Founded in 1971, Kansas is one of the most famous bands in progressive rock, inspiring many contemporary progressive rock/metal bands. The tracks "Dust in the Wind" and "Carry on Wayward Son" are both well known hits. Formed in Topeka in 1970, the founding members of the group -- guitarist Kerry Livgren, bassist Dave Hope, and drummer Phil Ehart -- first played together while in high school; with the 1971 addition of classically trained violinist Robbie Steinhardt, they changed their name to White Clover, reverting back to the Kansas moniker for good upon the 1972 arrivals of vocalist/keyboardist Steve Walsh and guitarist Richard Williams. The group spent the early part of the decade touring relentlessly and struggling for recognition; initially, their mix of boogie and prog rock baffled club patrons, but in due time they established a strong enough following to win a record deal with the Kirshner label. Kansas' self-titled debut LP appeared in 1974; while only mildly successful, the group toured behind it tirelessly, and their fan base grew to the point that their third effort, 1975's Masque, sold a quarter of a million copies.
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I'm in a kind of foolish game, I try to get rich quick,
But I'm going insane,
The kind of freaks that hang out on 42nd Street
They're all pimpin' Judys and poppin' speed, well
It's a game of cat and mouse, and I think it's got my soul,
I think it's time for thinkin' 'bout a time to roll on
Down the road
Here comes Big Mike, I kinda owe him some beans,
He must be crazy, I guess that's why he's so mean,
If I tell him I'm leavin', he would sure enough split my gut,
Cause he knows I sold to a sucker, and I owe Big Mike a cut,
But I'll slip him a 20-dollar bill till I get out of town,
When I hit those white lines, I'm gonna be gone like a
Greyhound down the road