1981 Christopher Cross – Arthur’s Theme (US: #1 UK: #7)

“Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)” is a song performed and co-written by American singer-songwriter Christopher Cross, which was the main theme for the 1981 film Arthur starring Dudley Moore and Liza Minnelli. In the US, it reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and on the Hot Adult Contemporary charts during October 1981, remaining at the top on the Hot 100 for three consecutive weeks. Overseas, it also went to number one on the VG-lista chart in Norway, and was a top ten hit all around the world. The song became the second and last American number one hit by Christopher Cross. It was included as a bonus track only on the CD & Cassette versions of his second album “Another Page”, released in 1983.

The song was written in collaboration between Cross, pop music composer Burt Bacharach, and his frequent writing partner Carole Bayer Sager. A fourth writing credit went to Minnelli’s ex-husband and Australian songwriter Peter Allen, also a frequent collaborator with Bayer Sager. The line “When you get caught between the moon and New York City” from the chorus was taken from an unreleased song Allen and Bayer Sager had previously written together.

The song won the 1981 Academy Award for Best Original Song,  and the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. In 2004 it finished at #79 in AFI’s 100 Years…100 Songs survey of the top tunes in American cinema

Album

Arthur is a 1981 American comedy film written and directed by Steve Gordon. The film stars Dudley Moore as the eponymous Arthur Bach, a drunken New York City millionaire who is on the brink of an arranged marriage to a wealthy heiress, but ends up falling for a common working-class girl from Queens. It was […]

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Musicians

Bass	David Hungate
Drums	Jeffrey Porcaro
Guitar	Steve Lukather
Guitar	Marty Walsh
Guitar	Christopher Cross
Keyboards	Michael Omartian
Sax	Ernie Watts
Percussion	Paulinho da Costa
Vocals	Christopher Cross

Produced By

Michael Omartian

Songwriters

Burt Bacharach
Christopher Cross
Carole Bayer Sage

Charts

US: #1
UK: #7