Counting Crows on Letterman, March 31, 1994

[niceguy999918]

I remember seeing this in high school. Great performance.

[tacoeatingzebra]

This song was playing the first time i took a hit off a joint.

[PhilippMaximilian]

man, i just always come back to 'august and everything after' from time to time....beautiful album!

[outwrite11]

Wow, this was the beginning of something big. I love the band, but still feel a little aggrieved that Adam always sings the songs differently than they recorded the album. August is still my all time favourite album of any artist.

[axelpanic]

3 people have no souls. most likely gingers

[avzeolla]

another example of why 90's music was so amazing! i saw this show live, and went out that night and bought crows album. the date of this performance reminds me that this was a week before curt cobain died. i was a senior in college and remember seeing the news reports.... :( it was only then that i bought nervermind, in utero, and bleach, then incesticide. hooked since. i too wonder what will people be saying about music 14 years from now. perhaps they'll still be talking about the 90's.

[Vertigo2903]

I am so blessed to have grown up with this music

[OSDCrusher]

What a great performance by the Counting Crows

[kornkid22]

adam looks like a teddy bear (no homo)

[mohammad5]

From 3:13 to 3:33 is the moment I fell in love with him (Adam Duritz).

[timwalkermusic]

You don't see live performances on late shows like this anymore.

[LiamBoogar]

It is in absolutely no way related, nor do I think they are comparable groups, but not only was this recorded on my 5th birthday, but this was 5 days before Kurt Cobain's suicide -- I always find it fascinating that there was a time in which so much good music was coming and going.. I wonder what's happening right now that people will be posting about in 17 years time...

[jwphx1962]

I was watching Letterman the very night this came on and I was so impressed with these guys. I soon bought the album and love it. Such a passionate effort from a band that so many others copied. They were a breath of fresh air from the grunge period that had just played itself out by 1994.

[lob287]

@jwphx1962 Well said I agree 

[GogolBordelloLover]

I was 9... but for some reason I would belt out REM and Counting Crow tunes as if I understood all the emotion in the songs. Imagine a 9 year old singing "She's says she's tired of life! SHE MUST BE TIRED OF SOMETHIN!" We all had some 90's angst, no matter how old you were.

[batfang1]

Adam Duritz is incredible. I certainly respect his creativity, but it seems he goes off on melodic tangents, and the rest of the band has a difficult time following his vocals, with his "off-timing" phrases. Anyway, love this band!

[photofake]

Right around this time Counting Crows was on Letterman & sang their song Catapult. That was a SUPER great performance ... I really wish somebody would post that here, I REALLY like to see it again.......

[rocknrollsinger]

@photofake The "catapult" performance was a couple years later. It was good. Adam had a messed up leg from a fall that had happened in a concert a couple days before, so he stood pretty still the whole time til the song kinda took over and he started flailing around as usual. I have it on DVD somewhere.

[photofake]

@rocknrollsinger ... Hey Wow thanks for the reply on my post! I'll send you a more detail message direct to your Youtube account. Thanks again~

[Ru95M]

Is Adam Duritz not the coolest guy ever?

[outwrite11]

First heard the album as a 20yr old English boy, spending time in Death Valley on a huge road trip in 1994. Still my favourite album to this day. Just Epic.

[JonasHaterTillDeath]

greatest song of all time

[Ddsouza]

one of my favourite groups of all time and im pretty sure he's stoned here as well:) nice!

[lucasssss5]

This performance is frighteningly good. So raw yet so polished. Just find it amazing that Ad's sincerity has never wained. Absolute genius

[bharo9]

Himalayans

[pauloabelha]

Does anybody have the comments Letterman made after the performance or maybe there was an interview??

[13mrbill]

PLEASE HELP!! There used to be a video of Counting Crows doing Catapult from Recovering the Satellites posted here and now it's gone. That performance rivaled this one as the most powerful I've ever seen by them. I've been a Letterman watcher since the beginning and I've never heard the audience explode with applause like they did that night. If anyone has a copy. please post it NOW! Thanks.

[DarkShurtugal]

@13mrbill It's posted in dailymotion. I'd never heard about it 'till you mentioned it.

[dybim]

That was incredible.

[wojtek0000]

#2 Best Album of the 1990's, after Nevermind.

[upchilled]

among my friends, my generation, this performance marks one of those, where-were-you-when-JFK-was-sh­ot moments... i'd never heard them before - and i don't really watch much tv - but this was like - whoa! these guys are going places... it was amazing to watch... thanks for posting!

[ibirrell]

he looks SO high.

[ryserious]

white guys with dreads are the coolest

[OperaOfViolence]

MESMERIZING.

[moisesisfat]

they had a brilliant rendition of this song on Howard Stern...a really l acoustic set on his show. I would reccommend that you check it out

[caino428]

@moisesisfat i agree that was amazing

[santamonica317]

@moisesisfat That recording is mind-blowingly fantastic.

[everythingafter]

your loss.

[buckleygeneration]

I actually like them alot better live than not. A lot more intensity. This is nothing compared to how they play live now, though.

[Innocuous1]

I try to learn the guitar parts etc by ear and the lyrics as sung live are let's say inimitable, I love some of Adams tangents and adlibs . They are often profound and insightful, I do like to have the studio record of what is in effect the essence of the song so I can learn it and then make it my own

[mohammad5]

@buckleygeneration

Nothing to how they play live now? I don't think they're that good live anymore, there performances in the mid 90s were the best. The Perfect Blue Buildings performance in Germany is hands down my fav.

[rauschquint]

I remember this when it originally aired. I didnt even know who Counting Crows were, but after hearing them all I could say is Wow! I wasnt sure if it was because they were really that good, or they were just a pleasant relief from the 20+ minute Madonna interview that preceded it. So I go out the next day and buy the Counting Crows CD, and unlike many CDs that have one or two good tracks and the rest duds, the entire CD was excellent.

Thanks for posting this.

[everythingafter]

I hope it sounded better on TV. The online version, you can barely hear Adam in parts. The instruments are too loud. It was probably better mixed for TV.

[smeagle17]

thank you so much for posting this. I have been trying to locate this performance for years.

I saw this live on tv and it was the best performance i have ever scene on television, so good in fact, they were invited to come back again the following night.

[ToxicRainTalks]

If u listen to the lyrics and u understand it, it's very inspirational. everytime I hear it I cry it's such a beautiful song! If I hadn't heard this I don't know what my taste in music would be like. This is my most favorite song in the world! But counting crows other songs are amazing too! That's my fav album! ;)

[ckad79]

First album I ever bought also, and it forever changed my taste in music. Remember staying up so late to watch this episode and wishing Madonna would shut up. haha

[rchamier]

first CD I ever bought :)

[Gamemaster520]

i love adam duritz, in a gay way

[orangebiggie50]

Though I agree that the "Across a Wire" version is better, this is still pretty sick. Takes you back to where it all started.

Adam Duritz is one of the most depressed people on the planet, which blows my mind given how well it seems he emotionally unloads when he performs, but his genius sadly lies in his inability to escape his demons.

The Counting Crows are one of the greatest bands ever. Sickness.

[Gamemaster520tj]

best "round here" ever

[gotpancakes]

agh i gatta disagree. they have changed the sound drasticly recently and its sounds freakishly amazing.. get ahold of the Around the Wire Live version..its great

[Gamemaster520tj]

i actually just bought it today, thnx for the notice though

[shiranuiX]

woww!!!

[semisweetyum]

Thanks for uploading.

 What a powerful performance!!

[annajoo]

you really haven't heard the crows until you've heard them live. this video is incredible, thanks for uploading it.

[buzzbros2002]

Thanks for the upload. quite speechless...

[johnnykalalua]

thanks for uploading this great video.

[KissMySilhouette]

Listening to them again, reminds me of my freshman year in college. My best friend and I were really into them six years ago.

[atouchovrrrated]

Wow. That's better than any other performance I've seen. I actually saw them the other night and I think it was the worst show I've ever been to. Fifteen years is a long time but this shit is soo good. When it was all still fresh, and they still remembered what it felt like.

[vi11ageidiot]

Madonna was a stupid whore, they were worth waiting through her antics to see that night!

[Yazzyd305]

lol! ur right!

[Valor85]

Great American Band!

[raizerchi]

"if don't a copy of this, there's something wrong with you". yes sir David Letterman you are absolutely right. ^^ i love the crows so much. ^^ amazing performance too. ^^

[dannynuwave]

Freakin Brilliant! awesome performance. classic at best.

[tommyfly]

Wow, what energy. i love that Adam Duritz sings differently live than on the album.

[aperfectbk]

he has really packed on some pounds

[qazxswshoes]

great song but he sung it like shit in this video

bad

[1foofighter606]

What happened to the amazing video with the good audio and this video!! Now i sinc the audio to the video so its like the same thing

[BigFootAlan]

I combined the two then re-uploaded it on my channel.

[Bandon1408]

cannot wait to see them in Dublin in a few weeks!! Amazing band!!!

[martingrebing]

I friggin HATE Counting Crows but I remember seeing this back in '94 on Letterman and it gave me chills. Still does. Definitely their defining moment as a band.

[clemep]

@martin: why do you HATE them then? honestly, if they gave you and so many other people something...then why hate them? i'm not a big fan, but i don't HATE them...

[1foofighter606]

WOW!! that is amazing!! i used to love the video with this video and the other ones audio!! but youtube removed it i think so i got the video with the audio up and played it with this video and it was spectacular

[done1693]

yes: then & now

[hittafarmor]

Who would have known that the best live preformans I have ever seen, would be on letterman, a normal day in 1994, when a wunderfull band made thier best gigg ever, bring back the rock in you guys. Do more drugs ore something, this isthe best I have seen. But I guess their getting a bitt old now, still love them do. Peace Adam you do make the world a better place

[raizerchi]

this is why i breath and read Adam's lyrics.

very moving and just so powerful.

a very awesome performance..

[s1monz]

such emotion... absolutely immense

[rchamier]

amazing - remember getting the album when I was 10.. my first ever CD! :D

[creid815]

Jesus... Intense. Beautiful. Genius. Perfect... I can't say enough good things.

[kralpage]

WOW!!! The passion in this song and in his voice is remarkable. I never get tired of this song, Ever. I also love how the band is all getting into it. You can tell they love what they are doin'...Great song.

[Brighteyedsammy]

seriously thank you soo much for posting :) one of the best performances from..anyone

[PornorifficGirl]

Another amazing performance...I love them.

[thomboba]

WOW! This reminds me of why i love this band! Amazing to go up on Letterman and do alternative lyrics for a song that wasnt a single! And doing it like that... just WOW

[superrgras]

He sings with his body.

I love it.

:)

[pgup713]

man i was two months old!!! i love them, this is a great classic performance!!!!!!!!!!

[Thes3yes1]

this is just amazing.

[ambassadorinchainz]

AMAZING ...don't you think rachel??

[ender26]

Wow! This version reminds me just how much I love this band. Adam Duritz's vocals bleed from the speakers...thanks for posting.

[ultradian7]

Groundbreaking and brilliant. One of my favorite bands and a great version.

[classof80extant]

Thank you byte!

Thanks to qjuice for the Story!

[93LEAFSFAN93]

What a great album

[qjuice14]

Brilliant introduction to the big stage. Great backstory too, where madona's interview had gone way over time and they weren't sure if they were going to get bumped, and all the while, during the interview, they received a call telling them they were going to get the cover of rollingstone.

[TayZonday]

Back when the late night shows would actually show a full performnace. Now a musician is lucky to get two minutes and thirty seconds.

[fetchmybeer]

Great dynamics and performance...Wish the sound quality wasn't distorted though.

[JamesHughBrown]

You do NOT realize how long I've been looking for this video! This was the performance that turned me into a fan. Thank You! Thank You!

[elorawhoo]

It's funny to hear them referred to as "new".

I was only like two when they did this, but it's the best! I love it!

[theleroy28]

hey ya me 2

[elorawhoo]

I love when he goes "Shut up" lol

[lastgunslinger]

Letterman's got great music taste. He loves the Crows and Ryan Adams

[dougscot]

Tremendous post. Thanks so much

[sleepwhenimdead]

That bridge is awesome..out of the lightning

[Ronnie6657]

nice!

[123mlynn170]

who's the angel? I have been waiting to see this for FOURTEEN years, thank you, thank you, thank you!

[Woodythefrenchy]

THANK YOU !