Top 10 Christopher Cross Songs

Photo: Jessie Pearl from Yucaipa, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Our Top 10 Christopher Cross Songs list takes a look at a soft rock legend who rose to fame in the late ’70s and ’80s. Christopher Cross won multiple Grammy Awards for his self-titled debut album. He also won an Oscar for Best Original Song. Christopher Cross was born Christopher Charles Geppert on May 3, 1951. Before he became famous, he was in a cover band named Flash. He signed a solo contract with Warner Bros. Records in 1978.

Christopher Cross released his self-titled album at the end of 1979. It was an instant success. The album received positive reviews. It features the hit singles “Ride Like The Wind,” “Sailing,” “Never Be The Same,” and “Say You’ll Be Mine.” He won five Grammy Awards connected to this album and “Sailing.” The album peaked at number six on the Billboard 200 and went on to sell millions of copies.

He released his second album Another Page in 1983. The pressure was on for Christopher Cross to create another successful album. It peaked at number 11 on the Billboard 200. It features the singles “All Right,” “No Time for Talk,” and “Think of Laura.” The album wasn’t as successful as his previous project, but it earned gold certification.

In between albums, Christopher Cross co-wrote and recorded the inspirational “A Chance For Heaven” for the 1984 Summer Olympic Games. After 1984, he faced an uphill battle with stardom. Once MTV became hugely popular, Cross’s style of music started to fade in popularity.

In 1985, Christopher Cross released his third album Every Turn of the World. He tried to compete with his peers by creating a harder rock sound with this project. One single made it onto the Billboard Hot 100. “Charm the Snake” peaked at number 68. The album also features the singles “Every Turn of the World” and “Love Is Love (In Any Language).”

Christopher Cross released his fourth album Back of My Mind in 1988. The album and singles didn’t chart in the United States. The album and singles did chart in other countries. The album features the singles “I Will (Take You Forever),” “Swept Away,” and “Someday.” The album peaked at number 45 in Germany.

Unfortunately, Warner Bros. Records dropped him because of declining sales. He didn’t sign another recording contract for several years. He released his fifth album, Rendezvous, in 1992 and his sixth album, Window, in 1994. Neither album did very well on the U.S. charts.

Christopher Cross released his seventh album Walking In Avalon in 1998. This is a double album. It contains new music as well as live versions of his greatest hit songs. Some of the greatest hits featured on this album are “Sailing,” “Ride Like The Wind,” “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)” and “Think of Laura.”

Christopher Cross also released Christmas material and, in 2008, issued The Café Carlyle Sessions, a collection of jazz-influenced reworkings of his best-known songs and favorites. He released Doctor Faith in 2011. It features songs such as “Hey Kid,” “I’m Too Old for This,” “When You Come Home,” and “Dreamers.”

He released Secret Ladder in 2014. The album failed to chart. It features songs such as “Reverend Blowhard,” “I Don’t See It Your Way,” “Island of Anger,” “Light The World” and “Got To Be A Better Way.” Cross has continued releasing music through Christopher Cross Records, including Take Me As I Am, his most recent solo studio album of new material. In 2020, The Complete Works collected his career-spanning catalog in a limited box set. Christopher Cross remained active onstage in 2026.

Christopher Cross became an overnight success with his first album. He was competing with other soft rock artists. He’s an underrated artist who had the difficult task of competing with the success of his debut album. He might not have matched the success of his debut album, but he didn’t give up. He was able to have some hits after his debut album. This Top 10 Christopher Cross Songs list will mostly consist of his hit songs.

#10 – Charm The Snake

The first song on our Top 10 Christopher Cross Songs list is the compelling “Charm The Snake” from the Every Turn of the World album. This uptempo track has a pop-rock sound. The music video casts him as a racecar driver. Lyrically, the song can also be interpreted as a metaphor for a relationship. It’s up to your interpretation of what the song is about. This was Cross’s attempt to reach a new audience. He wanted to reinvent himself so he could adapt to the MTV crowd.

This is an excellent crossover attempt. He was known for his soft rock ballads, so this song was a change for him. He didn’t overdo the rock genre. He didn’t bombard the song with too many guitar riffs. He didn’t make it too much of a rock song, maintaining some of his style while adapting to the new sound. He does have guitar strings in the music, but they aren’t overbearing. He doesn’t scream in the song the way other rock singers do. He builds momentum and then starts belting. He sounds like Kenny Loggins in this song.

#9 – A Chance For Heaven

The next song on our Top 10 Christopher Cross Songs list is the inspirational “A Chance For Heaven” from the Official Music of the XXIIIrd Olympiad. This ballad has a soft rock sound. This is a gripping song about winning. Since it’s on the Olympics soundtrack, it was the perfect song. The music is mellow and smooth. He is musically in his wheelhouse because it has a soft rock sound. The music starts soft and slow, then builds up to the chorus. The music gets louder during the chorus. The keyboard and the guitar riffs are excellent. They make the music soar. Cross’s tenor voice blends well with the music. He sings the song with a lot of passion. He starts the song softly and then goes wild in the chorus. He belts toward the end. This is an underrated song that should have been a bigger hit.

#8 – No Time for Talk

This emotional song is from the album Another Page. It was one of the album’s singles and peaked at number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100. This ballad with a pop sound has a slow tempo. It also blends jazz elements. This quivering song is about losing love. Lyrically, Cross wears his heart on his sleeve as he tells the listener about his lost love. This is a ballad, but you can move around to it. The saxophone gives the song an excellent jazzy sound. The chord choices are clever, especially in the bridge. The tempo picks up in the bridge. The acoustic guitar is on point throughout. Cross does a great job vocally. He takes vocal risks by holding notes towards the end of the song.

#7 – Say You’ll Be Mine

This love song is from his self-titled debut album. It is a midtempo track with a soft rock sound. It is an enchanting song about him expressing his love for someone and not wanting to let her go. This track has an infectious melody. It’s smooth and rhythmic. The guitar strings are masterful. They give the song a rock edge. The bass provides the song with a folk edge. The piano makes the music sound like something Billy Joel would have done.

This song had to compete with his bigger hits on the debut album, but it’s still good. Nicolette Larson supplies backing vocals, and she and Cross have great vocal chemistry. Their voices blend well with the music. Nicolette Larson sounds similar to Stevie Nicks. Cross sings this in his signature tone, which works well with the music. Nicolette Larson holds little notes towards the fadeout of the song. Cross doesn’t take any vocal risks by holding notes, but he does belt a little.

#6 – All Right

This anthemic track hails from the Another Page album. It features a mid-tempo pop-rock sound that carries an uplifting message of redemption and the promise of a brighter outcome after adversity. The song resonates with anyone facing challenging times, encouraging perseverance and hope. Christopher Cross showcases his versatility beyond his renowned love ballads, delivering a song that connects with listeners more profoundly.

The composition is upbeat and catchy, highlighted by an impressive guitar solo from Steve Lukather of Toto, which stands out as a particularly remarkable element of the track. The lyrics have meaningful depth, and Cross’s execution is masterful. His vocals are potent, demonstrating his ability to amplify his voice amid the music’s crescendo without succumbing to oversinging. Particularly notable is how Cross skillfully increases his vocal intensity following the bridge, maintaining this strength through the song’s fadeout. Doing so while retaining the natural softness of his voice is a testament to his vocal prowess.

#5 – Swept Away

The next song on our Top 10 Christopher Cross Songs list is the romantic “Swept Away” from the Back of My Mind album. This ballad has a soft-rock, pop sound. This poignant song about love makes you feel as if you were swept away. Here is some trivia for the song. “Swept Away” was written for the ’80s sitcom Growing Pains and earned Cross an Emmy nomination with co-writers John Bettis and Steve Dorff. This song is calming and relaxing because of the music. It is soft and soothing.

The guitar riffs give the song a rock beat. The chords are beautiful and romantic. The lyrics are touching and moving. The lyrics will make anyone feel emotional about the person he or she loves. This is the perfect song to listen to in a romantic mood. Cross does an outstanding job with his vocals. He doesn’t belt as much in this song, but it wasn’t needed since the music is soft. This is another underrated song that should have done better on the charts.

#4 – Sailing

This tranquil song is from the self-titled debut album. This ballad has a soft rock sound. Although the song uses sailing imagery, Cross has explained that its true intent is about the transformative power of art. The music is soothing and comforting. The music remains the same until the beat changes in the bridge. The beautiful piano takes over the bridge and makes the song come alive. Cross sings in his signature tenor tone. His vocals are soft, which matches the vibe of the song. When the beat changes, he gets louder. This is the song to listen to when you are in the mood to chill and relax.

Here is some trivia about the song. Cross has said that he didn’t think “Sailing” should be released as the second single from the album, but Warner Bros. chairman Mo Ostin insisted. Ostin turned out to be right, because “Sailing” became a number one hit.

#3 – Ride Like The Wind

This unique song is another gem from the debut album. This mid-tempo song has a pop-rock and post-disco sound. This eccentric song is about a criminal on the run to Mexico. This is definitely a different song. Here is some trivia about the song. Cross has said that he wrote the lyrics while riding from Houston to Austin after taking acid. The song will hook you as soon as the piano chords start. The music is infectious and danceable. It’s energetic and rhythmic. Cross sings well to the music. He doesn’t oversing. He holds a note towards the end that is amazing. He never breaks character in the song. Michael McDonald appears in the background of the track. He sounds terrific in the backing vocals. Cross and McDonald’s voices are in sync.

#2 – Think of Laura

This heartbreaking song is from the album Another Page. This ballad has a soft rock and adult contemporary sound. This is a moving song about 18-year-old Laura Carter, who was killed by a stray bullet. For some reason, this song was used in connection with the Luke and Laura storyline on the soap opera General Hospital. The song was used in a romantic context even though Cross wrote it as a remembrance of the real Laura Carter. This haunting song will keep you mesmerized until the end. Cross sings so passionately that you feel like you know Laura. He pours his heart out in the lyrics. You can hear the pain in his voice as he sings it. The music is soft and mellow. The piano chords are soft and rhythmic, making the song sound emotional. This flawless song could have easily been number one on this list.

#1 – Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)

The number one song on our Top 10 Christopher Cross Songs list is the infectious “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)” from the movie Arthur soundtrack. Christopher Cross, Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, and Peter Allen co-wrote the song. This ballad has a soft-rock, pop sound. This is an alluring song about a character named Arthur in the movie. This song will grab you as soon as it starts. The music is enchanting. The saxophone solo is fantastic and dramatic. The piano chords are hypnotic. The drums are rhythmic. Everything about the music works. There aren’t enough words to describe how great the music is. Cross’ vocals are also excellent. He sings in time with the music.

He starts the song off softly and then vocally soars towards the end. The song will stay in your head after you hear it. You don’t have to watch the movie to enjoy this song. It’s easily one of his best songs and deserves to be the number one song on this list.