My Top Ten Poco Songs: Brass Buttons (#10)

Tweet

A few days ago I mentioned Poco in one of my other top ten countdown series. At that point I threatened to do a top ten Poco list. Well, here it is. This is a good day to start it, too, as Poco bass player Timothy B. Schmit is 69 years old today (10/30). Of course, like original Poco bassist Randy Meisner, he went on to play in the Eagles. (That's one of the reasons I refer to Poco as "the band the Eagles wish they were."). Here's the first song. #10: Brass Buttons Timing is everything. Richie Furay wrote a song paying homage to country-rock pioneer Gram Parsons (who helped spearhead country-rock as a member of the Byrds on their 1968 landmark album Sweetheart of the Rodeo about the same time Poco's first album was released). The song, "Crazy Eyes," became the title track of the album, Poco's sixth and the final one Furay played on until the late 80s original band reunion. To augment the tribute song Poco also covered a Gram Parsons song, "Brass Buttons." The song was referenced in the lyrics of "Crazy Eyes" ("you sing songs about brass buttons and shiny silver shoes"), so it was an easy choice of songs. Ironically, Poco's version of "Brass Buttons" was released before Gram Parsons' version. Remember I said timing is everything? Poco's Crazy Eyes album was released on September 15, 1973. Four days later, Gram Parsons was dead of a drug overdose near Joshua Tree National Monument. (If you want to read something that could only happen in rock and roll, read what happened to Parsons' body!!) I'd hate to think Gram never got to hear this splendid version of his song. Brass Buttons Written by Gram Parsons From Crazy Eyes, 1973 Poco's version of the great Parsons tune: