The Best of Kansas

The Best of Kansas
Greatest hits album by Kansas
Released	August 1984
Recorded	1974 - 1984
Genre	Hard rock, progressive rock
Length	48:11
Label	Kirshner/CBS Associated
Kansas chronology
Drastic Measures (1983) The Best of Kansas (1984) Power (1986)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	(original)
Allmusic	(reissue)

The Best of Kansas is the first compilation album from the American rock band Kansas. It was originally released in 1984, and featured one new track, "Perfect Lover," written and performed by then-lead vocalist John Elefante. The compilation was re-released in 1999 in a version supervised by the original band members, so "Perfect Lover" was dropped in favor of three additional tracks: from Song for America, Masque, and a track deleted from Two for the Show to make it fit on a single CD. The album has sold over 4 million copies in the US, and was certified quadruple platinum in 2001.

The versions of "Carry On Wayward Son" and "The Wall" on the 1984 release of The Best of Kansas are specially re-mixed versions unique to the first version of this collection. For the 1999 re-issue of the collection the original 1976 mixes from the album Leftoverture are used instead.

Cover art

The cover contains elements of nearly all previous Kansas album covers:

• Kansas: Abolitionist John Brown, as portrayed in the John Steuart Curry mural Tragic Prelude. No tracks from the album appear on either version of The Best of Kansas.
• Song for America: The bird depicted on the front cover of Song for America can be found on the back side, perched atop the track listing.
• Masque: The outline of a fish appears in John Brown's beard. The "face" on the cover of Masque (Giuseppe Arcimboldo's Water) is composed of various marine life. No tracks from Masque appear on the 1984 release.
• Leftoverture: The inkwell and scattered pages of sheet music appear on the back cover.
• Point of Know Return: The ship tipping over the edge of the world is on the front.
• Two for the Show: The spotlights, stage, curtains, and figures in the audience are all indirect references; none of these things (besides an auditorium full of seats) are seen on Two for the Show. On the back cover, there is a mop behind the interrogation chair, which may reference to the cleaning ladies on the cover.
• Monolith: On the back cover, the moon behind a shadow of the figure depicted on Monolith is seen through the open door. No tracks from Monolith appear on either version of The Best of Kansas.
• Audio-Visions: On the back cover, at the right side, one of the two hands on the front cover of 'Audio-Visions' is holding the curtain.
• Vinyl Confessions: The interrogation chair is seen under a spotlight on the back cover.
• 1983 Drastic Measures: The black tux and red bow-tie worn by the bazooka 'player' are worn by John Brown here.

Track listing

1984 original version

1. "Carry On Wayward Son" (Kerry Livgren) –(BMI) 5:22
2. "Point of Know Return" (Phil Ehart, Robby Steinhardt, Steve Walsh) –(BMI) 3:11
3. "Fight Fire With Fire" (Dino Elefante, John Elefante) –(BMI) 3:40
4. "Dust in the Wind" (Livgren) –(BMI) 3:27
5. "Song for America" (Livgren) –(BMI) 9:08
6. "Perfect Lover" (J. Elefante) –(BMI) 4:19
7. "Hold On" (Livgren) –(BMI) 3:52
8. "No One Together" (Livgren) –(BMI) 6:57
9. "Play the Game Tonight" (Ehart, Danny Flower, Rob Frazier, Livgren, Rich Williams) –(BMI) 3:26
10. "The Wall" (Livgren, Walsh) –(BMI) 4:49

CBS ASSOCIATED RECORDS - CBS Inc. - 51 W. 52 Street, New York, N.Y.

1999 reissue

1. "Carry on Wayward Son" – 5:22
2. "Point of Know Return" – 3:11
3. "Fight Fire with Fire" – 3:40
4. "Dust in the Wind" – 3:27
5. "Song for America" – 9:07
6. "Hold On" – 3:51
7. "No One Together" – 6:57
8. "Play the Game Tonight" – 3:26
9. "The Wall" – 4:47
10. "The Pinnacle" (Livgren) – 9:36
11. "The Devil Game" (Dave Hope, Walsh) – 5:04
12. "Closet Chronicles (Live)" (Livgren, Walsh) – 6:54

Personnel

• Phil Ehart - drums
• John Elefante (on "Fight Fire with Fire", "Perfect Lover", and "Play the Game Tonight") - keyboards, vocals
• Dave Hope - bass
• Kerry Livgren - guitars, keyboards
• Robby Steinhardt (except on "Fight Fire with Fire" and "Perfect Lover")- violin, vocals
• Steve Walsh (except on "Fight Fire with Fire", "Perfect Lover", and "Play the Game Tonight") - keyboards, vocals
• Rich Williams - guitar
• Bryan Duncan - backing vocals on "Perfect Lover"