Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)

{{distinguish|text=the theme song for the animated educational television series Arthur or the Rick Wakeman song used by the BBC as the theme for their election coverage}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)

| cover = Christopher Cross - Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do) (single).jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Christopher Cross

| album = Arthur – The Album

| B-side = Minstrel Gigolo

| released = August 14, 1981

| recorded = 1981

| studio =

| genre = {{hlist|Pop{{cite book|first= Eric |last= Deggans |editor1-first= Gary |editor1-last= Graff |editor2-first= Daniel |editor2-last= Durchholz |year= 1998 |title= MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide |chapter= Christopher Cross|publisher= Visible Ink Press |location= Detroit |page= 293}}|jazz pop|soft rock}}

| length = 03:53

| label = Warner Bros.

| writer = {{hlist|Christopher Cross|Burt Bacharach|Carole Bayer Sager|Peter Allen}}

| producer = Michael Omartian

| prev_title = Spinning

| prev_year = 1980

| next_title = All Right

| next_year = 1983

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|wJ6zs2WSCjk|"Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)"}}}}

}}

"Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" is a song performed and co-written by American singer-songwriter Christopher Cross as the main theme for the 1981 film Arthur, starring Dudley Moore and Liza Minnelli. It was recognized as the year's Best Original Song at both the 54th Academy Awards and 39th Golden Globe Awards.{{cite book| first= David| last= Roberts| year= 2006| title= British Hit Singles & Albums| edition= 19th| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited | location= London| isbn= 1-904994-10-5| page= 136}}

A commercial success in the United States, it reached the top of both the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Adult Contemporary charts in October 1981, remaining at the top of the Hot 100 for three consecutive weeks. The song topped the VG-lista chart in Norway and was a top-ten hit in several other countries.

The song ranked No. 79 among the AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs survey in 2004.

Background

The song was written in collaboration between Cross, Burt Bacharach, and Bacharach's frequent writing partner and then-wife Carole Bayer Sager. A fourth writing credit went to Minnelli's ex-husband, Australian songwriter Peter Allen, a frequent collaborator with Bayer Sager. The line in the chorus "When you get caught between the moon and New York City" was taken from an unreleased song written by Allen and Bayer Sager.{{cite web | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010720205113/http://www.bluedesert.dk/peterallen.html | url=http://www.bluedesert.dk/peterallen.html | title=Peter Allen | author=Bremer, K. | publisher=Blue Desert Music | date=April 26, 2013 |archive-date=July 20, 2001 | access-date=April 30, 2013 | url-status=dead}} Allen came up with the line while his plane was in a holding pattern during a night arrival at John F. Kennedy International Airport.{{cite web | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131015021210/http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=4185 | url=http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=4185 | title=Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do) by Christopher Cross - Songfacts | archive-date=October 15, 2013 | access-date=March 18, 2017 | url-status=dead}}

Release

The song "Minstrel Gigolo" served as the record's B-side, having previously backed Cross's debut single, "Ride Like the Wind".

Cross included "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" as a bonus track exclusive to cassette and CD versions of his 1983 album Another Page.

Music video

The music video consists of two acts, which are edited together in fade outs. In one, Christopher Cross performs the song with musicians in a recording studio, and the other is the story the song illustrates.

Personnel

Christopher Cross – lead and backing vocals, guitar
Michael Omartian – keyboards, synthesizers, string arrangements
Michael Boddicker – synthesizer programming
Steve Lukather – guitar
Marty Walsh – guitar
David Hungate – bass
Jeff Porcaro – drums
Paulinho da Costa – percussion
Ernie Watts – saxophone

Charts and certifications

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable"

!Chart (1981–1982)

!Peak
position

Australia (Kent Music Report)

| style="text-align:center;"|13

{{single chart | Canadaadultcontemporary | 1 | chartid=0406 | artist=Christopher Cross | song=Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do) | date=October 31, 1981 | access-date=June 25, 2024}}

{{single chart | Canadatopsingles | 2 | chartid=0423 | artist=Christopher Cross | song=Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do) | date=November 28, 1981 | access-date=June 25, 2024}}

{{single chart|Ireland2|7|artist=Christopher Cross|song=Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)|access-date=December 11, 2024}}

{{singlechart|Italy|5|artist=Christopher Cross|song=Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)}}

{{singlechart|New Zealand|10|artist=Christopher Cross|song=Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)}}

{{singlechart|Norway|1|artist=Christopher Cross|song=Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)}}

South Africa (Springbok SA Top 20){{cite web|title=SA Charts 1965 - 1989 (As presented on Springbok Radio/Radio Orion)|url=http://www.rock.co.za/files/sa_charts_1969_1989_songs_(A-B).html|access-date=February 27, 2018}}

|align="center"|7

Spain (AFYVE){{cite book |last=Salaverri|first=Fernando|title=Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002|edition=1st |date=September 2005|publisher=Fundación Autor-SGAE|location=Spain|isbn=84-8048-639-2}}

|align="center"|14

{{singlechart|Switzerland|6|artist=Christopher Cross|song=Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)}}

UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)

| style="text-align:center;"|7

{{singlechart|Billboardadultcontemporary|1|artist=Christopher Cross|song=Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do}}

{{singlechart|Billboardhot100|1|artist=Christopher Cross|song=Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do}}

{{singlechart|Billboardmainstreamrock|13|artist=Christopher Cross|song=Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do}}

=Year-end charts=

Year-end chart (1981)	Rank
class="wikitable sortable"
Canada Top Singles (RPM){{cite magazine\|url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.4689&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.4689.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.4689\|title=Top 100 Singles of 1981\|magazine=RPM\|via=Library and Archives Canada\|access-date=November 23, 2024}} \|align="center"\|18
Italy (FIMI){{cite web \|title=Top Annuali Single 1981 \|url=https://www.hitparadeitalia.it/hp_yends/hpe1981.htm\|access-date=January 29, 2022}} \|align="center"\|19
US Top Pop Singles (Billboard){{cite magazine \|date=December 26, 1981 \|title=Number One Awards – Billboard's 1981 Year-End Charts : Pop Singles \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BCQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT60 \|page=YE-9 \|magazine=Billboard \|volume=93 \|issue=51\|access-date=April 5, 2020}} \|align="center"\|64
Year-end chart (1982)	Rank
US Top Pop Singles (Billboard){{cite magazine \|date=December 25, 1982 \|title=Talent in Action : Top Pop Singles \|page=TIA-20 \|magazine=Billboard \|volume=94 \|issue=51 }} \|align="center"\|98

= All-time charts =

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
Chart (1958-2018) ! Position
US Billboard Hot 100{{cite magazine\|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100-60th-anniversary\|title=Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart\|magazine=Billboard\|access-date=December 10, 2018}} \| style="text-align:center;"\|246

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

Chart (1958-2018)

! Position

US Billboard Hot 100{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100-60th-anniversary|title=Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 10, 2018}}

| style="text-align:center;"|246

= Certifications =

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|artist=Christopher Cross|title=The Best You Can Do|award=Gold|relyear=1981|certyear=1982|certref={{cite web | title=Arthur's Theme (The Best You Can Do) | website=Recording Industry Association of America | url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&se=Christopher+Cross&format=Single#search_section | access-date=December 26, 2023}}}}