Song for America

Song for America is the second studio album by American progressive rock band Kansas, released in 1975. The album was reissued in remastered format on CD in 2004. The 10-minute title track was edited down to three minutes for release as a single. The 45" edit resurfaced 29 years later as a bonus track on the remastered release, which provided improved sound as well as expanded liner notes, rare photos, and a live version of "Down the Road".

A new version of the album, Playlist: Song for America, was released with "Magnum Opus" from Leftoverture (1976) instead of "The Devil Game" on the new album.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	^[1]

Allmusic, in a retrospective review, praised the "intense energy" of the album's shorter songs, but contended that the longer songs require too much active listening to appreciate. They concluded that the album is "a good (if not adolescent) recording for a group of this genre."^[1]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Kerry Livgren except where noted.

Side one
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Down the Road"	Steve Walsh, Livgren	3:43
2.	"Song for America"		10:03
3.	"Lamplight Symphony"		8:17

Side two
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Lonely Street"	Walsh, Dave Hope, Rich Williams, Phil Ehart	5:43
2.	"The Devil Game"	Walsh, Hope	5:04
3.	"Incomudro - Hymn to the Atman"		12:11

Bonus tracks on 2004 CD reissue
No.	Title	Music	Length
7.	"Song for America" (Single Edit)		3:02
8.	"Down the Road" (Live)		3:53

Bonus tracks on Japan Blu-spec 2011 CD reissue
No.	Title	Music	Length
9.	"Incomudro - Hymn to the Atman" (Live)		16:10

Personnel

Steve Walsh – organ, ARP and Moog synthesizers, lead vocals (except on "Down the Road"), backing vocals on "Down the Road" and "Lonely Street", piano on "Down the Road"
Robby Steinhardt – violin, backing vocals, lead vocal on "Down the Road"
Kerry Livgren – electric and rhythm guitars (except on "Song for America" and "Lamplight Symphony"), Moog and ARP synthesizers, ARP strings, piano (except on "Down the Road")
Rich Williams – electric, acoustic, and rhythm guitars
Dave Hope – bass guitar
Phil Ehart – drums, glockenspiel on "Song for America", Moog drum and gong on "Incomudro - Hymn to the Atman"

Production

Producers: Jeff Glixman, Wally Gold
Engineer: Peter Granet
Mastering: Tom Rabstenek
Preparation: Don Meehan
Arranger: Kansas
Art direction: Ed Lee
Paintings: Peter Lloyd

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

Year	Chart	Position
1975	Pop Albums	57

References

1 2 Allender, Mark W.B.. Song for America at AllMusic

Kansas

Phil Ehart Rich Williams Billy Greer David Ragsdale David Manion Ronnie Platt Kerry Livgren Dave Hope Robby Steinhardt Steve Walsh John Elefante Steve Morse Greg Robert

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

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 Playlist: The Very Best of Kansas

Singles	"Song for America" "Carry On Wayward Son" "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"

Tours	2011 Collegiate Symphony Tour Fall 2012 Tour

Related topics	Discography Native Window

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