The Best of Kansas | ||||
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Greatest hits album by | ||||
Released | July 31, 1984 | |||
Recorded | 1974–1984 | |||
Studio | Pakaderm Studios, Long Beach, California ("Perfect Lover") | |||
Genre | Hard rock, progressive rock | |||
Length | 48:11 | |||
Label | CBS Associated, Epic | |||
Producer | Various | |||
Kansas chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [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.
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.
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:
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original album | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
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 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original album | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
6. | "Perfect Lover" | J. Elefante, D. Elefante | new 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 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original album | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
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 America | 5:04 |
12. | "Closet Chronicles" (Live) | Walsh, Livgren | Two for the Show (1978) | 6:54 |
Chart (1984) | Peak position |
---|---|
Canada Top Albums/CDs ( RPM ) [4] | 86 |
US Billboard 200 [5] | 154 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United States (RIAA) [6] | 4× Platinum | 4,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
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.
Kerry Allen Livgren is an American musician, best known as one of the founding members and primary songwriters for the American rock band Kansas.
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.
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.
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.
Leftoverture is the fourth studio album by American rock band Kansas, released in 1976. The album was reissued in remastered format on CD in 2001. It was the band's first album to be certified by the RIAA, and remains their highest selling album, having been certified 5 times platinum in the United States.
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.
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.
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.
Drastic Measures is the ninth studio album by American rock band Kansas, released in 1983.
AD was a 1980s Christian rock band, featuring former Kansas members Kerry Livgren and Dave Hope (bass), former Bloodrock member Warren Ham, who had toured as a sideman with Kansas in 1982, Michael Gleason, who had replaced Ham as a touring member of Kansas in 1983, and Dennis Holt (drums).
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.
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.
Device – Voice – Drum is a live DVD by American rock band Kansas, released in 2002. The same concert was released as an enhanced double-CD live album. The CD release features the enhanced live track, "Distant Vision".
"Carry On Wayward Son" is a song by American rock band Kansas, released on their 1976 studio album, Leftoverture. Written by guitarist Kerry Livgren, the song became the band's first Top 40 hit, reaching No. 11 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in early 1977.
Sail On: The 30th Anniversary Collection is the fifth compilation from the band Kansas, originally released in 2004. Along with two CDs that include tracks from each one of the band's studio albums, the compilation also includes a 16-track companion DVD which features numerous television appearances, videos, and live recordings. The title Sail On comes from a lyric in the band's 1975 song "Icarus ", which is included in the collection.
The Ultimate Kansas is the fourth compilation from the band Kansas. It was originally released in 2002, and focuses solely on their Kirshner period from their debut album Kansas in 1974, up to and including Drastic Measures in 1983. The collection was rereleased in 2008 under the title Essential Kansas 3.0 as part of the Sony/BMG Legacy series of that name, with an additional "bonus disc" with seven additional songs, and featuring "eco-friendly" packaging.
The discography of Kansas, an American rock band, consists of 16 studio albums, seven live albums, nine compilation albums, and 29 singles. Formed by members Kerry Livgren, Robby Steinhardt, Dave Hope, Phil Ehart, Steve Walsh, and Rich Williams, the group signed a recording contract with Kirshner Records in 1974. That same year they released their self-titled debut album.
"The Wall" is a song written by Kerry Livgren and Steve Walsh that was first released on Kansas' 1976 album Leftoverture. It was subsequently released on several of the band's live and compilation albums.