Counting Blue Cars

Dishwalla lead singer J. R. Richards wrote 'Counting Blue Cars' "rather quickly", telling the "story of a young boy's spiritual journey". He said the lyrics are about a conversation with the child within himself, but was inspired by an actual chat with his 10-year-old neighbor.{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uA0EAAAAMBAJ&q=counting+blue+cars&pg=RA1-PA77|title=The Modern Age|last=Bambarger|first=Bradley|magazine=Billboard|date=May 18, 1996}} Richards said:

{{quote|From that younger perspective, I think we take things in a much more honest way because we are not being biased by how we're supposed to all think the same. So this idea of God, being an omnipotent being, could be a male or female. We always refer to God as a male, so why not make it a female?

I started creating imagery to describe this journey, trying to think about what it was like to be a kid and the things that you would do. It quickly came together—I didn't think too much about it. But it did end up being one of the songs that really affected people both positively and negatively. I never thought I'd ever have a song I'd get death threats for writing.{{cite web|url=https://www.songfacts.com/blog/interviews/dishwalla-founding-frontman-jr-richards|title=Dishwalla Founding Frontman JR Richards : Songwriter Interviews |last=Wiser |first=Carl |website=Songfacts|date=June 12, 2018 |access-date=December 19, 2018}}}}

As quoted, Richards received death threats after the single's release from listeners who were upset about God's depiction as a female in the song.

"Counting Blue Cars" was highly popular on the radio, peaking at number four on pop airplay and number five on Hot AC airplay in 1996. It became a number-one Modern Rock Track for one week in June 1996 and a number two Mainstream Rock Track. It peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and showed longevity by remaining on the chart for nearly a year at 48 weeks. In March 2022, the song received a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for digital sales and streams of over 500,000 units.

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• US CD and cassette single{{cite AV media notes|title=Counting Blue Cars|others=Dishwalla|year=1996|type=US CD Single liner notes|publisher=A&M Records|id=31458 1462 2}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Counting Blue Cars|others=Dishwalla|year=1996|type=US Cassette Single liner notes|publisher=A&M Records|id=31458 1462 4}}

1. "Counting Blue Cars" (LP version) – 4:51
2. "The Other Side of the World" – 3:46

• European CD and UK 7-inch single{{cite AV media notes|title=Counting Blue Cars|others=Dishwalla|year=1996|type=European CD single liner notes|publisher=A&M Records|id=581 934-2}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Counting Blue Cars|others=Dishwalla|year=1996|type=UK 7-inch vinyl single liner notes|publisher=A&M Records|id=581 978-7}}

1. "Counting Blue Cars" (edit) – 4:20
2. "Counting Blue Cars" (acoustic live edit) – 4:32

• US and European maxi-CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Counting Blue Cars|others=Dishwalla|year=1996|type=US maxi CD single liner notes|publisher=A&M Records|id=581 935-2}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Counting Blue Cars|others=Dishwalla|year=1996|type=European maxi CD Single liner notes|publisher=A&M Records|id=581 935-2}}

1. "Counting Blue Cars" (edit) – 4:20
2. "Until I Wake Up" – 4:42
3. "Counting Blue Cars" (acoustic live edit) – 4:32
4. "Date with Sarah" (instrumental) – 3:51

• US CD 1 and German maxi-CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Counting Blue Cars (Tell Me All Your Thoughts on God)|others=Dishwalla|year=1996|type=US CD single liner notes|publisher=A&M Records|id=581 343-2}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Counting Blue Cars (Tell Me All Your Thoughts on God)|others=Dishwalla|year=1996|type=German maxi CD Single liner notes|publisher=A&M Records|id=581 343-2}}

1. "Counting Blue Cars (Tell Me All Your Thoughts on God)" (edit) – 4:20
2. "Until I Wake Up" – 4:42
3. "Sarah Without Sarah" (acoustic) – 3:51
4. "Counting Blue Cars (Tell Me All Your Thoughts on God)" (LP version) – 4:51

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• US CD 2{{cite AV media notes|title=Counting Blue Cars|others=Dishwalla|year=1996|type=US CD single liner notes|publisher=A&M Records|id=31458 1461 2}}

1. "Counting Blue Cars" (LP version) – 4:51
2. "The Other Side of the World" – 3:46
3. "Counting Blue Cars" (acoustic) – 5:39
4. "Until I Wake Up" – 4:42

• Japanese EP{{cite AV media notes|title=Counting Blue Cars|others=Dishwalla|year=1996|type=Japanese EP liner notes|publisher=A&M Records|id=POCM-1195}}

1. "Counting Blue Cars" – 4:20
2. "Until I Wake Up" – 4:42
3. "It's Going to Take Some Time" – 4:42
4. "Date with Sarah" – 3:51
5. "Charlie Brown's Parents" – 4:51
6. "The Other Side of the World" – 3:51
7. "The Feeder" – 4:51
8. "Counting Blue Cars" (acoustic) – 4:20

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{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|artist=Dishwalla|title=Counting Blue Cars|award=Gold|relyear=1996|certyear=2022|access-date=March 11, 2022|refname="riaa"}}

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{{Reflist}}

• {{YouTube|Clxtg2pFTQM|Official video}}

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{{Billboard Music Award for Top Rock Song|state=collapsed}}

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Category:1995 songs

Category:1996 singles

Category:Dishwalla songs

Category:A&M Records singles