Top 10 Poco Songs

Photo: Carl Lender [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)]

Our Top 10 Poco songs look at a soft rock country band from the 1970s founded by former Buffalo Springfield member Richie Furay and Buffalo Springfield session musicians Jim Messina and Rusty Young. The band was formed after the release of Buffalo Springfield’s final album, Last Time Around

. Poco released their first album in 1969, entitled Pickin’ Up The Pieces, which was meant to define a new direction for the former Buffalo Springfield members after the band’s breakup.

The original members of Poco included Richie Furay, Jim Messina, Rusty Young, Randy Meisner , and George Grantham. That lineup lasted only through the recording of the first album, as Randy Meisner left Poco before the album was released. Timothy B. Schmit replaced Meisner in Poco in 1969. Meisner later became a founding member of The Eagles in 1971, and Schmit again replaced Meisner in The Eagles in 1977.

The band Poco has gone through many lineup changes over the years. One of the most dramatic was when founding member Richie Furay left in 1973 to form the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band. After Furay’s departure, Paul Cotton took a lead role in the band. Over the years, many members came and went, including Richie Furay and Jim Messina. However, the one constant member who was with Poco from the beginning until his death in 2021 was Rusty Young.

Throughout its career, Poco released nineteen studio albums, along with numerous compilation albums, live albums, and singles. The band never had a number-one hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Poco’s song “Crazy Love” reached number seventeen on the Hot 100 and number one on the U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary chart in 1979. “Call It Love” reached number eighteen on the Hot 100 in 1989.

Our Top 10 Poco songs list looks at the band’s career, focusing on the years between 1969 and 1989.

# 10 – Keep On Trying – Head Over Heels

“Keep On Tryin’” opens our list of top 10 Poco songs with a perfect blend of country-rock finesse and heartfelt sincerity. Released in 1975 on the Head Over Heels album, the song marks a quintessential moment in Poco’s history. Written by Timothy B. Schmit, who would later gain fame as an Eagles member, “Keep On Tryin’” showcases Schmit’s distinct vocal harmonies and poignant songwriting style, capturing the essence of longing and optimism. The track is a masterclass in the genre fusion Poco championed throughout the 1970s, marrying folk-influenced lyrics with the lush, harmonious soundscapes of California rock.

# 9 – Feudin – Cowboys & Englishmen

“Feudin’,” the fiery instrumental from Poco’s 1982 album Cowboys & Englishmen, stands out as a testament to the band’s musical versatility and the exceptional talent of Rusty Young, its primary composer. Released during a period when the band leaned heavily into covers, “Feudin'” showcased the group’s deep-rooted instrumental prowess and brought them back into the spotlight with a Grammy nomination for Best Country Instrumental Performance. It remains a vivid example of how Poco could command an audience’s attention with their musicianship alone, without lyrics.

# 8 – Bad Weather – From The Inside

This killer track, “Bad Weather,” was released on the Poco album From The Inside. The song is a hauntingly beautiful composition that captures the bittersweet essence of lost love and looming heartache. Written and sung by Paul Cotton, who had recently joined the band as the replacement for founding member Jim Messina, “Bad Weather” marked Cotton’s debut as a songwriter with Poco. His addition to the lineup added a distinct flavor to their sound, blending his smooth vocals and insightful lyricism with the group’s signature country-rock fusion.

Recorded in Memphis and San Francisco and produced by Steve Cropper, legendary guitarist of Booker T. & the M.G.’s, From the Inside represents a period of transition and evolution for Poco.

# 7 – Heart Of The Night – Legend

As we continue our Top 10 Poco songs list we turn to a time period that saw a distinctive change in the sound of the band. The song “Heart of the Night” was a Poco single released on their 1978 album entitled Legend. Written and sung by guitarist Paul Cotton, “Heart of the Night” is a lush, atmospheric ode to New Orleans, a city that clearly captivated Cotton’s imagination. The song emerged as Poco redefined its sound and reached new commercial heights, thanks to the success of Legend, which would become their most commercially successful record to date.

# 6 – Pickin’ Up The Pieces – Pickin’ Up the Pieces

“Pickin’ Up the Pieces,” the title track from Poco’s 1969 debut album Pickin’ Up the Pieces, serves as the perfect introduction to the band’s innovative blend of country and rock, a sound that would go on to define the genre of country rock in the years to follow.

Furay’s lyrics in “Pickin’ Up the Pieces” tell the story of resilience and renewal, themes that resonate not only with the band’s journey but also with the turbulent socio-political climate of the time. Lines like “Well there’s just a little bit of magic in the country music we’re singin’ / So let’s begin” reflect a desire to start anew and to forge something different from the ashes of past experiences, particularly for Furay, who had left Buffalo Springfield to form Poco.

# 5 – Here We Go Again – Crazy Eyes

“Here We Go Again,” from Poco’s Crazy Eyes album, stands as one of the most introspective tracks in the band’s extensive discography. Released in 1973, Crazy Eyes marked a pivotal moment for the group—an album that found deeper favor with dedicated fans even if it didn’t match the commercial heights of their later work, like the 1978 hit Legend. Written by Timothy B. Schmit, “Here We Go Again” captures the album’s reflective, somewhat bittersweet spirit while also serving as a poignant send-off for Richie Furay, one of Poco’s founding members. Furay left the band after the album’s release, later appeared as a guest on Inamorata in 1984, and reunited with Poco’s original lineup for Legacy in 1989.

# 4 – Just For Me And You – From The Inside

“Just for Me and You,” the closing track from Poco’s 1971 album From the Inside, stands as a compelling example of Richie Furay’s skillful songwriting and emotional depth. As the album’s final note, the song captures a sense of reflection and longing that resonates with listeners, making it a standout in the band’s catalog. Recorded in Memphis and San Francisco and produced by Steve Cropper, legendary guitarist of Booker T. & the M.G.’s, the album represents a period of transition and evolution for Poco. The song is steeped in the country-rock fusion the band is celebrated for, yet it also hints at the introspective, contemplative direction that would come to characterize much of their later work.

# 3 – You Better Think Twice – Poco

“You Better Think Twice,” a defining moment in Poco’s early career, comes from their self-titled second album, Poco, released in 1970. Written by Jim Messina, the song stands out as one of the band’s most memorable tracks, effectively capturing the essence of their unique country-rock sound that would later influence countless artists. Recorded at CBS Studios in Hollywood, California, the album marked a turning point for Poco as it set the stage for the group’s future in blending rock with roots music.

# 2 – Call It Love – Legacy

“Call It Love” stands out as a late-era gem in Poco’s discography, capturing a moment of rejuvenation for the band with their 1989 album, Legacy. This track is particularly significant as it marks a reunion of the original members, Richie Furay, Rusty Young, George Grantham, Randy Meisner, and Jim Messina, who had not recorded together as that lineup since Poco’s earliest days. Produced by David Cole, “Call It Love” became a symbol of the band’s return to its roots while also embracing a contemporary rock sound that resonated with late-1980s audiences.

# 1 – Crazy Love

Closing out our top ten list of Poco songs is the timeless “Crazy Love,” a track that has rightfully earned its place at number one. Released on the band’s 1978 album Legend, “Crazy Love” became Poco’s most enduring and commercially successful song. Written by Rusty Young, the track captured fans’ and critics’ hearts with its heartfelt lyrics, soothing melodies, and warm harmonies. The song marked a turning point for the band, helping to secure their legacy in the country-rock genre and bringing them their first Top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.