Interpretation:

Jerry - Introduction: Normally we don't throw introductions to the audience on our songs, but this song thoroughly warrants it. After a brief peek at the lyrics both Darryl and I decided we needed to do a public service and make this song make sense, because it sure as hell ain't doing it by itself. So... GENIUSES UNITE!!

Jerry: Alright Darryl, I have a feeling this is going to be a long one. This song is messed up on multiple levels. Grant it, Counting Crows does some strange songs now and then, but when did they start writing like a friggin' Dylan!? So to start, let me point out some of the many things that confuse me before we start breaking it down.

ONE! Why in gods green earth is the song all about a 'holiday in Spain' yet the first part of the song is about going to Mexico?! Are they geographically impaired?

TWO! What kind of sick twisted guy would want to be dressed up in a fuzzy pink and white bunny suit?!

THREE! Why in the Chinese hell would a girl live up in a tree just because she liked to scream at him? Actually, I do suppose that's a reference to a crow (they tend to use them a lot in their songs), but I'm not 100% sure at this point.

I can figure out a handful of this song, but I'd like to at least get your acknowledgment that someone had definitely tainted their bong previous to the writing of this song. So, what do you think?

Darryl: Yeah, this may be the last album we see from Counting Crows because I see a drug OD just around the corner.

Okay, I'll take a shot at this one. In general, the singer is a self-acknowledged, rich, irresponsible, whoring drunk. I believe he has a "girl" he's been seeing in Mexico that he's grown tired of. He's very up front about his own bad behavior toward her. She screams at him because he "drives her up a tree".

The bunny suit is a little harder to explain. My best guess is that he's nurtured his sexual addiction to the point that normal sex doesn't do it for him anymore. I'll let you fill in the blanks.

Jerry: Well, I can guarantee that a normal person wouldn't say "hop on my choo-choo", and I think we all know what he's talking about there. So I'd have to say yes, normal sex isn't cutting it for him. However, that being the case, I sure as hell wouldn't let my kid be around him. Notice all the references to childlike things; Engine Driver, Choo-Choo, Bunny Suit?! Yeah, he's not coming anywhere near my kid... Well, if I had a kid... Now I'm relatively happy I don't!

As for the in the tree, I still have to stick with the symbolism of a crow. If you listen to the rest of their songs they are always bringing up crows one way or another. However, they almost always have to do with women so I'm lead to believe that it is a reference to the god awful squawking sound they make. (Notice I didn't say if I was talking about the women or the crows!)

It appears to me that he realizes he's going in a downward spiral and his holiday in Spain is just a way to get away from it all. You'll notice he mentions that he has slept with all the movie stars (Brad Pitt?!), he's leaving his wings behind (Darryl, for the love of god don't go all Icarus on me.), he's drinking his worries down the drain, and then goes into the improper relations with childish things... Hmmm.. Seems I forgot to throw in a mention of the "big black... cars" Yeah right.. Cars...

But beyond all of his deviant behavior, I want to know who the hell stole his shoes, and why that seems alright because there's bananas and a bottle of booze.

Darryl: Now, Jerry, just because someone tries something other than the missionary position doesn't mean he's abnormal. There's nothing wrong with playing the train game. I certainly wouldn't consider that abnormal. The bunny suit is another story. Maybe "dress me up in pink and white" has another meaning I'm not seeing. As for Brad Pitt, why in the World would you assume the singer is talking about homosexual experiences at all, let alone sex with Brad Pitt!? Freudian slip maybe?

I agree that he realizes that he's in a downward spiral - much like Icarus when the wax on his wings melted - but he's not going to Spain to take a break and recharge his batteries. He's going to Spain because he refuses to deal with real life and wants to indulge his baser desires as long as he possibly can.

The missing shoes, the screaming television, and the bananas remind me of Chicago's "25 or 6 to 4". Basically, the song writer was so far gone by that point that any lyrics made sense. And "shoes" rhymes with "booze", so why not? Of course, you may have been thinking of the bananas when you made your Brad Pitt comment.

Jerry: WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT ICARUS?!!! Look! You've made me flip out again!!! The reason I threw in the Brad Pitt comment was to throw the idea out that movie stars was a non-gendered term and could go both ways, same as the singer might. As for bananas, you should be god damned ashamed of yourself you sick freak! I was thinking about big black... No wait... GOD DAMN IT!!! Go to hell Hitler wanna-be!

So ummm.. Back to the song? I think it's too much of a cop out to say that he just mentioned shoes because it rhymed with booze. Now it's not a cop out to say that this is just him trippin' on some drugs as obviously he could be hearing the television screaming that the radio was on, and perhaps his shoes were there, he just couldn't feel them. He's obviously got the munchies so he's going for the bananas, and why not keep a good buzz going by drinking booze.

I did notice something kind of funny. He makes it sound as if he's trading his girl in for a newer model, but plans to drive the new one insane. He's in the never ending cycle of use it, abuse it, and lose it. Way to go boy!!! He better hope Shania Twain doesn't catch onto what he's saying or she may write a song about him.

But seriously dude, I don't even know who you are anymore... Playin' the train game, going Greek every chance you get. Normally the accusations of gayness are funny, but then again they are normally sent towards the filthy retards that read our site. Do you need some medication or something?! I'm all for having an intervention if need be.

Darryl - Summary: At least we managed to agree that "Holiday in Spain" is a drug induced rambling concerned mostly with boozing and sticking it to women. I'm going to have to give Jerry his medicine now. Let us know if you have any insights into this song - and what chemicals you ingested to discover them.

Counting Crows - Holiday In Spain

Got no place to go
but there's a girl waiting for me down in Mexico
She's got a bottle of tequila, a bottle of gin
And if I bring a little music I can fit right in
We've got airplane rides
We got California drowning out the window side
We've got big black cars
And we've got stories how we slept with all the movie stars
I may take a holiday in Spain
Leave my wings behind me
Drink my worries down the drain
And fly away to somewhere new
Hop on my choo-choo
I'll be your engine driver in a bunny suit
If you dress me up in pink and white
We may be just a little fuzzy 'bout it later tonight
She's my angel
She's a little better than the one that used to be with me
Cause she liked to scream at me
Man, it's a miracle that she's not living up in a tree
I may take a holiday in Spain
Leave my wings behind me
Drive this little girl insane
And fly away to someone new
Everybody's gone
They left the television screaming that the radio's on
Someone stole my shoes
But there's a couple of bananas and a bottle of booze
Oh, well happy new year's baby
We could probably fix it if we clean it up all day
Or we could simply pack our bags
And catch a plane to Barcelona 'cause this city's a drag
I may take a holiday in Spain
Leave my wings behind me
Flush my worries down the drain
And fly away to somewhere new
Take a holiday in Spain
Leave my wings behind me
Drive this little girl insane
Fly away to someone new
Fly away to someone new
Fly away to someone new