Keep On Tryin'
by Poco

Album: Head Over Heels (1975)
Charted: 50
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Poco was packed with talented songwriters and vocalists. This one was written by their bass player, Timothy B. Schmit, who also sang lead with Paul Cotton, Rusty Young and George Grantham on harmony. Schmit, who joined the Eagles two years later, said in his Songfacts interview: "I must have been going through something likely with a relationship, to where it gave me pause to think about a lot of things. I do remember that song was written fairly quickly, which is unlike me, and I really like that. I wish that would happen more often. It's a song about hope."
  • This song finds Schmit separated from his loved one, but there is no desperation or yearning, just optimism. Even though he admits that alcohol is an issue ("I've been drinkin' now, just a little too much"), he still seems sure that they will reconnect. He's certainly going to keep trying.
  • In Spanish, the word "poco" means small, and in musical notation it means to a slight degree. But neither of these definitions have anything to do with the band name. They were using different names for different gigs while they tried to find one that stuck, and one night when they played the Troubadour in Los Angeles, they played as Pogo, the name of a comic strip their manager liked. A rep from Epic Records was in a audience and showed interest in the band, so they were stuck with that name because it was the one the label recognized. Just one problem: Walt Kelly, who drew the Pogo comic strip, found out and threatened to sue them, so the band made a slight adjustment to Poco and stuck with that.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Spooner Oldham

Spooner OldhamSongwriter Interviews

His keyboard work helped define the Muscle Shoals sound and make him an integral part of many Neil Young recordings. Spooner is also an accomplished songwriter, whose hits include "I'm Your Puppet" and "Cry Like A Baby."

Meshell Ndegeocello

Meshell NdegeocelloSongwriter Interviews

Meshell Ndegeocello talks about recording "Wild Night" with John Mellencamp, and explains why she shied away from the spotlight.

TV Theme Songs

TV Theme SongsFact or Fiction

Was a Beatles song a TV theme? And who came up with those Fresh Prince and Sopranos songs?

Which Songs are About Drugs?

Which Songs are About Drugs?Fact or Fiction

"25 or 6 to 4" to "Semi-Charmed Life" - see if you can spot the songs that are really about drugs.

Charlotte Caffey of The Go-Go's

Charlotte Caffey of The Go-Go'sSongwriter Interviews

Charlotte was established in the LA punk scene when a freaky girl named Belinda approached her wearing a garbage bag.

Trucking Songs That Were #1 Hits

Trucking Songs That Were #1 HitsSong Writing

The stories behind the biggest hit songs about trucking.