10 Best Poco Band Songs of All Time

Poco was a rock country band whose fans agree remained underrated for the entire span of its existence. Maybe it was the constant change in the lineup, or the competition was high from rivals like Eagles. Whatever the reason, the band continued releasing songs, but only a few were successful. Still, that is not to say that Poco band’s songs were poorly written. On the contrary, they released melodic tunes that are still a favorite among rock-country fans. Here are a few of their best songs if you have never had a chance to sample the band’s music.

10. Magnolia

Poco covered the song “Magnolia” by J.J. Cale, a musician whose songwriting skills were the envy of many. When Eric Clapton was asked which musician he admired most, he did not hesitate to mention Cale. So, it is no wonder that besides “Magnolia” Cale’s other songs were also covered by other singers. In this song, Magnolia refers to the name of the love interest who Cale remarks is driving him mad especially since they are far apart.

9. You Better Think Twice

According to Medium, Jim Messina wrote “You Better Think Twice” when he teamed up with Buffalo Springfield and Richie Furay to form Poco. The song became his signature tune and even though Messina left the band in 1970 to focus on being a record producer, this song remained one of Poco’s favorites. Therefore, it is not a surprise that when the band released its 22nd studio album “Keeping the Legend Alive” in 2004, “You Better Think Twice” made its way to the tracklist as the ninth song.

8. Indian Summer

There is something about seasons and the solar system that inspires musicians to create unforgettable lyrics. Don Williams sang about a yellow moon, Westlife said their love was written in the stars, while Boyz II Men talked about the four seasons. Poco was inspired by one specific season – summer – which brought a promise of love that would never grow cold. They also compared love to a full moon so strong that it hypnotized them.

7. Bad Weather

In 1971, Poco put out their third album “From the Inside,” the first of which Cotton appeared. According to Chicago Reader, Cotton disclosed that he helped the band to strike a balance between rock and country music. Among the songs in the “From the Inside” album is “Bad Weather.” When Poco performed at a Whiskey club in Los Angeles, one of the people in the audience was Jimi Hendrix. Hendrix was so taken in by the performance that he could not help but pull Cotton aside to congratulate him. Hendrix was mesmerized and advised Cotton to never stop writing such beautiful songs.

6. A Good Feelin’ to Know

In 1972, Poco released their fourth studio album, “A Good Feelin’ to Know,” and the 7th track shared the title. Although it was their fourth attempt at having their names cemented in the Hall of Fame, their efforts were not well rewarded. It is not that they lacked talent since even the lyrics were well thought-out, but perhaps they were just unlucky. The song is still quite popular among Poco band fans, but the commercial failure of the album got Furay one foot out of the door.

5. Just for Me and You

If you have ever been madly in love, then this is a song you can relate to on a personal level. Poco sings about not needing any other love because the heart of the person in the narrative is clinging to one woman. Although they are far apart, his heart keeps on singing this beautiful song to keep the love burning. Furay is credited for composing the song which was included in the “From the Inside (Expanded Edition)” album.

4. Crazy Love

For a song that took only thirty minutes to write, “Crazy Love” is a massive success. Young was in his house one day when the chorus came to him, so he took his guitar and wrote the song. He referred to it as a gift, and indeed it was, seeing that it was the first of Poco’s songs to ever reach the Top 40. The song that reminisces about love lost and the inability to move on helped Rusty Young attain confidence in his songwriting abilities since before the band took a break, he was only the instrumentalist.

3. Rose of Cimarron

Young wrote “Rose of Cimarron” in the early 1970s, having been inspired by a brochure that read “Visit the home of Rose of Cimarron.” To the creative mind, the words sounded like lyrics worth paying attention to so he penned a song revolving around them. Despite the song being over four decades old, Young still remade it for his 2017 debut solo album. He added some lyrics so that he could include a woman, Chelsea Williams, in the new version.

2. Call It Love

Young believed that the “Legacy” album was one of the most overlooked records they ever released. He explained to Riveting Riffs that it was such a special album seeing that after the original members had gone different ways, they still reunited to record this album. One of the songs Young was so proud of is “Call It Love” because every member got to be heard. Young said that the record was historic, and it is no wonder it went gold.

1. Heart of the Night

According to The New York Times, when Poco went on a hiatus, Cotton and Young still carried the band’s torch. They recorded songs as the Cotton-Young band but still credited them as Poco’s. One of the songs that Cotton wrote during this break was “Heart of the Night,” which became an international hit.

You can also read:

• Rock Tails: Charlie Daniels Jams with Dylan and Harrison
• Ranking the 20 Best Neil Diamond Albums of All-Time
• The 10 Best Swae Lee Songs of All Time
• The 10 Best Sam Cooke Songs of All-Time
• The 10 Best Kay Flock Songs of All-Time