"Call It Love" by Poco

Song#:  4010

Date:  08/26/1989

Debut:  94

Peak:  18

Weeks:  16

Genre:  Country Rock

Pop Bits:  After a pair of lackluster albums for Atlantic Records in the early-80s that could only spawn the #50Pop/#10 AC single "Shoot for the Moon," the band was without a label and floundering. They would perform sporadic shows, but it seems for the most part that the band's charting days were over. Then they got a boost from a newly minted star. Richard Marx was a fan of the band and his manager decided to take on Poco and plot a return. The iteration of Poco that would reform would be the original five members who first formed the band in 1968. This included Richue Furay (Buffalo Springfield), Jim Messina (Loggins & Messina), Randy Meisner (Eagles), long-standing member Rusty Young, and George Grantham. The reunited band would get a deal with RCA Records and record the album Legacy. This first single would be issued out and it became a surprise hit getting to #2 AC and #3 Rock while becoming the band's second biggest Pop hit following 1979's #17 "Crazy Love." The hit and the attention surrounding the reunited band helped the album get to #40. It would end up becoming the second gold selling album of their career.

ReduxReview:  The late 80s certainly wasn't the time for country rock on the Pop chart. Yet a strong enough song that got enough promotion (and boost from a star) would have a chance to break through and Poco was fortunate enough to have those ingredients at the time. With its bright, jangly guitar lick and arena rock power chords, the tune was a refreshing Eagle-ish change of pace on the radio. It nearly became the band's biggest hit on the Pop chart. Folks certainly welcomed the Poco reunion, but like many it would be short-lived.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  In 1973 after five influential, yet modest selling albums that featured no major hits, Poco founding member guitarist Richie Foray would leave the band. His next venture would be to form a band with former Byrds member Chris Hillman and singer/songwriter J.D. Souther. The Souther-Hillman_Furay Band's self-titled 1974 album would prove to be more successful than any of Poco's Furay-era LPs. It would reach #11 and go gold on the strength of the #27 Pop entry "Fallin' in Love." Unfortunately the band's next album was less successful and they split. Foray would start his own band and record an album and then push out a couple of solo efforts. He would score his one and only solo hit on the Pop chart in 1979 with the #39 "I Still Have Dreams." While in the S-H-F Band, Furay would be introduced to Christianity and some of his albums after that had Christian overtones. After recording a contemporary Christian album in '82, Foray would leave the music biz for the ministry and become a pastor at a church in Colorado. The reunion album with Poco would lure him back to performing and recording music.

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