Leftoverture
Encyclopedia
Leftoverture is the fourth album
by American
rock
band Kansas
, released in 1976. The album was reissued in remastered format on CD in 2001.
began to experience writer's block
, and his contribution to the album would ultimately be limited to co-authoring four songs. It fell on Kerry Livgren
to fill the void. The dark, sprawling suites from the previous two albums disappeared in favor of shorter, more accessible songs which energized the band. Despite their brevity, the new compositions still retained much of the classically inspired complexity of Livgren's previous work. Kansas recorded the album at Studio in the Country
in Bogalusa, Louisiana. (The Studio in the Country was so-named because, as Kerry Livgren described on In the Studio with Redbeard
in the episode spotlighting Leftoverture that "It was in the middle of a swamp (chuckling). We'd walk out of the studio and there would be gators
in front of the studio, mosquitos the size of B-52s
and at times armadillo
s would run into the control room (laughing)").
", a song which has become a classic rock anthem. Kerry Livgren wrote the song as a sequel to the final song, "The Pinnacle", from the previous album, Masque. "The Wall" explores Livgren's search for meaning. "What's On My Mind" is a straightforward rocker in the vein of "Carry On Wayward Son". Next is the sprawling and deep "Miracles Out of Nowhere", the first of three progressive epics on the album. The fifth track, "Opus Insert", combines pop and progressive rock. This is followed by the uptempo "Questions of My Childhood", "Cheyenne Anthem" is a tribute to the American Indian tribe of the song's title and is one of several Kansas epics that berate man's destruction of whatever he touches. Closing the album is the longest track, the mostly instrumental "Magnum Opus".
Singles - Billboard (North America)
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Kansas
Kansas (band)
Kansas is an American rock band that became popular in the 1970s initially on Album-Oriented Rock charts, and later with hit singles such as "Carry On Wayward Son" and "Dust in the Wind"...
, released in 1976. The album was reissued in remastered format on CD in 2001.
Overview
When Kansas' Masque album failed to produce a hit single, pressure from Kirshner Records intensified. The band knew that if their next LP did not sell, they would be dropped by the label. To make matters worse, Steve WalshSteve Walsh (musician)
Steve Walsh is a singer and songwriter best known for his work as a member of the progressive rock band Kansas.-Introduction:The keyboardist/vocalist/songwriter/producer/percussionist is best known for his visionary work with Kansas...
began to experience writer's block
Writer's block
Writer's block is a condition, primarily associated with writing as a profession, in which an author loses the ability to produce new work. The condition varies widely in intensity. It can be trivial, a temporary difficulty in dealing with the task at hand. At the other extreme, some "blocked"...
, and his contribution to the album would ultimately be limited to co-authoring four songs. It fell on Kerry Livgren
Kerry Livgren
Kerry Allen Livgren is an American musician and songwriter, best known as one of the founding members and primary songwriters for the 1970s progressive rock band, Kansas.-Biography:...
to fill the void. The dark, sprawling suites from the previous two albums disappeared in favor of shorter, more accessible songs which energized the band. Despite their brevity, the new compositions still retained much of the classically inspired complexity of Livgren's previous work. Kansas recorded the album at Studio in the Country
Studio in the Country
Studio in the Country is a recording studio located at 21443 Hwy 436 in Washington Parish, Louisiana.The studio opened in 1973, conceived and owned at that time by recording engineer on a 26-acre pine forest located near New Orleans, LA between Bogalusa, LA and Varnado, LA. The studio is...
in Bogalusa, Louisiana. (The Studio in the Country was so-named because, as Kerry Livgren described on In the Studio with Redbeard
In the Studio with Redbeard
In the Studio with Redbeard is a North American radio program, produced and hosted by Dallas, Texas based rock and roll disc jockey Redbeard....
in the episode spotlighting Leftoverture that "It was in the middle of a swamp (chuckling). We'd walk out of the studio and there would be gators
Alligator
An alligator is a crocodilian in the genus Alligator of the family Alligatoridae. There are two extant alligator species: the American alligator and the Chinese alligator ....
in front of the studio, mosquitos the size of B-52s
B-52 Stratofortress
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber operated by the United States Air Force since the 1950s. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, who have continued to provide maintainence and upgrades to the aircraft in service...
and at times armadillo
Armadillo
Armadillos are New World placental mammals, known for having a leathery armor shell. Dasypodidae is the only surviving family in the order Cingulata, part of the superorder Xenarthra along with the anteaters and sloths. The word armadillo is Spanish for "little armored one"...
s would run into the control room (laughing)").
A detailed description
Leftoverture begins with the hit single "Carry On Wayward SonCarry On Wayward Son
"Carry on Wayward Son" is a progressive rock single recorded by Kansas and written by Kerry Livgren for their 1976 album Leftoverture. In 1977, the song peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard pop singles chart, becoming their first Top 40 hit....
", a song which has become a classic rock anthem. Kerry Livgren wrote the song as a sequel to the final song, "The Pinnacle", from the previous album, Masque. "The Wall" explores Livgren's search for meaning. "What's On My Mind" is a straightforward rocker in the vein of "Carry On Wayward Son". Next is the sprawling and deep "Miracles Out of Nowhere", the first of three progressive epics on the album. The fifth track, "Opus Insert", combines pop and progressive rock. This is followed by the uptempo "Questions of My Childhood", "Cheyenne Anthem" is a tribute to the American Indian tribe of the song's title and is one of several Kansas epics that berate man's destruction of whatever he touches. Closing the album is the longest track, the mostly instrumental "Magnum Opus".
Track listing
- "Carry On Wayward SonCarry On Wayward Son"Carry on Wayward Son" is a progressive rock single recorded by Kansas and written by Kerry Livgren for their 1976 album Leftoverture. In 1977, the song peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard pop singles chart, becoming their first Top 40 hit....
" (5:23) - (Kerry LivgrenKerry LivgrenKerry Allen Livgren is an American musician and songwriter, best known as one of the founding members and primary songwriters for the 1970s progressive rock band, Kansas.-Biography:...
) - "The Wall" (4:51) - (Livgren, Steve WalshSteve Walsh (musician)Steve Walsh is a singer and songwriter best known for his work as a member of the progressive rock band Kansas.-Introduction:The keyboardist/vocalist/songwriter/producer/percussionist is best known for his visionary work with Kansas...
) - "What's on My Mind" (3:28) - (Livgren)
- "Miracles Out of Nowhere" (6:28) - (Livgren)
- "Opus Insert" (4:30) - (Livgren, Walsh)
- "Questions of My Childhood" (3:40) - (Livgren, Walsh)
- "Cheyenne Anthem" (6:55) - (Livgren)
- "Magnum Opus" (I. Father Padilla Meets the Perfect Gnat/II. Howling at the Moon/III. Man Overboard/IV. Industry on Parade/V. Release the Beavers/VI. Gnat Attack) (8:25) - (Livgren, Walsh, Phil EhartPhil EhartPhillip W. Ehart is the drummer in the rock band Kansas. He and Rich Williams are the only two members who have appeared on every Kansas album. He has also taken on the band's management responsibilities in recent years. Born in Coffeyville, Kansas on February 4, 1950, Phil took up the drums in...
, Rich WilliamsRich WilliamsRichard Williams is the guitarist for the rock band Kansas, and has been with them since their 1974 self-titled debut album. Rich lost his right eye in a childhood fireworks accident. He wore a prosthetic eye for many years, but now wears an eye patch instead.In the beginning, Williams shared...
, Dave HopeDave HopeDave Hope is an American bass guitarist who played with the American rock band Kansas from 1973 until the band's first split in 1983. He then started the Christian band AD with Kerry Livgren and others....
, Robby SteinhardtRobby SteinhardtRobert Eugene Steinhardt is a rock violinist and singer best known for his work with the group Kansas, for which he was co-lead singer / "frontman" and emcee along with keyboardist Steve Walsh, from 1973–1982 and 1997–2006...
)
2001 CD reissue bonus tracks
- "Carry On Wayward Son" (Live) (4:45)
- "Cheyenne Anthem" (Live) (6:41)
Personnel
- Phil EhartPhil EhartPhillip W. Ehart is the drummer in the rock band Kansas. He and Rich Williams are the only two members who have appeared on every Kansas album. He has also taken on the band's management responsibilities in recent years. Born in Coffeyville, Kansas on February 4, 1950, Phil took up the drums in...
- drums, percussion - Dave HopeDave HopeDave Hope is an American bass guitarist who played with the American rock band Kansas from 1973 until the band's first split in 1983. He then started the Christian band AD with Kerry Livgren and others....
- bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Kerry LivgrenKerry LivgrenKerry Allen Livgren is an American musician and songwriter, best known as one of the founding members and primary songwriters for the 1970s progressive rock band, Kansas.-Biography:...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - Robby SteinhardtRobby SteinhardtRobert Eugene Steinhardt is a rock violinist and singer best known for his work with the group Kansas, for which he was co-lead singer / "frontman" and emcee along with keyboardist Steve Walsh, from 1973–1982 and 1997–2006...
- violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, violaViolaThe viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
, vocals, lead vocals on "Miracles Out of Nowhere" and "Cheyenne Anthem" - Steve WalshSteve Walsh (musician)Steve Walsh is a singer and songwriter best known for his work as a member of the progressive rock band Kansas.-Introduction:The keyboardist/vocalist/songwriter/producer/percussionist is best known for his visionary work with Kansas...
- keyboards, lead vocals, vibraphone, xylophone - Rich WilliamsRich WilliamsRichard Williams is the guitarist for the rock band Kansas, and has been with them since their 1974 self-titled debut album. Rich lost his right eye in a childhood fireworks accident. He wore a prosthetic eye for many years, but now wears an eye patch instead.In the beginning, Williams shared...
- guitars
Charts
Album - Billboard (North America)| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Pop Albums | 5 |
Singles - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | "Carry On Wayward Son" | Pop Singles | 11 |
| 1977 | "What's On My Mind" | Pop Singles | none |