Song for America (song)

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Song for America (song) - Wikipedia

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"Song for America"

Single by Kansas

from the album Song for America

Released

April 1975^[1]

Recorded

1974

Genre

Progressive rock^[2]

Length

10:03 (Album version)
9:08 (The Best of Kansas version)
3:02 (Single edit)

Kansas singles chronology

"Bringing It Back"
(1975)

"Song for America"
(1975)

"It Takes a Woman's Love (To Make a Man)"
(1976)

"Song for America" is the title track from the second album of American progressive rock band Kansas. It was written by guitarist and keyboardist Kerry Livgren during the period of heavy touring for the band's first album. The song was released on the 1975 album Song for America, and later released as the band's third single, although it did not chart. It has a symphonic structure, and its lyrics describe America's state before and after colonization.

Livgren wrote the song while looking down at the country from an airplane.^[3] He said "I was musing over our relatively young nation."^[3]

Structure

The song begins with a 3-minute instrumental overture. It has a symphonic structure. An extended instrumental section is in ⁹
₈ time. The single version lacks most of the instrumental parts, and is cut down to three minutes. This version, which was edited by the record label owner Don Kirshner, is available as a bonus track on the remastered version of the album. The flipside of the 45 featured an instrumental version of the track.

Reception

Cash Box said it features "excellent musicianship and a strong lyric line".^[4] Record World said "Not the kind of 100 percent patriotic paean you'd expect the Federal government to commission, but a more believable and dramatic unofficial anthem that carves its own niche into the Bicentennial era."^[5]

Classic Rock critic Dave Ling rated "Song for America" as the band's third greatest song.^[3] Ultimate Classic Rock critic Eduardo Rivadavia rated it the band's fourth greatest song, saying it "delivers a state-of-the-union address that spans decades, before and after European colonization".^[6] Classic Rock History critic Brian Kachejian rated it as the band's seventh greatest song, calling it "Simply stunning music that is timeless."^[7]

Personnel

Kerry Livgren – keyboards
Steve Walsh – lead vocals, keyboards
Robby Steinhardt – violin, co-lead vocals
Dave Hope – bass
Phil Ehart – drums
Rich Williams – guitar

References

^ "Kansas singles".
^ Murphy, Sean (March 28, 2017). "The 100 Best Classic Progressive Rock Songs: Part 3, 60-41". PopMatters. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
^ ^a ^b ^c Ling, Dave (July 14, 2016). "The Top 10 Best Kansas Songs". Classic Rock. Louder Sound. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. May 3, 1975. p. 20. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. May 10, 1975. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-03-10.
^ Rivadavia, Eduardo (June 15, 2013). "Top 10 Kansas Songs". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
^ Kachejian, Brian (26 September 2022). "Top 10 Kansas Songs". Classic Rock History. Retrieved 2023-01-24.

v t e Kansas
Phil Ehart Rich Williams Billy Greer Tom Brislin Ronnie Platt Joe Deninzon Zak Rizvi Kerry Livgren Dave Hope Robby Steinhardt Steve Walsh John Elefante Steve Morse Greg Robert David Manion David Ragsdale
Studio albums	Kansas Song for America Masque Leftoverture Point of Know Return Monolith Audio-Visions Vinyl Confessions Drastic Measures Power In the Spirit of Things Freaks of Nature Always Never the Same Somewhere to Elsewhere The Prelude Implicit The Absence of Presence
Live albums	Two for the Show Live at the Whisky King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents Kansas Dust in the Wind Device – Voice – Drum There's Know Place Like Home
Compilations	The Best of Kansas Carry On The Kansas Boxed Set The Ultimate Kansas Sail On: The 30th Anniversary Collection On the Other Side Works in Progress
Singles	"Song for America" "Carry On Wayward Son" "What's on My Mind" "Point of Know Return" "Dust in the Wind" "Portrait (He Knew)" "People of the South Wind" "Hold On" "Play the Game Tonight" "Fight Fire with Fire" "All I Wanted"
Other songs	"The Wall"
Related articles	Discography Members Native Window
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