What does "counting crows" mean, other than the name of a band?"

Question

Here is the Wiki def. of the group's name:

[edit] Origin of the name

The band took its name from a divination rhyme about the crow, heard by Duritz in the film Signs of Life.[6] The rhyme is used at the end of the song "A Murder of One" on the album August and Everything After: "Well I dreamt I saw you walking up a hillside in the snow / Casting shadows on the winter sky as you stood there, counting crows / One for sorrow, two for joy / Three for girls and four for boys / Five for silver, six for gold / Seven for a secret never to be told." In the poem, the act of counting crows is particularly useless. Duritz reveals that a name is just a name, and, with that, is useless and can be anything. This recalls a traditional rhyme: "One crow means sorrow, two crows mean joy, three crows a wedding, four crows a boy, five crows mean silver, six crows mean gold, seven crows a secret that's never been told." In the United Kingdom, the rhyme is well known but uses magpies rather than crows. A popular superstition states that if one sees a single magpie, one should greet it to deflect the "sorrow".[7] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counting_Crows#Origin_of_the_name

Tell me about the "epistemology of counting crows."

Answer 1

It is good that you explore the roots of sayings just as your site is a root for knowledge as well.  I liked what the poster in the middle of the page of the first link said so I'll state with what the poster says last. (the second link is about magpies).  The third link suggests in one sentence that the rhyme means "life is as pointless as counting crows." But I would say the epistemology of it suggests the otherwise.

While 'Counting Crows' is an old nursery rhyme, now aimed at young children, it is a wonderful example of how most things never really disappear, and how the past can influence the future.

I found the first link below regarding the English Rhyme, When you scroll down the page on the first link you will read a good post by (idea) chin.lin in the middle of the page who goes into good detail about it.  There are two gists she says and I will post them here.

"While also the name of a band, 'Counting Crows' is the reference name of a nursery rhyme; it is also called a divination rhyme due to the fact that the number of crows seen is a premonition. This counting rhyme is believed to have originated from crow or magpie augry. There are many variations to this rhyme, due to different time periods and geographical locations. The older ones seem to have originated in Europe, and use magpies instead of crows, whereas the newer versions have originated in North America and use crows.

In old Europe, it was believed lucky to see a single magpie, as demonstrated in this nursery rhyme: Magpie, magpie, chatter and flee, Turn up thy tail, and good luck to me.

In addition, though, depending on the number of crows, magpies, or ravens in a murder (flock), something different was supposed to happen in your life or the lives around you."

And later the poster says this.

"Each of these variation have origins from the 1800s and earlier. Silver and gold were still used as monetary units (real silver and gold); God and Satan were absolutes, and superstition abounded concerning the Devil: he would take your daughter, destroy your home, etc.; and being sick could easily mean death.

Granted, these rhymes are non-specific; however, this is what gave them their believability. For instance, if one were to see two crows (two for mirth), and went to the local tavern and heard a joke which made them laugh, then the premonition had come true."

Answer 2

In true anything is meaningless unless you or others will put a meaning on something...You, man, in search of meaning put yourself deep into details...Details cannot give you a meaning for that simple reason that it is too many of them..those which you mentioned and those which you are not..For some people counting crows will be meaningful according to their belief, for some it will be ridiculous and for some just non existent...Name of the band would symbolize meaninglessness of a whole things as well as meaningfulness of whole things...it is neutral unless you adopt meaning of others or put yours on it.And remember if you decide that it is meaningless , know that you put a meaning on it. The best thing is to leave it alone and enjoy a music without analysis or judgment, if it is enjoyable, of course..

Answer 3

I think it's supposed to indicate country type of music. Country people sitting around nothing to do but count the crows, perhaps wondering if too many of them will harm their crops or gardens.

Answer 4

Counting the crows seems like an attempt to uh, pigeon-hole experiences into specific ideas or meanings that are arbitrarily prescribed - sort of analogous to the total ordinary activity of the mind, always converting experiences into facts and knowledge for manipulation and utility. The inanity of the "meanings" of different numbers of crows is a comment, I guess, on the emptiness of the meanings our minds are primed to look for and "find out there," and maybe trying to imply that we could perhaps find meaning some other way.

Answer 5

It used to be that people believed certain birds who flew very high could enter and leave 'heaven' or 'the world' after. Therefore people thought that they were closely connected with god or also the devil.

By counting the crows you could see the future and if you only saw one than you should greet it, because one lone crow was meant to be a Satan in duisgise (one crow means sorrow) and when you greet it he will know that you discovered him and leave you alone.

The above orginated out of the believe that crows were connected to the death, because of their dark plumage, unnerving calls, and tendency to eat carrion. Crows are often mentioned in storys and seen in movies and pictues as tearing or picking out peoples eyes and circling above battlfights waiting for people to die.

Because crows are such social animals, meeting only one is very unusual and it indicates that it is in fact not a 'true' crow but satan in duisguise. therefore you should always count the crows.

Answer 6

When you give/provide food for crow it will not eat alone.

It will call other crows by ka ka... ka ka... ka ka... and it will start eating along with other crows.

Single crow will beat the sorrow all other crows by one first gulp.

That is the generosity of the crow!

Answer 7

A flock of crows is called a murder.

Perhaps that is why it was chosen for that particular song.

"all your life, is just a dream dream dream"

Answer 8

The only thing the film's rhyme reminds me of in conjunction with epistemology is Hempel's paradox.  None of the corresponding objects are black... thus, counting them increases one's belief that all crows are black.