What Are the 5 Biggest U.S. Hits by Kansas?

Based on their name alone, you might assume that the music of Kansas stuck to the themes and sounds of the American heartland. Instead, the band touched on a little bit of everything in their careers, including prog, hard rock, folk, and even, for a little bit, Christian-based music.

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Their lineup changed as much as their musical approach. But they managed to cross over to the pop charts with regularity during their heyday from the mid-1970s through the mid-’80s. Here are Kansas’ five biggest U.S. hits.

5. “People of the South Wind” (No. 23 in 1979)

You might be looking for “Point of Know Return” on this list, since that’s one of the Kansas songs that still gets the most life on classic rock playlists these days. But it didn’t chart quite as well as this track from the band’s Monolith album in 1979. “People of the South Wind” shows the band honoring their roots by singing about a Native American tribe that essentially gave the state of Kansas its name. It’s an interesting hybrid of styles, as there’s just enough of a disco vibe to stick to the musical fashion of the day. Still, the band’s typical rock melodicism is very present as well.

4. “All I Wanted” (No. 19 in 1986)

It looked like Kansas might be kaput following their 1983 album Drastic Measures, as several core members split following conflicts over the band’s artistic direction. They reformed with a lineup almost completely separate from the previous group to record the album Power in 1986. What gave this new outfit an air of legitimacy was the presence of Steve Walsh, who was the original lead singer before departing in 1981. Walsh pushed the band in a more mainstream direction, and they delivered solid power ballad vibes with “All I Wanted,” the band’s last-ever Top-40 hit.

3. “Play the Game Tonight” (No. 17 in 1981)

You might have missed it if you didn’t pay very close attention to the lyrics, but Kansas briefly became a Christian rock band in the early ’80s. A couple of members had converted around that time. Lead singer Steve Walsh bailed at this turn of events, replaced by soundalike John Elefante. Regardless of the lineup, “Play the Game Tonight” certainly evokes the classic sound of the band, incorporating quieter elements before charging into a stomping rock chorus. Truth be told, the lyrics to this one sound more germane to a rock band on the road than they do to any preachers.

2. “Carry On Wayward Son” (No. 11 in 1976)

Three albums into their career, Kansas had developed a solid cult following without making any kind of dent on the mainstream. But their fourth record, Lefotoverture, opened the floodgates, in large part thanks to this shapeshifter of a single. After the cool a cappella opening, just about every band member gets an instrumental showcase, with Steve Walsh starring on organ and piano, guitarists Kerry Livgren and Rich Williams bringing the thunder, and drummer Phil Ehart handling both the gentler passages and the swinging boogie sections with aplomb.

1. “Dust in the Wind” (No. 6 in 1978)

The story goes that Kansas guitarist Kerry Livgren, accustomed to playing a lot of electric guitar on stage, wanted to keep his acoustic chops sharp. He would do a fingerpicking exercise at home that his wife thought sounded like a cool song. Livgren put some lyrics to the chords, and then sheepishly brought it to the band thinking it wouldn’t fit their typical repertoire. Instead, “Dust in the Wind” became Kansas’ signature song, thanks in large part to Livgren’s profound lyrics about the ephemeral nature of life. Give credit as well to both Steve Walsh for his impassioned vocals and Robbie Steinhardt for his memorable violin solo.

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