Counting Blue Cars Explained

"Counting Blue Cars (Tell Me Your Thoughts on God)" is a song by American alternative rock band Dishwalla from their 1995 A&M Records album Pet Your Friends. It is their only hit song, peaking at number 15 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and topping the same magazine's Modern Rock Tracks chart in 1996. It received two ASCAP awards (1997 and 1998) as the most-played song of the year on radio in the United States.

Writing and inspiration

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.^[3] Richards said:

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.

Chart performance

"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.

Track listings and formats

• US CD and cassette single^{[4] [5]}

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

• European CD and UK 7-inch single^{[6] [7]}

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

• US and European maxi-CD single^{[8] [9]}

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^{[10] [11]}

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

• US CD 2^[12]

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^[13]

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

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1996)	Peak position
US Billboard Hot 100[14]	15
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[15]	5
US Mainstream Rock Tracks (Billboard)[16]	2
US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)[17]	1
US Top 40/Mainstream (Billboard)[18]	4
US Triple-A (Billboard)[19]	9

Year-end charts

Chart (1996)	Position
US Billboard Hot 100[20]	28
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[21]	24
US Mainstream Rock Tracks (Billboard)[22]	1
US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)[23]	3
US Top 40/Mainstream (Billboard)[24]	21
US Triple-A (Billboard)[25]	24

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)
United States	February 27, 1996	CD	A&M
	April 9, 1996	Contemporary hit radio		[26]
Japan	December 9, 1996	CD		[27]

Notes and References

1. Ranking: Every Alternative Rock No. 1 Hit from Worst to Best. Cosores. Philip. Consequence of Sound. July 4, 2017. September 19, 2020. 10.
2. Web site: Casalena. Em. 5 Iconic One-Hit Wonders of the ‘90s Alternative Scene. American Songwriter. October 26, 2024. October 28, 2024.
3. The Modern Age. Bambarger. Bradley. Billboard. May 18, 1996.
4. Counting Blue Cars. Dishwalla. 1996. US CD Single liner notes. A&M Records. 31458 1462 2.
5. Counting Blue Cars. Dishwalla. 1996. US Cassette Single liner notes. A&M Records. 31458 1462 4.
6. Counting Blue Cars. Dishwalla. 1996. European CD single liner notes. A&M Records. 581 934-2.
7. Counting Blue Cars. Dishwalla. 1996. UK 7-inch vinyl single liner notes. A&M Records. 581 978-7.
8. Counting Blue Cars. Dishwalla. 1996. US maxi CD single liner notes. A&M Records. 581 935-2.
9. Counting Blue Cars. Dishwalla. 1996. European maxi CD Single liner notes. A&M Records. 581 935-2.
10. Counting Blue Cars (Tell Me All Your Thoughts on God). Dishwalla. 1996. US CD single liner notes. A&M Records. 581 343-2.
11. Counting Blue Cars (Tell Me All Your Thoughts on God). Dishwalla. 1996. German maxi CD Single liner notes. A&M Records. 581 343-2.
12. Counting Blue Cars. Dishwalla. 1996. US CD single liner notes. A&M Records. 31458 1461 2.
13. Counting Blue Cars. Dishwalla. 1996. Japanese EP liner notes. A&M Records. POCM-1195.
14. Billboard Hot 100. Billboard. August 17, 1996. August 27, 2023.
15. Adult Pop Airplay. Billboard. October 26, 1996. subscription. August 27, 2023.
16. Mainstream Rock Airplay. Billboard. June 1, 1996. subscription. August 27, 2023.
17. Alternative Airplay. Billboard. June 29, 1996. August 27, 2023.
18. Pop Airplay. Billboard. September 28, 1996. subscription. August 27, 2023.
19. Adult Alternative Airplay. Billboard. July 13, 1996. subscription. August 27, 2023.
20. Billboard. [{{Google books|sQkEAAAAMBAJ|pg=RA1-PA7|plainurl=yes}} The Year in Music 1996 – Hot 100 Singles]. December 28, 1996. 108. 52. YE-32. 0006-2510. June 3, 2022. Google Books.
21. Billboard. [{{Google books|sQkEAAAAMBAJ|pg=RA1-PA42-IA19|plainurl=yes}} The Year in Music 1996 – Hot Adult Top 40 Singles & Tracks]. December 28, 1996. 108. 52. YE-86. 0006-2510. June 3, 2022. Google Books.
22. Billboard. [{{Google books|sQkEAAAAMBAJ|pg=RA1-PA42-IA9|plainurl=yes}} The Year in Music 1996 – Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks]. December 28, 1996. 108. 52. YE-76. 0006-2510. June 3, 2022. Google Books.
23. Billboard. [{{Google books|sQkEAAAAMBAJ|pg=RA1-PA42-IA11|plainurl=yes}} The Year in Music 1996 – Hot Modern Rock Tracks]. December 28, 1996. 108. 52. YE-78. 0006-2510. June 3, 2022. Google Books.
24. Airplay Monitor Best of '96: Top 40/Mainstream Titles. Airplay Monitor. 4. 53. 30. December 27, 1996.
25. Airplay Monitor Best of '96: Triple A Tracks. Airplay Monitor. 4. 53. 24. December 27, 1996.
26. Selected New Releases. Radio & Records. 1140. 33. April 5, 1996. August 13, 2021.
27. Web site: カウンティング・ブルー・カーズ/ディッシュ・ワラ. Counting Blue Cars/Dishwalla. PolyGram. ja. https://web.archive.org/web/19970301125645/http://www.polygram.co.jp/music/intl/others/pocm1195.html. March 1, 1997. August 27, 2023.