Song for America
Song for America is the second studio album by American progressive rock band Kansas, released in 1975. The album was reissued in remastered format on CD in 2004. The 10-minute title track was edited down to three minutes for release as a single. The 45 R.P.M. edit resurfaced 29 years later as a bonus track on the remastered release, which provided improved sound as well as expanded liner notes, rare photos, and a live version of "Down the Road".
| Song for America | |
|---|---|
Cover painting by Peter Lloyd | |
| Studio album by | |
| Released | February 1975 |
| Recorded | December 1974 |
| Studio | Wally Heider's Studio 3 (Hollywood) |
| Genre | |
| Length | 45:08 |
| Label | Kirshner (US) Epic (rest of the world) |
| Producer | Jeff Glixman, Wally Gold |
| Kansas chronology | |
| Singles from Song for America | |
| |
Reception edit
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | [2] |
| MusicHound Rock | 3/5[3] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [4] |
| Sea of Tranquility | [5] |
AllMusic, in a retrospective review, praised the "intense energy" of the album's shorter songs, but contended that the longer songs require too much active listening to appreciate. They concluded that the album is "a good (if not adolescent) recording for a group of this genre."[2] Conversely, Gary Graff described the title track as "one of prog-rock's sonic gems," recommending the album to "Those interested in Kansas at its most bombastic."[3]
Steve Pettengill, writing for Sea of Tranquility webzine, describes the album as "full tilt symphonic rock with none of the stadium rock numbers that would pop up on later albums. Comprising four lengthy intricate pieces and two very American style romps, Kansas' second album very admirably showcases the band's trademark duality as proggers and rockers."[5]
Ranking on the Billboard album chart with a peak of #57, Song for America would in the months subsequent to its February 1975 release sell approximately 250,000 units.[6] Like all three of Kansas' first three album releases, Song for America attracted new commercial interest due to the platinum success of the band's fourth and fifth studio albums: Leftoverture (1976) and Point of Know Return (1977). Reported as having sold between 300,000 and 400,000 units in January 1978,[7] Song for America would be certified Gold for sales of 500,000 units in June 1980.[8]
Track listing edit
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Down the Road" | Steve Walsh, Kerry Livgren | 3:43 |
| 2. | "Song for America" | Livgren | 10:03 |
| 3. | "Lamplight Symphony" | Livgren | 8:17 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4. | "Lonely Street" | Walsh, Dave Hope, Rich Williams, Phil Ehart | 5:43 |
| 5. | "The Devil Game" | Walsh, Hope | 5:04 |
| 6. | "Incomudro - Hymn to the Atman" | Livgren | 12:11 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 7. | "Song for America" (Single edit) | 3:02 |
| 8. | "Down the Road" (Live at the Agora Ballroom, Cleveland, Ohio, 1975) | 3:53 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 9. | "Incomudro - Hymn to the Atman" (Live) | 16:10 |
Personnel edit
- Kansas
- Steve Walsh – organ, ARP and Moog synthesizers, lead vocals (except on "Down the Road"), backing vocals on "Down the Road" and "Lonely Street", piano on "Down the Road"
- Kerry Livgren – electric and rhythm guitars (except on "Song for America" and "Lamplight Symphony"), Moog and ARP synthesizers, ARP strings, piano (except on "Down the Road")
- Robby Steinhardt – violin, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Down the Road", "Song for America", "Lamplight Symphony"
- Rich Williams – electric, acoustic, and rhythm guitars
- Dave Hope – bass guitar
- Phil Ehart – drums, glockenspiel on "Song for America", Moog drum and gong on "Incomudro - Hymn to the Atman"
- Production
- Jeff Glixman – producer, remastered edition producer
- Wally Gold – producer
- Peter Granet – engineer
- Tom Rabstenek – mastering
- Ed Lee – art direction
- Peter Lloyd – cover painting
- Jeff Magid – remastered edition producer
Charts edit
| Chart (1975) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200[9] | 57 |
Certifications edit
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[10] | Gold | 500,000^ |
| ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
References edit
- ^ "Kansas singles".
- ^ a b Allender, Mark W.B.. Song for America at AllMusic
- ^ a b Graff, Gary (1996). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Canton, Michigan: Visible Ink Press. p. 377. ISBN 978-0787610371. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
- ^ 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.
- ^ a b Pettengill, Steve. "Sea of Tranquility review". Retrieved June 20, 2017.
- ^ Fort Lauderdale News 18 November 1979 "Cosmic Kansas Still Close to the Corn" by Jon Pareles p.15-G
- ^ Cashbox 14 January 1978 "Success of Kansas Traced to Constant Touring, FM Airplay" by Mark Mehler p.12
- ^ "Gold & Platinum". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ^ "Kansas Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
- ^ "American album certifications – Kansas – Song for America". Recording Industry Association of America.