Christopher Cross (album)

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Christopher Cross
Christopher cross.jpg
Studio album by
Christopher Cross
Released20 December 1979
RecordedJuly 1979
StudioWarner Bros. Recording Studios, North Hollywood, California; Pecan Street Studios, Austin, Texas
Genre
Length38:32
LabelWarner Bros.
ProducerMichael Omartian
Christopher Cross chronology
Christopher Cross
(1979) 		Another Page
(1983)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic4.5/5 stars[1]

Christopher Cross is the self-titled debut album by Christopher Cross, released in December 1979. Recorded in mid-1979, the album was one of the early digitally recorded albums, utilizing the 3M Digital Recording System.[2] In 1981, it won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year, beating Pink Floyd's The Wall [3] and it has been noted for being one of the most influential soft rock albums of the late 1970s and early 1980s.[4][5] That Album of the Year Grammy was bestowed upon its producer, Michael Omartian.

Reception[]

According to Stephen Thomas Erlewine, the album was "a huge hit and widely acclaimed, at least among industry professionals (critics didn't give it a second listen), leading to multi-platinum success and Grammys." In his retrospective review for AllMusic, Erlewine says that while its success as a soft rock album has little cachet with most listeners, it "remains one of the best mainstream albums of its time" because of consistent song quality and Cross's skillful musicianship: "Yes, he does favor sentimentality and can be very sweet on the ballads, but his melodicism is rich and construction tight, so there's a sturdy foundation for the classy professional gloss provided by his studio pros and friends, including indelible backing vocals by Michael McDonald."[1]

In retrospective appraisals, Christopher Cross is regarded as a key release of yacht rock music. For Spin in 2009, Chuck Eddy lists it among the genre's eight essential albums.[6] Vinyl Me, Please magazine's Timothy Malcolm includes it in his 2017 list of the 10 best yacht rock albums, explaining that, "It’s actually a sonic outlier for the yacht rock genre, heavy on acoustic guitar and strings. But its message fits the genre (a fool searching for inner peace), and yeah, it’s still undeniably smooth."[7] For The Vinyl District's online publication in 2018, Michael H. Little calls it the genre's best album as well as one of its smoothest, crediting it for making Cross "the face of soft rock".[8]

Track listing[]

All tracks composed by Christopher Cross.

  1. "Say You'll Be Mine" – 2:53
  2. "I Really Don't Know Anymore" – 3:49
  3. "Spinning" (Duet with Valerie Carter) – 3:59
  4. "Never Be the Same" – 4:40
  5. "Poor Shirley" – 4:20
  6. "Ride Like the Wind" – 4:32
  7. "The Light Is On" – 4:07
  8. "Sailing" – 4:14
  9. "Minstrel Gigolo" – 6:00
  10. "Mary Ann" (Bonus Track On The 2012 Japanese Remastered CD) – 2:52

'Mary Ann' was originally written for the YAMAHA World Music Festival in Japan and released in 1980 as a Japan only single.

Personnel[]

  • Christopher Cross – arrangements, lead vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar (1, 4, 6-9), backing vocals (1, 5-8), guitar solo (5, 6)
  • Michael Omartian – arrangements, acoustic piano (1-4, 6, 7, 8), synthesizers (9), backing vocals (9)
  • Rob Meurer – arrangements, synthesizers (2-4, 6-8), electric piano (3, 4, 7, 8), celesta (3), acoustic piano (5, 9), organ (5)
  • Jay Graydon – guitar solo (1, 4)
  • Larry Carlton – guitar solo (2, 7)
  • Eric Johnson – guitar solo (9)
  • Andy Salmon – bass
  • Tommy Taylor – drums
  • Lenny Castro – percussion (1, 2, 4-7, 9)
  • Victor Feldman – vibraphone (3, 4), percussion (3, 7, 8)
  • Jim Horn – saxophone (2, 6)
  • Jackie Kelso – saxophone (2, 6)
  • Don Roberts – saxophone (2, 6)
  • Tomás Ramírez – sax solo (9)
  • Lew McCreary – trombone (2, 6)
  • Chuck Findley – trumpet (2, 6), flugelhorn (3)
  • Assa Drori – concertmaster (3, 5, 6, 8)
  • Nicolette Larson – backing vocals (1)
  • Michael McDonald – backing vocals (2, 6)
  • Valerie Carter – lead and backing vocals (3)
  • Myrna Matthews – backing vocals (4)
  • Marty McCall – backing vocals (4)
  • Stormie Omartian – backing vocals (4)
  • Don Henley – backing vocals (7)
  • J.D. Souther – backing vocals (7)

Production[]

  • Producer – Michael Omartian
  • Assistant Producer – Michael Ostin
  • Engineer and Mixing – Chet Himes
  • Second Engineer – Stuart Gitlin
  • Mastering – Bobby Hata
  • Artwork – Danny Henderson and James Flournoy Holmes
  • Design – James Flournoy Holmes and Wonder Graphics
  • Flamingo Concept – Jim Newhouse

Charts[]

Singles – Billboard (United States)

Year Single Chart Position
1980 "Ride Like the Wind" Pop Singles 2
1980 "Sailing" Pop Singles 1
1980 "Never Be the Same" Adult Contemporary 1
1980 "Never Be the Same" Pop Singles 15
1981 "Say You'll Be Mine" Pop Singles 20

Certifications[]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[15] 2× Platinum 140,000^
France (SNEP)[16] Platinum 300,000*
Germany (BVMI)[17] Gold 250,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[18] Gold 50,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[19] Gold 7,500^
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[20] Gold 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[21] Platinum 300,000^
United States (RIAA)[22] 5× Platinum 5,000,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Accolades[]

Grammy Awards

Year Category Winner
1981 Album of the Year Christopher Cross
Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) "Sailing"
Record of the Year
Song of the Year
Best New Artist Christopher Cross

[23] [24] [25]

External links[]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Christopher Cross at AllMusic
  2. ^ Jim McCullaugh (November 1, 1980), "Digital the Major Topic For N.Y. AES Parley", Billboard "The Christopher Cross LP, at number 32, uses the 3M digital technology"
  3. ^ Zach Schonfeld (February 15, 2016), The Most Ridiculous 'Album of the Year' Winners in Grammy History, Newsweek, retrieved December 13, 2016
  4. ^ Grammy Album of the Year winners 1959 – 2018-The Telegraph
  5. ^ Best New Artists Who Also Won Album Of The Year|GRAMMY.com
  6. ^ Eddy, Chuck (January 1, 2009). "8 Essential Yacht Rock Albums". Spin. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  7. ^ Malcolm, Timothy (February 20, 2017). "The 10 Best Yacht Rock Albums To Own On Vinyl". Vinyl Me, Please. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  8. ^ Little, Michael H. (July 11, 2018). "Graded on a Curve: Christopher Cross, Christopher Cross". The Vinyl District. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  9. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Christopher Cross – Christopher Cross" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
  10. ^ "Charts.nz – Christopher Cross – Christopher Cross". Hung Medien.
  11. ^ "Christopher Cross | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart.
  12. ^ "Christopher Cross Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
  13. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1980". Billboard. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  14. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1981". Billboard. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  15. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1996 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
  16. ^ "French album certifications – Christopher Cross – 1er Album" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  17. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Christopher Cross; 'Christopher Cross')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  18. ^ "Dutch album certifications – Christopher Cross – Christopher Cross" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved August 26, 2019. Enter Christopher Cross in the "Artiest of titel" box.
  19. ^ "New Zealand album certifications – Christopher Cross – 1er Album". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
  20. ^ Salaverrie, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (PDF) (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. p. 957. ISBN 84-8048-639-2. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  21. ^ "British album certifications – Christopher Cross – Christopher Cross". British Phonographic Industry.Select albums in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type Christopher Cross in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  22. ^ "American album certifications – Christopher Cross – Christopher Cross". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  23. ^ Christopher Cross|Artist|www.grammy.com
  24. ^ 23rd Annual GRAMMY Awards|1980|Grammy.com
  25. ^ 23rd Annual GRAMMY Awards|GRAMMY.com
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