Written by Kerry Livgren and Steve Walsh, this song was featured on the band's fifth album, the huge hit Point of Know Return. It is the single that had the job of following the band's huge hit, "Dust in the Wind".
What better way to follow that song with Biblical references than with a song about Albert Einstein?
The song is absolutely huge, starting off with a vaguely orchestral opener, with straight-ahead rock and violin in the main part - and a frenzy of hard rock in the third act. It did end up getting radio airplay, and I just heard it in the grocery store the other day, so you know it had impact.
This version is from the band's 1978 live double album Two For The Show and is, in my humble opinion, the definitive version.
Famously, Steve Walsh left Kansas in 1981 due to creative differences, and was replaced by John Elefante - an excellent vocalist in his own right who did Walsh proud with his version of this classic song.
Walsh returned to the band in 1985, and the band went through various lineup changes. This was a verison in 1992 that included a lot of the original band, but lacked Livgren - who had been in and out for a while.
Walsh didn't quite have as huge a voice as he once did, but he didn't do badly.
When I saw Kansas in 2012, Steve Walsh had lost his voice completely and could not hit these notes. So, he adapted.
He would retire soon after.
In 2014, Ronnie Platt would take over as Kansas vocalist and remains so to this day - and yes, they are releasing new music, still.
In 2018, the band toured in celebration of the 40th anniversary of Point of Know Return by performing the album in its entirety. And it was really good.
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