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Carry On Wayward Son

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"Carry On Wayward Son"
SinglebyKansas
from the albumLeftoverture
B-side"Questions of My Childhood"
ReleasedNovember 19, 1976[1]
StudioStudio in the Country
Genre
Length
  • 5:26(album version)
  • 4:38( "50 years" album version)
  • 3:26(single edit)
LabelKirshner
Songwriter(s)Kerry Livgren
Producer(s)Jeff Glixman,Kansas
Kansassingles chronology
"It Takes a Woman's Love (To Make a Man)"
(1976) 		"Carry On Wayward Son"
(1976) 		"What's on My Mind"
(1976)
Music video
"Carry On Wayward Son"onYouTube

"Carry On Wayward Son"is a song by American rock bandKansas,released on their 1976 studio album,Leftoverture.Written by guitaristKerry Livgren,the song became the band's first Top 40 hit, reaching No. 11 on the USBillboardHot 100in early 1977.[4]

The song has since remained aclassic rockradio staple and a signature song for the band.[5]

Background

[edit]

While Kansas' previous three albums had split songwriting duties between lead vocalistSteve Walshand band member Kerry Livgren, the latter essentially provided all the material for the band's fourth album release,Leftoverture.According to Livgren, "On the very first day of rehearsals, Steve...said that he had nothing – not a single song. I don't relish that kind of pressure, but with hindsight it really brought out the best in me. "[6]Although based inAtlanta, Georgia,Kansas had returned to theirTopeka, Kansas,hometown to work up material for what would be theLeftoverturealbum, the band rehearsing in a vacant store in a strip mall the material Livgren was working up on aLowrey organat his parents' home where he was staying.[7]"Carry On Wayward Son" was written after the band had completed rehearsals. Livgren, who perceived the song as being "beamed down" to him in full,[8]in 2004 stated: "It's an autobiographical song. Parallel to my musical career I've always been on a spiritual sojourn, looking for truth and meaning. It was a song of self-encouragement. I was telling myself to keep on looking and I would find what I sought."[6]Livgren wasborn againon July 25, 1979, and since 1980 recorded primarily as aChristian rockartist.[9]

When it came out, there was nothing like it. [It has] so many musically interesting parts. It wasn't rubber-stamped; it was unique to itself. It's a great sing-along. It had a lot of things going for it. When we recorded it, we knew we had a great song.[10]

...we didn't realize what it would turn into. It's become part of rock-&-roll culture. But then it seemed like a fluke. It was the right song at the right time.[11]

KansasguitaristRich Williamson the song's impact and enduring appeal

DrummerPhil Ehartrecalled that Livgren mentioned a new song as Kansas was packing up to leave Topeka forStudio in the Country,theLouisianafacility whereLeftoverturewas recorded from December 1975, with Livgren presenting "Carry On Wayward Son" to his bandmates only after they had reached the studio. According to Livgren "It was the last night we were in Topeka. I came into the studio on the last day and said, ‘I think you better hear this one’. The guys looked at each other and said, ‘We gotta do this’."[12]In 2004, Ehart recalled, "It was the last, last [song] to be submitted for...'Leftoverture'...I can't even remember if we dropped something else to get [it] on there...[When] we recorded it, we didn't really think it would be a hit [as] it was about six minutes long...We were on the road [in December 1976 when] our manager...said: 'Well, you're not gonna believe this, but we actually have a hit song.' We said, 'What?' He said, 'Yeah. "Carry On Wayward Son" is shooting up the charts.' And it barely made it on the album! "[13]

Kansas' other guitaristRich Williamsindicated in 2004 that the success of "Carry On Wayward Son" was not a total surprise to the band: "As far as knowing what a hit was, we didn't have any idea. But we knew there was something special about ['Carry On Wayward Son']. It was very easy to listen to but still very different."[14]

Release and impact

[edit]

Subsequent to the October 21, 1976, release of theLeftoverturealbum, the track "Carry On Wayward Son" became anFM radiofavorite,[15][10]causing the November 23 single release of a 3:26 edit of the 5:26 album track (itself trimmed from 7:30 minutes).[16]ManyTop 40stations aired the full album cut rather than the single edit.[17]

Debuting at No. 86 on theBillboardHot 100dated December 25, 1976,[18]"Carry On Wayward Son" reached the Top40 — atNo.36 — seven weeks later,[19]the single in its first months of release typically garnering attention in what could be termed secondary markets being "added" by major market radio stations such asWABC-AM (NYC)andKHJ-AM (LA)only in March 1977.[20][21]Ultimately "Carry On Wayward Son" reached a chart peak of No. 11 on the Hot 100 dated April 2, 1977:[22]Internationally the single reached No. 6 in Canada,[23]No. 51 in the UK[24]and No. 58 in Australia[25]All initial releases of the single had aB-sideof "Questions of My Childhood".

"Carry on Wayward Son" was later included on all Kansas compilation albums (except forWorks in Progress) and was heard on all Kansas live albums. It was certified Gold by theRIAAfor sales of 500,000 units on December 18, 1990, and reached quadruple platinum, or 4 million, on November 26, 2019.[26]"Carry On Wayward Son" is 96th onVH1's100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs.[27]

Ultimate Classic Rockcritic Eduardo Rivadavia rated "Carry On Wayward Son" as Kansas's greatest song, saying it "combines their progressive and commercial instincts" and "fluidly shifts between studied technique and an infectious melody, culminating in a soaring chorus."[28]Classic Rockcritic Dave Ling also ranked it as Kansas' greatest song.[29]

Personnel

[edit]

Charts

[edit]
Chart (1976–1978) Peak
position
Australian Singles (Kent Music Report)[30] 58
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[31] 5
UK Singles(OCC)[32] 51
USBillboardHot 100[33] 11
Chart (2022) Peak
position
Hungary (Single Top 40)[34] 13

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Germany (BVMI)[35] Gold 250,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[36] Platinum 600,000‡
United States (RIAA)[26] 4× Platinum 4,000,000‡

‡Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

In other media

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Note

[edit]
  1. ^The exception is thefirst seasonfinale. The song plays in the recap at the beginning of that season's penultimate episode.[39]

References

[edit]
  1. ^"RIAA certification".
  2. ^"Top Of The Progs: Kansas - Carry On Wayward Son".TeamRock.com.RetrievedFebruary 22,2017.
  3. ^Winistorfer, Andrew (January 5, 2009)."VH1's 100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs list only slightly less annoying than their hip-hop list".VH1.Prefix Magazine. Archived fromthe originalon July 7, 2013.RetrievedFebruary 1,2014.
  4. ^"Kansas – Chart history".Billboard Hot 100for Kansas.Archived fromthe originalon December 3, 2016.RetrievedNovember 26,2016.
  5. ^Rivadavia, Eduardo."Top 10 Kansas Songs".Ultimate Classic Rock.RetrievedMarch 22,2022.
  6. ^abLing, Dave (August 2016)."The Story Behind The Song: Carry On Wayward Son by Kansas".LouderSound.com.RetrievedJuly 21,2021.
  7. ^Allen, Craig (October 15, 2016)."Craig Allen's Fun Facts - Carry On Wayward Son".RetrievedJuly 24,2021.
  8. ^Virtue, Doreen (2016).The Courage to Be Creative: how to believe in yourself, your dreams & ideas & your career path.Carlsbad CA: Hay House Inc. pp. 51–52.ISBN978-1-4019-4882-5.
  9. ^Cusic, Don (2010).Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music: Pop, Rock & Worship.Santa Barbara CA: ABC-Clio. pp. 280–282.ISBN978-0-313-34425-1.
  10. ^abAlbany Democrat-Herald18 July 2013 "Kansas is Koming! rock giants open Linn County Fair" by Cory Frye p.11
  11. ^Morristown Daily RecordJuly 20, 2010 "Jersey Gets a Taste of Kansas: after 36 years group still has a spot on the musical map" by Bill Nutt p.41
  12. ^Dome, Malcolm (October 14, 2022)."How Kansas cracked the charts with Carry On Wayward Son".Classic Rock.Louder Sound.RetrievedJanuary 24,2023.
  13. ^Asbury Park PressApril 29, 2005 "Kansas Carries On" by Mark Voger p.115
  14. ^Wilkes-Barre Times LeaderNovember 5, 2004 "Kansas Carrying On" by Alan K. Stout p.64
  15. ^Cash Boxvol: December 4, 1976 "Singles Reviews - Picks of the Week" p.23
  16. ^Mansfield News JournalFebruary 12, 1977 "Pretty Much Jocks at Work Pays Off" by Patrick Snyder p.10
  17. ^Salina JournalMarch 20, 1977 "Kansas is a National Act Now" by Richard L Lewsi p.21
  18. ^Billboardvol 88 #52 (December 25, 1976) "BillboardHot 100 "p.68
  19. ^Billboardvol 89 #5 (February 5, 1977) "BillboardHot 100 "p.72
  20. ^Atlanta ConstitutionAugust 6, 1977 "'The Single': don't belittle the funny little record with the big round hole in the middle" by Bill King p.74
  21. ^Cash Boxvol 38 #43 (March 12, 1977) "Album Chart Analysis" p.57
  22. ^Billboardvol 89 #14 (April 9, 1977) "BillboardHot 100 "p.
  23. ^RPMvol 26 #26 (March 26, 1977) "RPM Top Singles" p.19
  24. ^"Official Charts Company".OfficialCharts.com.RetrievedJanuary 24,2011.
  25. ^"Top 100 Singles".RetrievedJuly 24,2021.
  26. ^ab"American single certifications – Kansas – Carry On Wayward Son".Recording Industry Association of America.RetrievedNovember 9,2020.
  27. ^"Vh1 Top 100 Hard Rock Songs".Archived fromthe originalon February 12, 2009.RetrievedFebruary 7,2009.
  28. ^Rivadavia, Eduardo (June 15, 2013)."Top 10 Kansas Songs".Ultimate Classic Rock.RetrievedJune 12,2022.
  29. ^Ling, Dave (July 14, 2016)."The Top 10 Best Kansas Songs".Classic Rock.Louder Sound.RetrievedJanuary 24,2023.
  30. ^Kent, David(1993).Australian Chart Book 1970–1992(illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 164.ISBN0-646-11917-6.
  31. ^"Top RPM Singles: Issue 5274a."RPM.Library and Archives Canada.Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  32. ^"Official Singles Chart Top 100".Official Charts Company.Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  33. ^"Kansas Chart History (Hot 100)".Billboard.Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  34. ^"Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ "(in Hungarian).Single (track) Top 40 lista.Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  35. ^"Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Kansas;'Carry On Wayward Son') "(in German).Bundesverband Musikindustrie.RetrievedMarch 24,2023.
  36. ^"British single certifications – Kansas – Carry On Wayward Son".British Phonographic Industry.RetrievedAugust 4,2023.
  37. ^Bucksbaum, Sydney (July 29, 2017)."How 'Supernatural' Pulled Off That Comic-Con Surprise With Kansas".The Hollywood Reporter.RetrievedJanuary 11,2019.
  38. ^Romano, Will."Phil Ehart of Kansas on the Roots of Leftoverture and Point of Know Return, and the New Prelude Implicit Album".Modern Drummer.RetrievedMay 8,2021.
  39. ^abKrupa, Jessy (June 1, 2016)."Supernatural: Season 11, Episode 23 -" Alpha and Omega "".Pop Matters.
  40. ^https://www.tvguide.com/news/supernatural-comic-con-panel-kansas-performance/
  41. ^Aguilar, Matthew (November 19, 2022)."Watch The Elite Make Their Grand AEW Returns at Full Gear".Comic Book.RetrievedDecember 5,2022.
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