What Makes This Song Great? "Carry on Wayward Son" KANSAS
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- Опубліковано 28 гру 2019
- In this episode of "What Makes This Song Great? Ep.80" we explore the music of Kansas.
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I love that Rick is one of the most talented humans on the planet and he still has the enthusiasm of a 15 year old first discovering music.
I agree with that!! He's my kind of Total Music Geek!!!
Yes!!
Right on...the only way to be!!
So much fun watching Rick do this!
He looks like a child under the christmas tree - so much fun and joy - awesome!
I nominate Rick's WMTSG for the UA-cam series of the decade!!! Who's with me???
I Agree The Best Series of Music Breakdowns Ever!!!!
Me
I have learned far more about music appreciation from these UA-cam videos than I did from a semester of Music Appreciation in college. Rick's enthusiasm and genuine love for it is infectious. Admittedly I'm not a musician myself, but now I'm finding I'm hearing things in older (and some newer) songs I hadn't even noticed before. It's like hearing them again for the first time. Highly recommend this channel for EVERYONE! I thank that man from the bottom of my heart.
Me!
No question about it !
Jesus man, I have heard this song a million times now and just take it for granted. When you sit and pick apart all of the stuff that is going on you can totally see how much of a masterpiece this song is. There could be absolutely nothing done to this song that would make it better. Perfection.
@@jackhaskins6855 For sure. Studying song composition and music production is always an informative and humbling experience.
You summed it up perfectly. I couldn't find the right words; thank you!
"Needs more cowbell"
@@andreasstam7411 😂😂😂
having access to the stems would have made this much easier to learn in my 70s garage band 🌝 but then again it was fantastic ear training to pick out keyboard parts in this or Yes tunes or ELP, Boston songs etc. Fun times, fun bands. Fun era but then current era also fun.
Real instruments, no autotune, real bass, real drums, real harmony....real cool!
And real voices without autotune.
Just a master piece ... all the separate parts expertly crafted ... astounding
Real KANSAS!!!!
@@babagandu- Written and recorded within 24 hours!! How's THAT for talent!!!
I graduated from high school in 1976. Kansas,Boston, Frampton comes alive! Raced in the 125 Elsinore class. 😂 blessed
One of those songs I've heard too often. Then, you see Rick, with all his enthusiasm for the music, and you hear all the parts, and then you get goose bumps all over and think "thats one hell of a song".
Sven Horlemann The drum work is epic on this song
My thoughts exactly. I grew up in the 70s listening to Kansas and this album was obviously huge; but this song was overplayed and grew tiresome. But then Rick does this video and you gain a whole new respect for the song after all these years. Amazing.
I wasn't born until the late 80s, so I feel kind of lucky that I never got radio burnout with this one. It never got old for me. Don't get me wrong, Rick still brought it to life :D
when he broke down the parts, I was thinking, hell, that could be a song in itself! ...then he did it again and I was thinking, That could be a song, all on it's own! so cool
It's a great one for playing the old game of "Who played that bit, Kerry or Rich?" :D
Am I the only one here who catches themselves having this huge grin on their face while watching Rick breaking one of these down for us?
No, no you are not :)
I make the same faces he does!
I’m constantly grinning when watching Rick - his enthusiasm is so catching!!
Definitely not! I'm grinning and doing the air guitar right along! 😁🎶
It's a grimace of ecstasy of pleasure... I think...
Steve Walsh was known for his vocals but was sorely underrated as a keyboard player! He was a beast !
no he wasnt under rated at all sorry
Yeah I saw em in the nineties and he had so much energy it was CONTAGIOUS!!
Like having Wakeman and Tony Banks but they can sing like Robert Plant!
I think Steve Walsh was underrated for his vocals too. Rarely hear his name mentioned when discussions of great rocks vocalists are put forward. But as Rick highlighted, great vocal track, no autotune. Amazing.
Definitely under-rated, but so is Kerry Livgren!!! Kerry played a mini-moog, as well as multiple electric pianos, synths...
I love how rick ABSOLUTELY NAILS the tones with his own equipment when he plays the parts himself. A true master of his craft and it’s so inspiring to see his enthusiasm as he explains. One of (if not THE) best channels on UA-cam
1. They don’t write music like this anymore.
2. Watching Rick get a thrill out of this music is such a big part of this video.
good music is still being written; it's just harder to find. do a UA-cam search on The Lone Bellow, I'm With Her, Lukas Nelson and/or Corin Ashley. I think you'll find some good song writing and recording with any of these artists.
Kansas should be in the Rock-N-Roll Hall-of-Fame.
They blew away just about any Band that ever lived with their musicianship, energy, and their brilliant and complex Compositions.
@Angelspawn The R&R HOF is a massive hypocritical and contradictory "political" entity, that has become meaningless by its own shallowness and incompetence. There is no clear cut music criteria, or influence metrics, or talent measurements, or even music genre impact applied that is involved with them. It is just simply all about "trendiness", and a kind of "peer pressure"-based, superficial popularity.
In the beginning it was easier to bring attention to the original Rock founders (Berry, Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Bill Haley, Holly, Richard, Gene Vincent, etc.), but since there are so many thousands and thousands of bands since then, and so many styles of music within the space of "Rock", it has become an impossible task to really create a true Hall-of-Fame. It inevitably just degenerates into a lowest common denominator thing .. where no talent bands that did nothing 'special' or unique at all but somehow were "trendy" with largely unknown self-appointed selectors - are chosen to be rewarded, while amazing music talents that stretched the boundaries of popular music and blew peoples minds away (like Kansas) are ignored.
And it is not about "breaking the mold" or being controversial either - as you have very "play it safe", uncontroversial, purely commercial -pop-rock Bands like Tom Petty in there (due to "popularity"), while Bands that were unique and stretched Rock music in new directions (Jethro Tull, Kansas) are not even considered.
And why are Rap and Hip-Hop people in a Rock Music Hall anyway? (when that is not even close to "Rock music" to be begin with). It is all politics, and like a lot of other cultural things that we see today - defies basic logic and common sense -- in order to superimpose some sort of political agenda.
.
Yea, this song just never quits in any part.
It's nuts, they coulda put half the work into the song and it'd still be a massive memorable hit, but they kept polishing and adding all these extra touches.
to say nothing of the lyrics...
and the great memories.
So true literally every part of this song is immaculate and memorable
@@creedolala6918 The details and intricacies especially in the guitar parts are almost unbelievable. Great musical minds.
Lots of memories attached to this song, involving cassette tapes, hair spray, and a Chevy Camaro.
It’s not false nostalgia… it’s simply better music and musicianship!!! Rock On Rick
My wife and I took our 3 young sons to see Kanas and Yes in concert. They experienced real master musicians playing real instrument. They absolutely went crazy when Kansas performed Wayward Son. That concert opened up their musical vocabulary.
Kansas and Yes? Wow, that must've been one of the best concerts ever.
Wow what a show. Two of my favorite bands
Of all time. How did Kansas sound? I never
Saw them in later years only at 1977 Spectrum in Philadelphia. Unbelievable show!
@@LewisBuckles not likely they were the same concert, but it would have been quite a show
@@kindofsimplereally Yes and Kansas have intermittently toured together since 2005
Awesome parents! Props 🤟
Rick beato is an adult man who's been around music all his life, and to see him look so happy with child like joy when he hears a certain rhythm and groove is just so cool. Never stop finding joy in life.
Great comment, I love it,I couldn't agree more with you, that's what good music should do to us all!!!
And he’s actually only a mere white male…
No Trans necessary to smile in life.
😷🤣
I remember Carry On Wayward Son and More Than A Feeling constantly being played on the radio. We are so fortunate to have lived through that era of music!
When Boston came out it was like every 10 minutes it was on. The debut album was a monster in every sense of the word. ALL played by ONE guy.
Kerry Livgren and bandmates were in majestic unison.
mkii1964 damned straight, skippy!
Muskokwww
And are still on the radio, I always listen Mix FM 93.1 in Cancun and they plays both songs all days. The same with BIG 105.9 in Miami!. Good music never dies!
I'm 63 years old. I play percussion. Mostly Latin. I graduated high-school in '77.Kansas is one of my favorite bands & "Wayward Son" is absolutely one of my all time favorites. The song has a great driving beat but also some sweet breaks and fabulous harmony. It' s just special to me.
I think the lyrics are wonderful as well
Carry on my Wayward Son is one of my favorite tunes of all time! But it's gotta be LOUD! ❤❤❤
That whole album is a masterpiece
True. Non-musician here. Does Rick receive
special tracks that has the instruments isolated, or is he using software that isolates them?
Kansas is phenomenal!
"And if I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don't know."
One of the best verses in any song ever.
David Berdes Socrates is the wisest man in Athens for he knows that he knows nothing
"The more I learn, the less I know". (George Harrison)
@@barryshea1657 Barry Shea the boom operator?
@@Lengsel7 Yes! Have our paths crossed?
@@barryshea1657 Dana K and The 3rd Nail, and maybe some other things. Hey bro! Good to see you!
I ran into Steve Walsh's mother one day as she lived close by. I told her how much I enjoyed Kansas and she said yeah those seven years of piano lessons paid off. Yes ma'am! 😊
did his mom think he was "under rated"? lmao
@@clemclemson9259 not sure but you definitely are not……
Kerry Livgren actually played (and composed) the main Acoustic Piano part that defines the versus.
Steve Walsh did the Organ work
Kerry Livgren also does the amazing Grand Piano work on Cheyenne Anthem too (from the same album).
Livgren is a genuis!
Absolutely! That's why he's known as "The Maestro!"
Other than maybe EVH or Page. What other guitar “god” had two iconic guitar riffs in the same song. Kerry Livgren!
Saw them in concert in 1976 supporting this new album. The live version is incredibly close to the studio version...Walsh's voice was as perfect on stage as the record!!...oh, and he did it while playing all these intricate keyboard parts and jumping around like an athlete!!! Everybody on stage was ridiculously professional, top notch musicians.
i never realized how "orchestrated" a rock song could be... until Rick broke it down for me. Wow. Just. Wow.
They are recording ARTISTS, you know. It really is a craft.
It isn't just that it's orchestrated. Technically, orchestration is deciding what instruments will play a bit. The most interesting part of Kansas compositionally is how "contrapuntal" their music is; that is, everyone is playing different little bits and pieces. It's not like Yes, where everyone seems to be soloing simultaneously (not exactly a fair statement), but all the parts of the song aren't just "vertically" set up, where the bass and drums "hold down the fort" while an instrument solos or plays a melody with the singer. When Rick says "it's actually a double lead" that's a nice case in point. Both guitarists are playing the same line, but one of them is harmonized. It's sort of like as the band is playing, they don't even know (individually) how it will sound coming out, but we in the audience get to hear all the parts coming together. queen also built up a wall of orchestration, but they almost never had the degree fo compositional "counterpoint" that Knasas has.
This is why you can often listen to an entire song and just pay attention to a single instrument and not get bored. Meanwhile, the bassist (Dave Hope) and teh drummer (Phil Ehart) are two of the most consistently entertaining sections of the band. Both are playing some really scrumptious stuff, even without being showy too often.
Chris, I hope this opened your eyes to Kansas. As cool as this song is, it's the commercial stuff. Treat yourself to the deep cuts of Kansas! They have ALBUMS of mind blowing music magic! ...
Kerry stated in his bio that some of his first music exposures was to classical music and that this played a big role in his music style development. Agree with David (below) that yes, you must check out some of the "deep cuts" of Kansas...other songs on this album (Leftoverture) and Point of Know Return.
You would say they are real musicians not those of todays
10:30 "You don't get to have interludes, 'cause people are so in a hurry, they never let the songs develop and have these natural parts to them." Spoken by a true Master Musician.
no truer words here- today is more, "rushed music for a rushed culture..."...absorbing an album used to be an "event"...
@@sseltrek1a2b OTOH, people were complaining about "a rushed culture" back when this song was made. I think it's an adulthood thing. But now, with punk in everything, musicians are caught up in it, too. "Don't bore us, get to the chorus." Funny how it all ties together...
Blame RUSH. Ba-dum. Sorry- and seriously.. young musicians.. take note of this.
@Mario Castillo can you provide an example of an interlude that’s been popular in the last 7 years?
A bad ass song by Kansas. I lived in Kansas as a teenager. I saw Kanas at a rock and roll bar for a three dollar cover. Obviously, they hadn't made it big yet. They were so much better than the other cover bands that toured around. Incredible music even then.
Seriously, who the heck are the 208 people who gave this a thumbs down? This episode was flawless!
fake accounts and bots mostly
woke cancel culture gave it a a thumbs down... Beato's review of this song is amazing.
Trolls and other vegetable life forms. Digital phone zombies.
the good old days when you could Thumbs Down. BTW, I gave it thumbs up. I'd give it two thumbs up if I could.
Taylor Swift fans.
“People are now in such a hurry, they never let the songs develop”.... the single most important point that can be made in life today, not just music. We’ve rushed everything to a point where now almost nothing matters to many.
sadly, thats what technology does.
If you notice too, video watch demographics for this kind of video would skew towards the older generations. Whereas younger demographics just want the "top 10" style video, bite sized chunks, get the important info out, done move onto the next thing.
I feel like classic rock is fading into the background the way classical music has, though it's just too good to fully disappear. Classical music itself hasn't been forgotten, either, and rock will endure as well. I hope!
Ratel.H Badger you're probably right. do you know where it's possible to see those demographics?
Edward Prete And yet it takes years to make a record these days. Some paradox.
The musicianship of Kansas is highly underrated. Great performances on every instrument.
Absolutely
Tears come to my eyes that humans can compose music like this and appreciate it so thoroughly.
Gotta love Kerry Livgren!
An onslaught of awesome parts with guitars, bass, drums, piano and organ before an actual verse. No one does that anymore.
Actually I saw this tour and found one band that can do it of all bands its panic at the disco live at some festival. The also do a great version of BeeGees lonely days at a tribute to them. They're great musicians when doing class
I love how this episode is just Rick going "I mean just listen to it!"
I used to sit in my bedroom and just listen for hours ! Sometimes air drumming or singing along, my sisters used to bust me all the time, I didn't care. So much great music in the mid 70s, Alice Cooper, Kansas, ELO, Pink Floyd, Grand Funk, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Aerosmith, the music that made me become a musician, such a great period for rock music
Yea, I'm with Rick ;)
He knows a great song when he hears one. Carry on...is a killer song and never gets changed on the radio dial when it comes on! Just one of those songs that always gets listened to all the way through. If I'm in my car..will wait until song finishes. Always no exceptions lol! F'in weird like that ;)
Contextual analysis = "Wooohhh!"
Methinks Rick is a Kansas fan. :)
I've always loved how Ehart's drums frame the song so perfectly. Wonderful time-keeping and not trying to overpower all the other awesomeness going on.
They deserve to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! I think Dave Hope's P bass always sounds great, and maybe he doesn't get enough recognition.
Dear God... They're not?
I guess that just proves you don't need talent to get in, it's all rigged...
The HOF is a complete and utter joke! Dolly Parton was nominated for crying out loud. Why do people keep saying "so and so belongs there". No they don't! No decent rock artist belongs there.
They're not but Run DMC , LL Cool J , Jay Z are , just goes to show you Jann Wenner and the RRHOF don't have a fucking clue
They'll never get in. They're too Christian leaning for the Lefty run hall of shame.
Depeche Mode? 80s pop gets in. Rap and Hip Hop crap; No George Thorogood either.
Kerry Livgren is a staunch Christian. Ex bass player Dave Hope is a preacher in Florida. Again, NO WAY Carry On Wayward Son will see the Hall.
Dave Hope was/is a GREAT bass player! All you have to do is listen. He's been a church leader for many years now. I was a big fan after seeing their debut on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert as a teenager. They were immediately and refreshingly different. I wrote a fan letter to them - the only time I ever did that to anyone in my life. I received a handwritten reply written by Dave Hope. I will cherish it forever.
Oh yeah...the whole album is fantastic. Phil Ehart (the drummer) said they were done with the album, had actually packed all their equipment when Livgren came in with yet another song. They recorded Carry On with such precision mainly because they'd already honed the playing with all those other songs...everything worked out perfect. Great players! American Prog.
My new favorite sound is Rick saying "Whooo!"
He should add a "Whooo!" counter in the corner of his videos.
Whoo! Drum face! Kick drum sounds huge! Without a grid! We need a Rick song really.
As he does air drumming
"Hey everyone im Rick Beato" is the best part
Man!!! Gimme a break! No Quantizition! No autotune!
You have to love how much musical devastation is laid down and then finally Rick says..”Ok, so we’re into the first verse”. Lol
I air-play every instrument in this song every time! Organs jabs are awesome. The bassist for Kansas lives in my town and has helped some of my bands book some shows over the years and still plays in local bands himself.
Absolutely amazing. “They just don’t make bands like that anymore. “
I've loved this song for 30 years. I've heard it hundreds of times. Then I listen to Rick break it down like this and now I love it 100X more
ya know, you re right. i was so sick of this piece but because of Rick i now have a new found admiration for this. can you imagine what else we ve been missing from the past 50+ years!?
When you hear it on the radio, all of the parts get muddled. With Ricks equipment & insight, the genius shines through.
Thanks Rick. I've always felt that Kansas was so musically under appreciated.
Stolen from journey of course.
@ floydcooley....lol good point and I think that's for a reason. Don't think this band really speaks to many outside the USA. Bland & boring!!!
Robert Wheatley - What was stolen from Journey? Put down the crack pipe, dude!
Such great band of musicians. Steve Walsh's voice is truly one of the best male voices in rock
Dude you have the best job like ever... Kansas never got the credit they deserved Imo ...well done sir 🙏
My younger brother, a bass player, passed away a few years ago. Every time I visit his grave this is the song that plays in my head.
We were so spoiled. The 70s were an amazing time for hard/prog rock. And no autotune! Rick, your enthusiasm for music is so infectious. Carry on.
We weren't spoiled. The music industry decided to shut down rock music, after 15 years, and replace it with rap which has been running strong since 1985. Look at the people and the politics involved. Rock music had wandered from the socialist/civil rights protest and had become an exercise in what critics of the time derided as 'gratuitous' music.
There was some really sophisticated music in those days. I was in Junior High School. There was ELP, Yes, Kansas, Rush, and the Queen emerged. It’s no wonder people are still listening to this music. They have stood the test of time. It’ll be interesting to see if people are listening 100 years from now.
The artists you mentioned and more will be the Beethovens, Mozarts, Bachs, and Handels of their time. They'll be played and replayed for centuries to come
@@bj.bruner Those classical heroes have already stood the test of time. They’ll continue.
1. The piano + acoustic guitar part really does have a medieval feel to it - wouldn't sound at all out of place at a Renaissance faire.
2. I never realized how long the final vocal note/phrase carried on - for some reason, my brain always clipped it off when the instruments come back in, but it just keeps going!
Steve Walsh is one of the most underrated singers in rock
I assure you that he was and is very highly rated although in the current climate his name doesn't come up that much but that is, unfortunately, true of a lot of musicians from this era.
@@TheUtuber999 Which one? Carry on Wayward Son wasn't even their top hit.
@@TheUtuber999 Yeah, other than All Night Long, Rocky Mountain Way, Funk #49, all the Eagles stuff, and all the others I'm forgetting, just the one.
@@darrenramey437 I must have missed something. You guys are talking about Joe Walsh (James Gang, Barnstorm, solo, The Eagles) instead of Steve Walsh (Kansas). Both are great artists but Steve's a far better singer/keyboardist, but Joe's a guitar god and has a very amusing personality.
Along with that, Kerry Livgren is often overlooked as a guitarist.
People can't sing like that even WITH autotune. Steve was amazing, as was the whole band, as they could pull this and other complex songs live. One of the best prog bands ever. I like to think of them as the American Yes. Even have ton of member changes! Some of the deeper tracks are even more incredible. Full on masterpieces.
Agreed. Even their "simple" stuff is amazing. I still consistently get goosebumps when I listen to "Dust in the Wind" from "Two for the Show".
I'm a huge fan of The Wall and The Pinnacle.
“The American Yes.” I have thought that for years.
And they are still absolutely incredible when you get them up on a concert stage. Soon as the virus kerfluffle tones down, GO. SEE. KANSAS. LIVE. You WILL NOT regret it. With their current lineup they have the number of musicians and the caliber of musicians to reproduce any song in their catalog. And given how long their shows are these days, they're a great value for the concert dollar! :D
@@mrz80 not sure. Last time I saw them live was when Steve's voice was still in pretty decent shape and Robbie was on violin. As good as the new lineup is, it cant live up to that. Same thing with Yes...saw the last tour when Anderson and Rick Wakeman were there, and Squire was still alive. Rather hang on to the memory of epic shows with mostly original lineuos than an okay show with one or two guys and essentially a cover band.
Hearing the pieces separated is my favorite aspect of this series.
In my humble opinion, this is one of the most epic songs in rock music history. Thank you for the video. You actually got me to notice a few elements in it that I hadn’t noticed before!
This, and "Dust In the Wind" maybe?
The best Rock intro of all at least
Except for the radio edit where they shorten the intro.
Please dive much deeper into Kansas! (not just the titles you've heard of) They have albums of PURE MAGIC!
They became my favorite band in 1975...
@@daviddew1945 Beginning with Audio Visions, Livgren & Hope's born-again philosophy began pervading their music. They lost me with AV, Vinyl Confessions and Drastic Measures. "Power" was a welcome return and they came back mightily with "In the Spirit of Things". The greatest American Prog Rock band without a doubt.
The entire album is a fricken masterpiece, as is Point of Know Return!
Timothy Charles Ellis, I ended up appreciating the Album’s B side more than the A side with the epic ballads and the instrumentals with tight rhythms.
My mom bought the album in 1977 after seeing the movie Heroes, and it soon after found a new home in my bedroom. I was instantly a fan of this band and went back and acquired all of their previous releases and everything until Steve Walsh left. Always Never the Same was awesome when it came out years later.
Iconic tune from one of the absolute best bands ever ..so much talent in that group....never fail to be in awe of the vocals....and orchestration..they just fricken rock!
@@timothycharlesellis5940 My first Kansas was actually 'Play The Game Tonight'. (w/ John Elephante (sp?)) Terribly commercial in hindsight... but it was the one that whet my appetite for the real Kansas. But when I heard 'The Wall', I was blown away.
I fell in love with The Wall when l first heard it. Beautiful chord progression! Definitely on my "To do" list as far as songs l want to learn on acoustic guitar.
Hey you know guys? We should do a series called "What makes Rick Beato great". Episode 1: just his authentic enthusiasm for this great music that we grew up with.
You know what makes Rick Beato suck? He never answers questions that people leave in the comments. I'm talking legitimate, insightful questions.
Yes!
@@artvandelay8090 Try reading 5,000 comments my friend! Ease up
Steve Walsh. I've said it more than once - most unknown->underrated rock singer of all time. He's got as much talent as any vocalist - Mercury, Perry, etc. But wait - there's more - Walsh also is an awesome pianist/organist.
True dat!
@@BattManion1979 Steve wanted to break away and be a solo artist. He knew all too well how great he was, but was humble about it. (A little birdie told me.)
He's also a great performer. He would do near handstands on his organ. He would jump up, place his hands on its side, and then push off. His body was about 30 degrees above horizontal. And he didn't miss a note playing or singing.
Steve really shines in his band "Streets" after his departure from Kansas. If you are a Walsh fan and yet to listen to the 2 albums he put out with Streets you certainly missing out!!
@@aorgypzy I've heard the first album and love it. The band I was in at the time covered "If Love Should Go". I still love that track.
This song is musical perfection.
rat4spd indeed!!
Absolutely!
It cannot be said enough how interesting and excellent this series has become...
Honnestly it's top notch from the start
Blasting this in the high school parking, in the late 1970's, at lunch break. is still a high light of my life.
Kerry played the piano parts when I saw them numerous times in concert. Steve played organ.
I had to post that when I heard this comment. Although Steve is often credited with playing piano on their early albums, it's usually a much smaller amount compared to him playing organ and synthesizers. Kerry usually did most of the piano work for whatever reason, even though you'd think piano would align better with the singer. My guess is that Steve wanted to be able to detach from the keyboards and be a front-man a good portion of the time while singing and mostly stuck to the keyboards for the instrumental parts, which makes more sense for the instruments chosen over piano. Either that, or Kerry was bringing in the songs with himself already covering the piano so Steve picked other instruments.
This song has always had a special place in my heart, as it reminds me of my son who suffers from Bipolar disorder with paranoid tendencies. "Carry on my wayward son,
there be peace when you are done,
Lay your weary head to rest,
Don't cha cry no more.
You're like me; I took lyrics to actually mean something back then. Not just "Oh, that word rhymes with this one, so let's use it."
I use to think about it too... God Bless U
Michele Parker - That’s the cherry on top of great music like Kansas made: it has the power to comfort and heal. I wish you and your son the best. Take care.
@@crusheverything4449 Thanks, much love to you and Happy New Year!!!😍😍
Michele Parker - Happy new year!! ❤️
Real instruments, real musicians and an epic rock piece. You feel like you're being taken on a journey when you hear that opening line. Great choice!
JOURNEY ^^
Love how he breaks down and explains all the individual parts. The songwriting and arranging by Kerry Livgren is a masterpiece. Their harmonies are awesome and the band overall is just tight AF. Look up the excellent rockumentary Kansas, Miracles Out of Nowhere, definitely worth watching.
This has been in my top 10 favorite songs in life, thank you for breaking it down. I just found out a few minutes ago that Robbie Steinhardt died Saturday, but only announced this morning. No one ever made a violin sound so cool! RIP Robbie! Thank you Rick Beato! Love your energy and smiling face!
When other music and guitar channels are fighting who is faster ....who is legit.. My man Beato is killing it with real music related contents. Best channel. ❤❤❤
I was given this album for Christmas 1977, it was my 1st album @ age 10, & I still have it. People wonder why the music business is hurting. Then you hear an incredibly well written, performed, and recorded album like this. I was ruined for life. The 1st things that ever caught my ear were Kansas' albums Point of Know Return & Leftoverture, Roundabout by Yes, Your Song & Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding, the entirety of the 1st Boston album, Harry Chapin's Cat's Cradle, & Emerson Lake & Palmer's Karn Evil 9 1st Impression, Part 2. Throw in Edgar Winter Group's Frankenstein, the whole of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon and I'm sorry but most pop just didn't cut it after that.
I’’m amazed that we had music like this and then DISCO became popular.
Don't get me started on the 80's and 90's....bloody hell.
I would add Styx Grand Illusion to that list. Cheers.
Rap is crap and pops a flop. Disco, well I can't say it here but basically it sucks.
I was lucky enough to see them in concert in the 70s, the most amazing live band ever. I swear to you, Steve Walsh would literally stand on his hands upside down while playing the keyboard! It was beyond words! On top of this incredible music! I was sitting right behind and above him, he did high kicks over his head through the whole show. Unbelievable show, they sounded live exactly like the recordings, and they had much more complicated songs than "Carry on wayward son". I saw many great bands back in that time, but Kansas was the best, hands down.
They were the Best!
Yep, yep, and yep. Rob, I saw them at Cobo Arena in Detroit in '80 maybe? Same seats as you, from above and behind Steve and saw him like a maniac athlete doing (probably coke-fueled) jump-up hand stands on his organ all night. Also marimbas and congas and perfect rock vocals over all. His vocals are WAY underrated and were what inspired my teenage self to want to be a rock & roll vocal frontman.
One of the most genius things the TV show 'Supernatural' did was to keep coming back to this song.
I believe the main actors are from Kansas.
The actors are from Texas. The characters hometown is Lebanon, Kansas - the geographical centre of the US
This song is a CLASSIC example of every instrument playing in their own spaces, which is incredible given how many instruments there are playing at once
once upon a time, long long ago, in an age far far away, 200+ years on, their was mainstream talent such as this......
@@helenek5678 - Perhaps some day some person will find a relic from the distant past when the priests from the Temples of Syrinx had outlawed creativity...
or at least from a time before auto-tune.
@@fredresz7773 Don't annoy us further! We have our work to do!
@@helenek5678 "mainstream talent" - back in the day when bands got popular because they were good bands. Seems like eons ago.
One of the greatest intros of all time.
Watch your channel often. Was a huge Kansas fan before. Even more so now. Local radio station was giving away this album prerelease. Ten or so over a few days. The last day, 3 am. finally made it into the station. Got the question right and scored the album. That's how much I wanted this album. It was totally worth it.
Your breakdown of this song gives me even more of an appreciation for their talent.
I love watching Rick play the parts. He's like a forensic detective meets young kid, building a first model car.
You can tell how great a song is by how many times Rick goes, "Woooooo!".
And “smokin’!”
And how often he starts playing air guitar in spite of having like 20 guitars right behind him.
Rick is the best his passion for every note of every song is great it would be funny if someone did a video montage of his facial expressions for each instrument
@@falsenames Difference is, his fingers are in the right place "in the air" :-)
@@RogerBarraud Oh, I agree. Rick is clearly correct with his fingering from muscle memory. I enjoy hearing him play along with the songs or isolating his playing to show how good a riff or melody is, but I enjoy his appreciation for fine details and pointing them out to plebs like me even more. For some of the songs he's going over, he seems (quite reasonably) swept away and doesn't pause a song long enough to grab a guitar because it's always at "the good part".
You could have chosen almost any song from this, one of the greatest prog rock bands ever. Nice job!
The very next song on the album. "The Wall"
Rick, you're the best music appreciation teacher I've ever seen.
I saw Kansas live and the performance was out of this world. The electric violin on Dust in the Wind blew me away.
Half the fun of the “WMTSG” series is watching Rick play air instruments 🎙🎹🥁🎸🎤
Lol!
Becuase it reminds us all of what we do when we listen to it alone 🤘
Definitely! KICK DRUM!
I love When Rick enjoys a tune. He goes in hard! XD
Hes definetly into what he does!!!.... it spreads the enthusiasm!... if I would have had a music teacher as Badass and Cool as Rick Beato in school----- I would've taken more lessons!... he makes everything interesting. ,:)
I always appreciated the structure of the song - not a usual verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus thing.
Far from a straight ahead pop song.
@Luke Robinett you do realize you're arguing alone, right?
@Luke Robinett 100% agree the majority (if not ALL) songs that reach the top of the charts use some variation of the verse/chorus format. By that I mean a verse portion leads into a repeating, climactic chorus. Most of the time, songs utilize some kind of build and release, loud/quiet/loud idea. Not that using this formula is necessarily a good or bad thing, it’s just that music is much easier to get into when you’re familiar with the basic conventions a song utilizes.
Songs can be huge hits by alienating as few people as possible. Here’s the idea: the verse/chorus format is the familiar building block that most popular music is based on. Verse/chorus is kind of a vague concept, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a song that’s gotten decent radio-play that doesn’t have some sort of hook. You know, that one section of a song that you find yourself humming throughout the day? The part of the song you sing to your friend when she asks “how does that song go again?” The part that literally “hooks” into your memory.
The verse builds into the catchy hook of the song. It’s tried and true, and is the one defining feature that binds together every song on the best seller list.
Think about it like Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. But instead of talking about psychology, we’re talking about music. I believe that there is a similar hierarchy that we all go through when listening to music. For many people, song structure one of the most important factors in their enjoyment of a song, even though they might not realize it. People want to hear a song that approaches songwriting in a familiar way that they can innately understand. Once a listener feels comfortable with a song’s structure, then they can focus on the details like melody and harmony. When a song provides an easy to follow and almost universally recognizable format like verse/chorus, then the listener is open to appreciate what the song is doing melodically. Then add repetition on top of that and you have a song that feels familiar on the very first listen. The verse/chorus format is definitely the most valuable tool a pop song has to make someone enjoy it right away.
The only issue then is this becomes quite a stale formula and songs like Carry on Wayward Son sound all that much better because of it. Many other fantastic songs too like Bohemian Rhapsody, All Along The Watchtower, Hey Jude, I Walk The Line et cetera. Imo these songs when they work become transcendent.
The story behind the song is worth telling, too.
Luke Robinett - I think Martin meant no one is arguing with you.
Just gotta say that was my time. I was a Kansas fan in the 70's, saw them 4 times live. Last was the Leftoverture show at Memorial Hall in KCK. They kicked every show. It was amazing how tight that band was with everything going on. They never let the crowd down. True pros.
So cool to see someone who understands how all the various parts come together to create this masterpiece, explaining the intricacies of this song.
"medieval" sound -> acoustic guitar picked so cleanly that it sounds like a harpsichord
he was also referring to the chord progression and harmonies within it at that point, moreso I'd argue.
Yaaass I picked that up as well.
well. Harpsichords began in the late middle ages, a medieval instrument would be a lute, lyre, or harp for the sound you're referencing :)
That was my thought as well. That harpsichord sound reminds me of Rick Wakeman of Yes on Siberian Khatru.
This whole Leftoverture album is a pure masterpiece.
Absolutely! My personal favorites on this album are 'Cheyenne anthem', because the content is very moving and 'Magnum opus', because of the musical brilliance!
Yes, but the most underrated Kansas album was Song for America which came out before Leftoverture. I believe it did not get recognition due to the long song formats, so really had nothing suitable for radio play. Saw them do this live opening for Queen in 1975 - absolutely incredible!
and continues through the Know Return album.... in these two they peaked.
@Peter Laman believe it or not, I sang Cheyenne Anthem while doing the dishes last night (Sunday 12/29/19). Yes, I sing when I do dishes because that chore sucks. Anyway, back when I was in 5th grade in the late 70's, I bought Leftoverture and listened to it non stop for weeks. One day my mom heard me singing along to Cheyenne Anthem and thought I sang "it's my destiny to fart and die" rather than "fight and die" and that was an inside joke between us for years. Something made me think of that yesterday and I just started singing it from the top, "From the mountains to the sun..." while washing the silverware.
Russell Szabados join the club, but since i play(since 1982-3)guitar, bass, drums and some backing vocals, i wash the stupid dishes and just hum the beats in my head-the whole time. My dentist says why do i grind and smash my teeth? And it’s that, me keeping the beat with my teeth while doind dishes.
I’ve literally watched this episode at least three times. How can anyone actually DISLIKE it?? They don’t like the song?? Then why listen in the first place. They don’t like Rick’s analysis?? Why? Anyone do it better? Does it lack sufficient enthusiasm ( 😂 )? So many people bothering to click the Dislike Button is just another symptom of our diseased society.
I think they just misclicked the button, it has happened to me couple of times
@@extrullorgd4444 You, Sir, have taken the high road! Cynical as I may be, I appreciate your spirit of generosity 🙂
This and The Wall are absolutely amazing! Both written in days. I always get emotional at the end of The Wall knowing Kerry's spiritual journey. I had the pleasure of meeting him after an AD show. Such a humble man.
I was in Bengaluru India at a very nice hotel and since I was the first guy to show up at the restaurant in the morning, the chef came out to talk to me. He asked what I liked and I admitted I was pretty clueless about the food of India. He walked me through the massive buffet and explained the various dishes, what regions they came from, how they were seasoned and how to properly combine them and so on. His passion and excitement took my ability to appreciate and enjoy Indian food up ten levels in ten minutes. I was there a week and each morning he would insist I avoid the buffet and let him prepare my breakfast, and I swear each day was better than the previous. This reminds me of that experience in a way. Someone so well-versed and passionate about music that it spills off the screen and right into you. I go back to the songs and just bask in the new knowledge and sense of wonder as I listen, and these songs that blew me away as a teenager are infused once again with the power to make listening an out of body "in the moment" experience. Don't forget to take the time to listen to the music after watching these. And thanks Mr. Beato.
Sounds like a oberoi hotel
That’s a really cool story. For me, the implicit lesson is that people are real, not cartoons, in every part of the world, despite the efforts of the haters to degrade their humanity. I find that people who have spent time in foreign parts have a different worldview than those who only stay home and consume media. Thanks for saying your reality.
You just made my tummy rumble ☺ The childlike passion never gets old. Massive 🥂
Leela Palace by any chance?
I love the picture you you just painted. Thank you for your story.
Rick was like a kid in Candy store on this one. Love his passion for good music.
I come back and watch this occasionally just to remind myself how good of a complete arrangement this song is. Everything is just perfect
Went to many a concert mid 70's thru the 80's and Kansas was my favorite. Unbelievably good musicians. Close runner-ups? Queen and Rush.
I’ve loved this amazing song since the day it hit my radio!!
Such a great time to be a teenager! 🤟
I’m going to keep lobbying for a new series “What makes this band great” where you compare songwriting themes that come up throughout a bands career and how it changes over time and how it was influenced.
How do you isolate the different tracks?
Michael Jackubowski I know a lot of people get them from the game guitar hero but I’m not sure where he gets other isolated tracks.
@@Mick1037 hey Mike, was wondering the same thing and had asked in the channel. keep me updated if you get an answer. thx
@@Mick1037 I think Rick has said it somewhere; studios trade off those. Something like that. Though I might be totally off because I have to rely on my memory. :P
@@Quusikko I'm pretty sure he does get them from the studios. He mentioned it in one of these videos. Not sure how though
Even if you've heard this song hundreds of times, you really haven't heard everything it has to offer unless you've listened to it through a good set of headphones (not earbuds). The sound engineers on the 70's hard rock and prog. rock albums had a lot of fun doing things like shifting a guitar part (or theremin as in Zeppelin's Whole Lotta Love) from one channel to another and then back and forth, splitting the vocals from centered to each channel with a miniscule delay added (Rush, Hemispheres), etc. These sorts of techniques added more depth to songs that were already masterpieces before the sound engineering and final mixing began.
❤❤❤
Those dudes could sing!
And, they could play.
Such talent.
Thank you Rick.
"People used to be able to sing without auto tune"
Way back in the days when guys (and gals) would practice for hours in their rooms, no social life, no viral concerns, no youtube to noodle for, just practice, practice, practice, and when they felt ready, they'd go out and find other musicians that did the same thing for the same reason, form a band and hopefully get noticed. You had to have talent, and put in the time to refine it. No short cuts. :)
People still do. It may not be what radio is playing, but there are some seriously talented musicians out there. And there was a lot of bad music when we were young as well. Fortunately it has vanished.
@@klapaucius7339 amen, brother. The change has been that the people talented in this kind of music are no longer breaking into the charts at all, but they're still out there making music if you look for them. I'm loving some of the newer artists coming out of Nashville in the past decade, and there are great artists everywhere from the Seattle indie scene to the UK prog metal one. Musicality is far from dead, it's just not as popular anymore.
Most rock just said "3 chords! Go!"
Credence...great stuff. But they milked G-C-D for everything they could get. How much of the Stones was only the Key of E played on an open guitar?
Punk was great stuff. I love it. It was garbage with energy. Most punks that wanted more, evolved away from it, but it was just kids starting out in garages.
The new stuff is the same thing. Autotune is just another instrument. It's like the 80s. For awhile, we got a bunch of Ah-ha, Flock of Seagulls...the synth wave....but it also gave us Men At Work, Dire Straights, The Cure, Bon Jovi, NIN, Ministry, Skinny Puppy, and a million other things that grabbed the synth and fit it in with guitars.
Sure, I also am not very enthused about new music, but there is cool stuff out there, and there's kids out there doing stuff. It all comes back around.
The way I see it, the kids right now are a lot like the Synth kids from the 80s. They can do a lot by themselves or with one friend. They have millions of sounds and effects at their fingers.....and probably the fad will get tired. They'll want more improvisation...and who knows....maybe something great will come along.
That's what it took to attempt to be great - thanks Ayce
Rockin BoBokkin sorry, even culture club, a-ha, wham and else where great. The bass of duran duran is great, also their catchy lyrics...
4:24 - Kerry riffed piece of Heartbreaker solo for a moment
Geo L Sure did😬😬 I had to play it back but you are right👍
Kansas was the first band I ever saw live (in 1983) and I didn’t appreciate them back then. Thank you Rick for showing what a collection of master musicians is capable of. And truly Steve Walsh is one of the most underrated vocalists ever in classic rock. The old saying is true - they don’t make em like they used to. Today’s music sucks and classic rock lives on because of great bands like Kansas.
I always felt the music was onomatopoeic to the lyrics - chaotic start ("Once I rose above the noise and confusion, Just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion") then the music soars in a dream like way ("I was soaring ever higher, But I flew too high"), there's a sense of journey to the chorus ("Carry on, my wayward son, There'll be peace when you are done") and so on throughout the song with a repeat of the themes both musically and lyrically, via the anarchy of the bridge. Complete congruence, brilliant writing.
Agreed
Great observations
The way you analyse and "dissect" a song is absolutely mindblowing. It makes you realise how hardworking music should be...
Hi Rick. I’m 56 and have loved this song from first hearing it in the late 70s to present day. It’s always been a favourite of mine. But your breakdown has shown me how much more went into making this track great than I could ever have imagined, especially the parts that aren’t easily heard on ordinary record players. The organ, piano, and electric guitar parts add so much more than I thought they did. And listening to the vocals alone just shows what great singers they were. Another fantastic insight into a song. I love it even more than I did before. Thanks Rick
I have never realized how much they put into this song. I would spend hours in the late seventies struggling to learn Kansas and Boston. Thanks for a great analysis Rick. Love it.
I never liked this song much, but seeing your analysis of it makes me appreciate how much of a masterpiece it really is. Great job Rick!
Definitely a contender for one of the best songs ever written. It has it all. It really does!
I knew this was going to be the one for Kansas! Quite possibly one of the most iconic rock songs in history
You help me understand these songs that I have loved, at a deeper level and you just gotta have renewed admiration and appreciation for these bands. Love this song. One of my dad's favourite songs was Dust in the Wind. He always told me to sing it for his funeral but that was asking too much- I couldn't but I played it.
And it's great that all these bands from those years didn't play to a click track, no autotune, as you have pointed out. They let the tempo breathe and they used the studio to masterful effect.
THEN they mounted massive live tours to support these albums and NAILED IT LIVE. Night after night. Not many bands have that ability now. They are out there if you look.
Thank you Rick!
Dang, Rick is branching out to a masterful air organ now!!!
I thought I was a great air musician until I saw that.
That is the classic air organ song.. Steve in his short shorts, stabbing at the organ and doing hand stands is what made their live shows great.
@@seaturtledog I love his "air" drums, pure unashamed enthusiasm, so real and endearing 😊
I think he has enough air instruments now to do a multi-screen video. All the parts, all the Beato!
The verse piano arpegiation is pretty.