The Best of Kansas

Last updated
The Best of Kansas
The Best of Kansas.jpg
Greatest hits album by
ReleasedJuly 31, 1984
Recorded19741984
StudioPakaderm Studios, Long Beach, California ("Perfect Lover")
Genre Hard rock, progressive rock
Length48:11
Label CBS Associated, Epic
Producer Various
Kansas chronology
Drastic Measures
(1983)
The Best of Kansas
(1984)
Power
(1986)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [1]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [2]

The Best of Kansas is the first compilation by American progressive rock band Kansas. Originally released in 1984, it featured the new "Perfect Lover," written by then-lead vocalist John Elefante and his brother Dino Elefante.

Contents

The compilation was rereleased in 1999 in a version supervised by the original band members. "Perfect Lover" was dropped in favor of three additional tracks from the original lineup: "The Pinnacle" from Masque, "The Devil Game" from Song for America, and a live track deleted owing to space limitations from the CD version of Two for the Show called "Closet Chronicles," originally from Point of Know Return.

The album has sold over 4 million copies in the United States and was certified quadruple platinum in 2001. [3]

The versions of "Carry On Wayward Son" and "The Wall" on the 1984 release of The Best of Kansas are remixed by Kerry Livgren and unique to the first version of this collection. For the 1999 reissue of the collection, the original 1976 mixes from the album Leftoverture are used instead. The removal of "Perfect Lover" – previously available only on this album – made the track out of print in the United States. The original track listing and mixes were restored for the 2014 180-gram vinyl release of the album by Friday Music. That version was released on red vinyl a few years later.


Cover art

The painting of Parson Weems. Parson Weems' Fable.jpg
The painting of Parson Weems.

The album cover art, by artist Steve Carver, is a parody of Grant Wood's 1939 painting of the author Parson Weems pointing to the famous scene of George Washington and George's father inquiring after young George had just chopped down a cherry tree with his hatchet. The cover contains elements of nearly all previous Kansas album covers:

Track listing

1984 original version

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
1."Carry On Wayward Son" (Remixed version) Kerry Livgren Leftoverture (1976)5:22
2."Point of Know Return" Steve Walsh, Phil Ehart, Robby Steinhardt Point of Know Return (1977)3:11
3."Fight Fire with Fire" John Elefante, Dino Elefante Drastic Measures (1983)3:40
4."Dust in the Wind"Livgren Point of Know Return (1977)3:27
5."Song for America" (Edited version)Livgren Song for America (1975)9:08
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
6."Perfect Lover"J. Elefante, D. Elefantenew song (1984)4:19
7."Hold On"Livgren Audio-Visions (1980)3:52
8."No One Together"Livgren Audio-Visions (1980)6:57
9."Play the Game Tonight"Livgren, Rich Williams, Ehart, Danny Flower, Rob Frazier Vinyl Confessions (1982)3:26
10."The Wall" (Remixed version)Livgren, Walsh Leftoverture (1976)4:49

1999 reissue

No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
1."Carry On Wayward Son"Livgren 5:22
2."Point of Know Return"Walsh, Ehart, Steinhardt 3:11
3."Fight Fire with Fire"J. Elefante, D. Elefante 3:40
4."Dust in the Wind"Livgren 3:27
5."Song for America" (Edited version)Livgren 9:07
6."Hold On"Livgren 3:51
7."No One Together"Livgren 6:57
8."Play the Game Tonight"Livgren, Williams, Ehart, Flower, Frazier 3:26
9."The Wall"Livgren, Walsh 4:47
10."The Pinnacle"Livgren Masque (1975)9:36
11."The Devil Game"Walsh, Dave Hope Song for America5:04
12."Closet Chronicles" (Live)Walsh, Livgren Two for the Show (1978)6:54

Personnel

Additional personnel
Production

Charts

Chart (1984)Peak
position
Canada Top Albums/CDs ( RPM ) [4] 86
US Billboard 200 [5] 154

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [6] 4× Platinum4,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kansas (band)</span> American rock band

Kansas is an American rock band that formed in 1973 in Topeka, Kansas, and became popular during the decade initially on album-oriented rock charts and later with hit singles such as "Carry On Wayward Son" and "Dust in the Wind". The band has produced nine gold albums, three multi-platinum albums, one other platinum studio album (Monolith), one platinum live double album, and a million-selling single, "Dust in the Wind". Kansas appeared on the US Billboard charts for over 200 weeks throughout the 1970s and 1980s and played to sold-out arenas and stadiums throughout North America, Europe and Japan. "Carry On Wayward Son" was the second-most-played track on US classic rock radio in 1995 and No. 1 in 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kerry Livgren</span> American guitarist (born 1949)

Kerry Allen Livgren is an American musician, best known as one of the founding members and primary songwriters for the American rock band Kansas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Elefante</span> Musical artist

John Elefante is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. From 1981-1984, he was lead vocalist of the rock group Kansas and is currently touring with several groups that have featured members from classic rock bands. His credits include writing and singing lead vocals on three multi-platinum albums. He produced albums that have earned numerous GMA Dove Awards, four Grammy Awards, and ten Grammy nominations. He has maintained a close working relationship with his brother, Dino, co-writer of several Kansas songs.

<i>Kansas</i> (Kansas album) 1974 studio album by Kansas

Kansas is the debut studio album by American progressive rock band Kansas, released in 1974 by Kirshner in the United States and Epic Records in other countries.

<i>Masque</i> (Kansas album) 1975 studio album by Kansas

Masque is the third studio album by American progressive rock band Kansas. The album was released in September 1975, remastered for CD in 2001, and again remastered and reissued on vinyl in 2014. The opening track, "It Takes a Woman's Love ", was remixed for release as a single but was not popular, including additional guest vocals and segments far different from the album version.

<i>Leftoverture</i> 1976 studio album by Kansas

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<i>Two for the Show</i> (Kansas album) 1978 live album by Kansas

Two for the Show is the first live album by American progressive rock band Kansas, released in 1978. The album was recorded over the course of the band's three previous tours in 1977 and 1978. It was certified Gold and then Platinum shortly after its release. In 2008, a remastered and expanded edition was released to commemorate the album's 30th anniversary.

<i>Monolith</i> (Kansas album) 1979 studio album by Kansas

Monolith is the sixth studio album by American progressive rock band Kansas, released in 1979. The album reached No. 10 on the Billboard album charts, marking their third straight studio album to reach the top ten.

<i>Vinyl Confessions</i> 1982 studio album by Kansas

Vinyl Confessions is the eighth studio album by American rock band Kansas, released in 1982. It includes "Play the Game Tonight", which broke the Top 20 and is Kansas's third highest-charting single, surpassed only by "Carry on Wayward Son" and "Dust in the Wind". The album was reissued in remastered format on CD in 1996 on Legacy/Epic and again in 2011.

<i>Drastic Measures</i> 1983 studio album by Kansas

Drastic Measures is the ninth studio album by American rock band Kansas, released in 1983.

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Steve Walsh is an American singer, musician and songwriter, best known for his work as a longtime member of the progressive rock band Kansas. He retired from the band in 2014. He sings lead on four of Kansas' best-known hits: "Carry On Wayward Son", "Dust in the Wind", "Point of Know Return", and "All I Wanted", the last two of which he co-wrote.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Hope</span> American bass guitarist (born 1949)

Dave Hope is an American bass guitarist who played with the American progressive rock band Kansas from 1970 until the band's first split in 1983. When he was in high school, he played the tuba and trumpet in his high school band. While he was in Kansas, he was known for his heavy drug use which spurred him to leave the band.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kansas discography</span>

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References

  1. Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Kansas - The Best of Kansas review". AllMusic . All Media Network . Retrieved 2018-01-15.
  2. Cross, Charles R. (2004). "Kansas". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp.  446. ISBN   0-7432-0169-8.
  3. "RIAA Gold & Platinum Database: Search for Kansas". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved December 26, 2017.
  4. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 8515". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  5. "Kansas Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  6. "American album certifications – Kansas – Best of Kansas". Recording Industry Association of America.