Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)

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"Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)"
Single by Christopher Cross
from the album Arthur – The Album
A-side "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)"
B-side Minstrel Gigolo
Released August 14, 1981
Format LP; Cassette
Recorded 1981
Genre Soft rock
Length 03:52
Label Warner Bros.
Writer(s) Christopher Cross, Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, Peter Allen[1]
Producer(s) Michael Omartian
Certification Gold (RIAA)
Christopher Cross singles chronology
"Spinning"
(1980)
"Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)"
(1981)
"All Right"
(1983)

"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.[1] 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.[2] It was included as a bonus track only on the CD & Cassette versions of his second album Another Page, released in 1983.

Background

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,[1] 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.[3]

The song won the 1981 Academy Award for Best Original Song,[1] and the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song.[4] In 2004 it finished at #79 in AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs survey of the top tunes in American cinema.

Music video

The music video consisted of two acts, which are edited together in fade outs. Christopher Cross in one offers the song with some studio musicians in a recording studio and the other is the story the song illustrates.[5]

Charts and certifications

Chart successions

Preceded by
"Endless Love" by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie
US Billboard Hot 100 number-one single
October 17 - October 31 1981 (3 weeks)
Succeeded by
"Private Eyes" by Daryl Hall and John Oates

See also

References

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  4. Arthur (1981) Awards, IMDb.com
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  10. "Charts.org.nz – Christopher Cross – Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)". Top 40 Singles.
  11. "Norwegiancharts.com – Christopher Cross – Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)". VG-lista.
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  13. "Swisscharts.com – Christopher Cross – Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)". Swiss Singles Chart.
  14. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH

External links