Chapter 9- Head Over Heels

Chapter 9- Head Over Heels

Head Over Heels

Label –ABC

Recorded –

Released – July 1975

Length- 36:26

Personnel-

Paul Cotton- Guitar, vocals

Rusty Young- Steel guitar, guitar, vocals

Timothy B. Schmit- Bass guitar, vocals

George Grantham- Drums, vocals

Donald Fagen- Synthesizer

Victor Feldman- Percussion

Steve Forman- Percussion

Al Garth- Violin

Mark Henry Harman-Keyboards, piano, cello

Jimmie Haskell- Strings

Milt Holland- Percussion

Garth Hudson- Keyboards

Michael Von Verdick- Vocals

Producer- Poco, Mark Henry Harmon

Recording Engineer- Mark Henry Harman

Head Over Heels is the eighth studio album by Poco. It was also their first on ABC Records. Poco bailed on Epic with one album left in their original contract which would be problematic at a later date. “Keep On Tryin’” marked the first time that a Timothy B. Schmit composition would lead off a recording by Poco. The album also contains two other unique recordings. The first is Rusty Young performing his first lead vocal on the track “Us” and the second is a cover of a track from the very first Steely Dan album. The composition “Dallas” was overlooked by many as very “unDan” like and Poco takes on the song with some assistance from a member of Steely Dan.

Sounding more, at times, like “pop” than country, the album gets good reviews which might be due to the fact that the songs are much shorter than on previous recordings. The album also features 11 songs which is about two more than most Poco offerings.

Epic records decided to retaliate for Poco’s departure by releasing “The Very Best of Poco” (also known as the “sequined shirt album” as there were many “Very Best of…” albums from companies representing their Poco catalogues). The release helped cloud the issue of any success for Head Over Heels despite the solid offerings of “Keep on Tryin’”, “Let Me Turn Back to You”,  Back to You”, “Us”, and Georgia, Bind my Ties”. This is such an unfortunate turn of events as Poco had finally hit its stride as a group of songwriters and vocalists surrounding themselves with great musicians and production.

Track Listing

1. “Keep on Tryin’” – (Schmit) (2:54) A pop, a chord on a guitar and then those vocals. This is Tim’s first lead off song on any Poco. There is nothing but vocal beauty underscored by a single acoustic gear. Good Lord, these voices are pure emotion and it is no wonder that the song became a concert favorite. I will not draw any comparison to a band of contemporaries that would be such a cheap shot. But show me one track on “One of These Nights” that is this simple and yet so complex at the same time.
2. “Lovin’ Arms” – (Young) (3:29)  Along comes Rusty Young. Cotton’s lead vocals really soar but do yourself a favor and put on some headphones for this one. Then listen to the right side channel. You will find some of the best pedal playing on any record, now or then. There is banjo in there as well. I really don’t know what more a song can deliver. Just amazing… and that laugh at the end seems so perfect. Young has a hit on his hands!
3. “Let Me Turn Back to You” – (Cotton) (3:37) PLEASE, LET ME UP! I don’t know if I can find any more superlatives to describe this song. Three songs, three songwriters and each track just seems to best the previous. Throw in Cotton’s lead line at 2:01 and well, words escape me as to how much I like this song.
4. “Makin’ Love” – (Young) (2:55) One of my favorite things about Poco recordings is how fearless the producers are about letting the bass line carry the song. A slow starter, Timothy burns down the song with solid playing. Cotton uses the fuzz tone extensively and by the way, did I mention just how much of the song is also carried by Grantham’s solid drumming? Talk about “take my breath away” rocking a song. I need a breather.
5. “Down in the Quarter” – (Cotton) (4:32) Ever been to the French Quarter in New Orleans? There is something fun yet mysterious with a looming dark side around every corner. This song reminds exactly of that. And after four rockers, Paul gives us a chance here to breathe a composition that accentuates his vocals abilities along with his excellent guitar skills. In the past, Poco was a bit heavy handed when strings were added to compositions by Jack Richardson. But this time, they are perfectly in the background.
6. “Sittin’ on a Fence” – (Young) (3:31) Wait! I thought this was some kind of “country/rock” band. What are they doing with marimbas and congas? Caribbean folk country/rock? And who decided that we needed to hear more bass? I’m not sure who was making the choices but they could not have chosen better. After the laid back “New Orleans” track we just heard, this almost “Miami mania” beat song cooks along and turns up the fire again. You won’t be sitting on the fence about variety in the Poco sound after this track. You should be convinced these guys can make just about anything work!
7. “Georgia, Bind My Ties” – (Cotton) (3:25) I am truly at a loss by this point. I can’t think of what to say. Cotton? Great! Grantham? Without equal! Rusty? Amazing. Timothy? Rock solid. I don’t know what else there is. While I am not sure what the hook means (“bind my ties”), it works.
8. “Us” – (Young) (1:56) Rusty Young steps up with his first lead vocal on this tune. Sounding like a cross between Cotton and Messina or something kind of in the middle, he holds his own. Young had been a very competent member of the ensemble. So why was he hiding all this talent until the eighth studio album? He has an amazing amount of emotion in his voice and the song may be short but it sure is sweet! And anyone know who played mandolin? It is not credited but I’m wondering if Chris Hillman snuck in on this track!
9. “Flyin’ Solo” – (Schmit, Jacob Otis Brennan) (3:36) This song has been running through my head for about 40 years. I remember hearing it so long ago and it just never left. “Flyin’ Solo” came at a time in my life when I was flying solo after three years with the same girlfriend. The build to the crescendo and then the sudden let down at 2:30 in the song mirrors so many of the feelings in a relationship… “‘Til you find out you’ve been flyin’ solo”. Broken heart songs are always hard to listen to later in life but this one is still one of my favorites.
10. “Dallas”– (Donald Fagen, Walter Becker) (3:29) Much has been written how this song is a “rare” song from the catalogue of “Steely Dan”. It was on their first album and then was removed and not to be seen again until a compilation years later. I have heard the Steely Dan recording and it lacks the ability to sound “country”. “Steely Dan” wasn’t meant for country. But this is a PERFECT song for Poco. I would like to hear it without the strings but I don’t how to magically filter out that element. “Dallas” is a solid song for the entire group. Fagen contributed to the recording. But I doubt he ever imagined it could sound this good.
11. “I’ll Be Back Again”– (Schmit) (3:02) Not only do we get Timothy leading off the record, but here we are at the end and he is “Back Again”. One line says “I can’t believe it’s the end”. Neither can I because I don’t want this song or this album to end. The last verse is accentuated with simple marimbas and percussion. The fade out leaves me crying out “NO NO NO! Don’t leave! Just one more verse”. Yet, Tim fades out with a promise of “I’ll be back again”. One can only hope.

From New Orleans to Georgia to LA, Poco takes you on not only a tour of the country but a tour of their abilities. Eleven songs. Eleven incredible songs. There is not a “runt pup” in this litter. This is the best Poco offering to date. All the songs are short, tight and solid, the vocals are impeccable and the material is fresh as a country breeze with a little light shower thrown in for good measure (“Down in the Quarter”).

There was just one MAJOR problem; the year was 1975. If you look at the top albums of that year, you see titles such as “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd, “Blood on the Tracks”, “Born to Run”, “A Night at the Opera”, “Physical Graffiti”, “Horses”, “Another Green World”, “Tonight’s the Night”, “Toys in the Attic”, and “Mothership Connection”. That’s just the top 10 according to one music site, www.besteveralbums.com Throw in “Fleetwood Mac”, “Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy”, “Dreamboat Annie”, and “One of These Nights” and that means there was a hell of a lot of competition for dollars and ears! Hell, “Venus and Mars” didn’t come in until #50 on this list based on reader ratings! Is it any wonder that Poco got lost? They couldn’t compete against a newly formatted FM radio jammed with albums and singles the likes of which hadn’t been seen since the British Invasion of 1964/1965.

Which is entirely too bad. This was Poco. And they were getting better with each recording. The songs were getting tighter and the vocals could and should have blown the doors off any competitors. But ABC, like Epic, didn’t know where to slot Poco and thus, a lot of listeners didn’t hear one of the best unknown (except among their cadre of fans) groups in America. Despite all their hard work (along with some very underhanded dealings by Epic, which didn’t help!), Head Over Heels went largely unheard.

I want to do add one note here. In all of my reviews, I have very little to say about George Grantham as he had not written a single tune for Poco that was recorded (so far). But his solid drumming and fills are some of the best in the business. I couldn’t tell you exactly you what vocal parts are his because I haven’t anything with which to make a comparison. But when George takes off in the middle eight of any song, you know you are hearing a great drummer as well as vocalist.

If anyone says “Who is Poco?”, put on this album and plunk their butt down in a chair for 36+ minutes. Then just say… “THAT’S Poco. Any more questions?”