Top Ten Songs by Kansas

Kansas was a highly successful progressive rock band from the 1970s, combining the extended instrumental sections and grandiose nature of their English prog rock contemporaries with a commercial, accessible, song-based arena rock sensibility. Their massive hit songs “Carry On My Wayward Son” and “Dust In the Wind” are staples of classic rock radio. They changed their line-up at the end of the ’70s, trading singer Steve Walsh for John Elefante, and soon afterwards head songwriter and guitarist/keyboardist Kerry Livgren left the group to pursue his Christian rock group AD. The band has remained active in various forms since, taking in new members including virtuoso guitarist Steve Morse and violinist David Ragsdale. But most will know Kansas for the period of the mid-to-late ’70s, when they produced their hit records “Leftoverture” and “Point of Know Return”.

1. Carry On My Wayward Son

The vocal refrain of the title and the hard-driving guitar rock riff make this song a must-love for fans of classic rock, and perhaps THE classic Kansas song, although like some other hit songs it is more musically sophisticated than one might have expected from a “pop” song. From “Leftoverture”.

2. Dust In the Wind

One of the band’s few ballads, and indeed an almost uncharacteristic work, this melancholy acoustic piece, which includes a solo Robby Steinhart’s violin, describes the seeming futile impermanence of human life and activity: “All we do crumbles to the ground, though we refuse to see.” This is a sentiment that songwriter Kerry Livgren would later refute after his conversion to Christianity. From “The Point of Know Return.”

3. Song For America

One of Kansas’ earlier songs from the album of the same, this large-scale piece was inspired by a plane flight over America, and the feeling is well communicated in the song in its soaring, decidedly cinematic feeling. Lots of interesting keyboards here, with a piano solo in the middle and a stirring synthesizer hook during the second part of the main theme.

4. Belexes

From the band’s self-titled debut album, this song was brought in by Livgren from his previous band, which was also called Kansas. (That earlier band is now referred to as Proto-Kaw – “before Kansas” – and their recording of “Belexes” is available on a retrospective CD. Proto-Kaw has reformed and is currently active.) A driving, devilish-sounding rock song built around a slightly jazzy metal feeling.

5. Icarus (Borne On Wings of Steel)
Refers to the Greek myth of Icarus, this is a solid rock song from “Masque”. This song includes a guitar solo from Rich Williams, Kansas’ second guitarist.

6. The Wall

A sort of early power ballad from “Leftoverture,” this almost surprisingly heartfelt song describes spiritual frustration and searching.

7. The Pinnacle

From “Masque”, this is what it sounds like – an extensive, very cinematic piece with a climactic ending. It serves as a sort of sequel to the track preceding it, “Mysteries and Mayhem”.

8. Incomudro – Hymn to the Atman

A dark, epic 12-minute piece from “Song For America”, this was also passed on to the band from the original group Proto-Kaw. Featuring an extended drum solo. Like “Belexes”, the title is presumably a made-up word.

9. Apercu

This is another epic piece from Kansas’ debut album, and one of their most underrated works: a dynamic and varied musical journey. This is also a made-up word. The lyrics deal with themes of reincarnation and immortality: “We have done it all before, in our minds behind the door.”

10. Magnum Opus

Just look at the title! From “Leftoverture”, this was actually the working title for the album itself, but they decided just to give the to name this song.