Carry On Wayward Son
Vivien Armour Alyssa Lynch Kelli Ogmundson Katie Sarife Rachel Warkentin Nina Winkler Jay Gruska Lyrics


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Carry on my wayward son
There'll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don't you cry no more
Once I rose above the noise and confusion
Just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion
I was soaring ever higher, but I flew too high
Masquerading as a man with a reason
My charade is the event of the season
And if I claim to be a wise man,
it surely means that I don't know

Carry on my wayward son
There'll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don't you cry no more





Carry on

Overall Meaning

Wayward Son is a classic rock song by the American band Kansas. The legendary song is a story of a person's struggles in life and his/her journey towards finding peace. The opening line "Carry on my wayward son" is a metaphorical call to keep going in one's journey despite the obstacles encountered. The second line "There'll be peace when you are done" indicates that the struggles of life would come to an end eventually and peace would be found.


As the song progresses, the verses talk about the singer's journey that is full of confusion and noise. The line "Just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion" hints at the fact that the singer is questioning the reality of life and the world around him/her. The singer has moments of clarity when he/she is soaring higher, but those moments are short-lived. The lyrics "My charade is the event of the season" and "if I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don't know" suggest that the singer is pretending to know what to do, but in reality, he/she is not sure of anything.


The chorus repeats the opening lines to remind the singer once again to keep going and lay his/her head to rest without tears. The song ends with a final "carry on" as a message of hope and encouragement to keep moving forward.




Contributed by Olivia I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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