Kansas – Carry on Wayward Son

“Carry On Wayward Son” – Single by Kansas from the album Leftoverture
B-side “Questions of My Childhood”
Released November 19, 1976
Label Kirshner
Songwriter Kerry Livgren
Producers Jeff Glixman, Kansas
Charted: No.11 in US; No.51 in UK

This was written by Kansas guitarist Kerry Livgren. According to Livgren, the song was not written to express anything specifically religious, though it certainly expresses spiritual searching and other ideas.

Although Livgren became an evangelical Christian in 1980, he said the songs he wrote up until that point, including “Carry On Wayward Son” and the band’s 1977 hit “Dust in the Wind” — weren’t religious but centered more about “searching” for something.

The a cappella vocals in the beginning of this song gave it a very distinctive intro. This worked well on rock radio stations where disc jockeys rarely talked over the music.

Kansas
Steve Walsh – lead vocals, piano, organ
Robby Steinhardt – backing vocals
Kerry Livgren – guitar, piano
Rich Williams – acoustic and electric guitar
Dave Hope – bass
Phil Ehart – drums