"1492" is the first song on Counting Crows

Counting Crows

Counting Crows is an American rock band originating from Berkeley, California. Formed in 1991, the group gained popularity following the release of its debut album in 1993, August and Everything After, which featured the hit single "Mr. Jones"...

' 2008 album Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings

Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings

Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings is the fifth studio album by Counting Crows, released in the United States on March 25, 2008. It is thematically divided into two sides: the rock music of Saturday Nights and the more country-influenced Sunday Mornings. Vocalist and lyricist Adam Duritz states that...

. Adam Duritz

Adam Duritz

Adam Fredric Duritz is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, and film producer. He is best known for his role as frontman and vocalist for the rock band Counting Crows, in which he is a founding member and principal composer of their catalogue of songs.Duritz has recorded solo...

 announced in a voicemail message to his fans on January 12, 2008, that this song would be released as part of a digital 45 release to precede the release of Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings, with "When I Dream of Michelangelo" to be featured as its B-side. It is, however, not the lead commercial single, as "You Can't Count on Me

You Can't Count on Me

"You Can't Count on Me" is the second single and lead commercial single released by Counting Crows from their album Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings.-Critical reception:...

" was released as the lead airplay/video single on February 4, 2008.

The song was originally slated for inclusion on the album, Hard Candy, but was not included due to Adam Duritz's dissatisfaction with the quality of the recordings made at that time.

The digital single was made available for download on their official website on January 16, 2008.