Concert - Irving Plaza, New York City on August 31, 2014

Where: Irving Plaza, New York City, New York
When: August 31, 2014
Setlist:

Miami - Slow alternative with Adam explanation

Song: Miami
Where: Manchester Evening News Arena, Manchester, England
When: May 11, 2009

From Adam Duritz from a concert at Manchester, England, May 11, 2009

"I was in love with this girl who was far away. I was on tour. 

She was on the other side of the world 

and I hadn’t seen her in a long time 

and she was coming to see me 

and I was at the airport waiting for her 

and I was so in love

and then all the sudden it was like a chunk of my life just evaporated 

and I couldn't remember myself, her, all that time 

I mean I remembered that it happened 

but it was a like a story somebody told me not anything that I felt anything for her

and I knew that meant that it would be over

I didn't know who she was anymore

and these things and you have everything at once

then you throw it all away

and you can’t keep it all in here 

I don’t understand that, it just happens, to me

This time it happened on a beautiful sunny night on the southeastern tip of America

I threw away something that should have never have thrown away

In a city called Miami"

Miami - If You Knew alternative

Song: Miami
Where: Codfish Hollow Barn
When: July 4, 2012

Miami

Oh Miami. This song is a typical example of how The Counting Crows can take a studio version and perform a completely different versions of it.

Below are two different versions of the Miami in concert. Both have alternative lyrics and both have amazing intro of Adam talking about why he wrote this song.   Enjoy.

Dublin, Ireland, May 8, 2009 Fast Version

Manchester, England, 2009, Slow Version

YouTube Concert - May 2, 2012

Where: YoutTube HQ
When: May 2012
Setlist:

• The Ballad of El Goodo 
• Miami
• Four White Stallions
• Interview
• Q &A

Miami Meaning

Miami is my favorite song off of their album Hard Candy. Adam Duritz has explained the meaning of Miami many times during their live concerts so I transcribed his words below.

Adam  Duritz  from a concert in Manchester on May 11 2009:

"I was in love with this girl who was far away. I was on tour. 

She was on the other side of the world 

and I hadn’t seen her in a long time 

and she was coming to see me 

and I was at the airport waiting for her 

and I was so in love

and then all the sudden it was like a chunk of my life just evaporated 

and I couldn't remember myself, her, all that time 

I mean I remembered that it happened 

but it was a like a story somebody told me not anything that I felt anything for her

and I knew that meant that it would be over

I didn't know who she was anymore

and these things and you have everything at once

then you throw it all away

and you can’t keep it all in here 

I don’t understand that, it just happens, to me

This time it happened on a beautiful sunny night on the southeastern tip of America

I threw away something that should have never have thrown away

In a city called Miami"

It is interesting to note that lyrics mentioned in this song refer to a Amy. Amy is also referred to in other song titled Amy Hit the Atmosphere.

The song to me is a reminiscence of a past relationship. Even the good ones or the bad ones eventually end and you try to hold to what is left. They lyrics disclose that "summer's gone, so are we"
But then I love how the next lyrics states "So come on baby, let's go shut it down In New Orleans"
and asking for one last time or one final moment before letting it go.

Miami Versions

Miami is another example of how the Counting Crows can take a fast upbeat song on an album and in the live version change up the rhythm so that the song has an entirely different meaning and mood.

The original version is off their album Hard Candy. I love the pace of the original song. It somehow manages to weave the beat of the Miami TV show without sounding corny at the start of the song. I also love how the song cumulates with a declaration to "shut down in New Orleans, come on baby!"

Then I heard the alternative version of Miami during their live concerts. It was a great alternative. The beat is mellow and is great in the acoustic version. Although I still favor the album version, the live version is just plain stunning.

The live lyrics are usually similar to the album however the above performance contains these alternative lyrics:

"If you knew everything

If you could see everything before it happens

Then what would you do?

If you knew that the love that you threw away

That meant everything to her

If you knew you could ruin her

then would you do?"