10 Greatest Kansas Love Songs

10 Greatest Kansas Love Songs | I Love Classic Rock Videos

via KANSAS / Youtube

Topeka-based Kansas became America’s wager to British rock bands that dominated the charts for their prog-rock ensembles. These prog-rock dudes would eventually abandon this state, as they switch to AOR hits. With their fusion of jazz, classical music, and various music forms to rock, their inventive style perfectly blends with their thought-provoking lyrics all about love. Take a look at the greatest love songs from Kansas.

 

“All I Wanted” – Power (1986)

This classic heartbreak ballad gives singer Steve Walsh the perfect whining inside a break-up. It was a huge step for the group to provide a ballad song, especially when they were known for their complex songs like “Point of Know Return” and “Carry On Wayward Son.”

“Stand Beside Me” – In the Spirit of Things (1988)

The song marks Kansas’ entanglement to the commercial touch of songs. It’s a mellow pop-rock track that talks about in the midst of dependency, someone is still out there to hold you.

“Dust In the Wind” – Point of Know Return (1977)

Kansas’ shift to streamlined rock gave them their only top 10 hits “Dust In The Wind.” The melody and its uncluttered lyrics talk more about the fleetingness that is of life.

“Hold On” – Audio-Visions (1980)

The single “Hold On” was written by Kerry Livgren to convince his wife to convert to Christianity together with him, and they have remained active till then. The acoustic ballad became the final one to be released from the original line-up before Steven Walsh left the group.

“Lamplight Symphony” – Song for America (1975)

One of the highlights inside Kansas’s “Song for America album, “Lamplight Symphony” is a moving ballad with swelling piano lines, and a touch of blues tunes perfect for an emotional beginning. It is also a fan favorite.

“The Wall” – Leftoverture (1976)

Before Pink Floyd got the best out of their own The Wall concept, Kansas had managed to produce theirs in a five-minute upbeat, feel-good track. It’s a harmonic power ballad, with the vocals stronger than any Kansas song there is.

“Reason To Be” – Monolith (1979)

An underrated album, Monolith has failed to produce chart-topping hits, yet it contained a few highlights like this one. “Reason to Be” shifts to the new pop-rock style from the band, as they try to record AOR hits for the next years to come.

“Hope Once Again” – Freaks of Nature (1995)

Steve Walsh’s rawness of his voice is apparent in this song, and David Ragsdale’s violin skills are the high point, which was revived to life after the 80s. It’s worth giving it a go.

“Need” – Freaks of Nature (1995)

Another one of Walsh’s depressing tunes, it’s a pretty interesting song about a break-up. The lyrics are milder yet still a tear-jerker one, and the violin adds a nice touch to the song.

“Fight Fire With Fire” Drastic Measures (1983)

Written by John and Dino Elefante, it is one of the few singles from Kansas to belong on the Billboard 100 chart. Although the band’s status at this point is a decline, “Fight Fire With Fire” managed to pull some strings to maintain Kansas’s still-prominent status.