The pop song, “Dust In The Wind” by Kansas peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 the week of April 22, 1978. It has remained popular over the years with an appearance in the movie Final Destination 5 and an episode of Family Guy among others. The official YouTube video has almost 183 million views. Part of the lyrics read:
Now don't hang on
Nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky
It slips away
And all your money won't another minute buy
Dust in the wind
All we are is dust in the wind
It was written by the group’s guitarist Kerry Livgren while they were achieving phenomenal success. This got him thinking about the true value of material things and the meaning of success. The band was doing well and making money, but Kerry realized that in the end, he would eventually die just like everyone else. He said, “No matter our possessions or accomplishments, we all end up back in the ground.”
Livgren had been interested in the cultic Urantia Book, which claimed a divine revelation. He got into regular debates in the back of the tour bus with Jeff Pollard, who was part of the opening act for Kansas’ tour. The discussions between Livgren and Pollard concerned whether the Bible or the Urantia Book was the accurate record of the life of Jesus Christ. Because of the debates, Livgren became convinced that the Bible was the genuine record of Christ and that he had been mistaken in following the teachings of the Urantia Book. After a private hotel room conversion experience, he became an evangelical Christian in 1980.
You can watch the lyric video here.
