here" (Edit) – 5:17 2. "Round Here" (LP Version) – 5:28 |
| 7-inch Vinyl | UK | A. "Round Here" (LP Version) B. "Ghost Train" (LP Version) |
| Cassette Single | UK/Europe | Side A: "Round Here" (LP Version) Side B: "Ghost Train" (LP Version) |
Promotion and music video
The promotion of "Round Here" as the second single from Counting Crows' debut album August and Everything After focused on building momentum through radio airplay and high-profile live television appearances in early 1994. The track received significant push on US alternative and rock radio stations, appearing on the Rock Airplay chart and contributing to the album's rising visibility after its initial September 1993 release.[25] The band performed the song on Saturday Night Live on January 15, 1994, marking their network television debut and accelerating the single's buzz among alternative rock audiences.[26] This was followed by a rendition on the Late Show with David Letterman on March 31, 1994, further amplifying exposure during the band's ongoing US tour in support of the album.[27] An additional MTV performance on Most Wanted in 1994 tied into the network's alternative programming, helping to bridge radio success with visual media.[28] The official music video for "Round Here," directed by Mark Neale and produced by Debbie Samuelson, was released in 1994 and captured the band's raw, indie aesthetic.[29] Filmed with a focus on atmospheric visuals, it intercuts scenes of frontman Adam Duritz wandering along abandoned railroad tracks and desolate landscapes with surreal elements like crumbling buildings, a solitary man in the desert, and a woman navigating an urban environment.[30] The band appears performing in an industrial warehouse setting, emphasizing the song's introspective mood. The video's imagery symbolically echoes the lyrical themes of isolation and emotional unraveling explored in the track.[2] Aired heavily on MTV, the video earned a spot in the network's Top 100 Videos of 1994, boosting the single's rotation and contributing to Counting Crows' breakthrough in the alternative rock scene.[31] Later promotional efforts included a live performance on VH1's Storytellers series on August 12, 1997, where the band delivered an extended rendition highlighting the song's improvisational live energy.[32] The track also featured on the 1998 live compilation Across a Wire: Live in New York, compiling 1993–1994 tour recordings and extending its promotional lifecycle.[33]Commercial performance
Chart positions
"Round Here" achieved moderate commercial success on various international charts following its release in 1994. In the United States, the song peaked at number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart, where it spent 18 weeks.[34] It performed stronger on rock-oriented formats, reaching number 7 on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart and remaining on the tally for 20 weeks.[35] In Canada, "Round Here" peaked at number 6 on the RPM Top Singles chart.[36] Internationally, the single entered the UK Singles Chart at number 70, charting for 2 weeks.[5] In Australia, it reached number 58 on the ARIA Singles Chart.[37] The song did not achieve notable positions on the New Zealand Singles Chart. It also peaked at number 12 on the Iceland Íslenski Listinn Topp 40.[38] In the US, it reached number 10 on the Pop Airplay chart and number 11 on the Mainstream Rock chart.[39][40]| Chart (1994) | Peak Position | Weeks on Chart |
|---|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 Airplay | 31 | 18 |
| US Billboard Alternative Airplay | 7 | 20 |
| US Billboard Pop Airplay | 10 | - |
| US Billboard Mainstream Rock | 11 | - |
| Canada RPM Top Singles | 6 | - |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 70 | 2 |
| Australia (ARIA) | 58 | - |
| Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40) | 12 | - |
