This music artist’s This simple lyric from the film "Arthur" may be one of the most recognized in pop music: "If you get caught / Between the moon and New York City / The best that you can do / Is fall in love."
trip from the moon
to NYC detours
in Honolulu
Christopher Cross, poet-musician,
still firmly believes that the lyric is the thingBy Tim Ryan
tryan@starbulletin.comThe sentence has an immediate meaning for anyone in love, capturing the feeling of caring for someone so deeply that you feel like you're soaring off the ground.
So it doesn't seem odd when singer-songwriter Christopher Cross, who performs two Honolulu Symphony Pops concerts this weekend, says that some of his biggest musical influences are "poet-musicians" Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Rikki Lee Jones and Randy Newman.
"Music is the bed for poetry," Cross says over his mobile phone driving south down Highway 101 from his "somewhere north of L.A. home" he shares with his wife of 13 years, son, 12, and daughter, 9. "Wordsmiths are the real poets for music, but sadly, now lyrics are there to accompany the tracks. Lyrics are an afterthought."
But not for Cross, 50. He gained notoriety in 1980 with a self-titled album noted as much for his lyrics as the melodies. It was one of the most celebrated debut albums of all time, collecting five Grammys, yielding four hit singles and selling more than 6 million copies worldwide. Cross followed that with the aforementioned "Arthur's Theme," which earned an Academy Award for Cross, Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager and Peter Allen.The album firmly established Cross, who beat Barbra Streisand for Album of the Year honors.
"I know she was wondering, 'Who in the hell is that guy?'" Cross said, laughing. "But they told me on the show I'd win. Everybody has their 15 minutes of fame."
Cross's music then, as now in his latest album "Walking in Avalon," ponders life's oldest questions about our place on the planet, love as an impossible concept or natural progression, independence and loneliness.
"Walking in Avalon" is a double-album release, which includes a studio album of all new songs and a live greatest-hits album. The concert includes all of his biggest hits: "Sailing," "Ride Like the Wind," "Arthur's Theme" and "Think of Laura."
"A lot of people think I only made two albums, then dropped off the face of the earth," the Texas-born singer-songwriter says. "That's what happens when record companies and radio stations don't promote.
"But I feel so blessed of what happened to me early on. I'm thrilled people even know my name. People will say, 'Oh didn't you do that "Sailing" song,' and I think that's so fantastic to be remembered."
Fame came at a price, but Cross insists it didn't end his first marriage as many people believe.
"There's always three sides to every story," he says. "The marriage was a young mistake from the beginning. I think my success gave me the courage to get out of it.
"I sometimes find these questions almost vampiric, like some (media) want to hear something tragic, but that really was not the case," Cross said. "I had looked forward for so long to have something happen in my music career, and so much more happened than I'd ever imagined. I loved it.
"I was just hoping to get an album out and hear it on the radio, then maybe two or three albums down the road, I'd have a hit."
Winning a slew of distinguished awards does create other obstacles.
"It isn't our problem, but the perception of the media and people on radio who say the new record isn't as good as the first," he said. "That's ridiculous. It's called artistic growth and maturity.
"I've been a fan of Joni Mitchell and Steely Dan and Randy Newman forever, and they've made a legacy with their music. Joni has gone through a lot of different changes. You say this new album isn't as good as her 'Blue,' but it's different."
Which brings Cross enthusiastically discussing "Walking in Avalon," on which he wrote songs with Ron Meurer, his keyboard player and collaborator since their Texas bar-band days.
"We've tried to grow as men and reflect that growth in the songs that are more mature and reflective," Cross said. "We've done that rather than selling out making something like a rap record."
"Avalon's" songs explore celebration and aggravation, love and lust, focus and the lack thereof, relationships and the difficulty of hope.
Avalon, Cross explains, is the mythical island where King Arthur and the knights are supposed to be buried.
"In our own lives we're trying to walk in Avalon with our heroes -- Leonard Cohen, Dylan, Randy, Joni -- our Arthurs who walk that ground."
Cross is now focusing on other projects, including more concerts with symphonies. The Honolulu Symphony Pops "gig has gotten me off my butt to do it," he said.
"I have music that is pretty heavily produced, so I always have to bring a band with me, but in this case it's playing into my favor because the lush arrangements, it lends itself to a symphony format," Cross said. "It'll be really fun to play with such skilled musicians."
Cross will play his well-known hits and at least three new songs from "Walking to Avalon": "I Know You Well," "Hunger" and "Rainy Day Vancouver," his first instrumental song.
"This is a labor of love for me. There's no greater high than watching a good song coming together. And when you look at what's happening in the world, I am -- well, we all are -- very lucky."
Christopher Cross opens the Honolulu Symphony's Pops season: Joining the symphony
When: Tomorrow and Saturday
Where: Blaisdell Concert Hall
Also performing: Theresa Bright, the new Honolulu Symphony Chorus; Matt Catingub conducts
Tickets: $15, $25, $30, $40 and $55 at the Honolulu Symphony Ticket Office, 792-2000, the Blaisdell Box Office, Ticket Plus and military ticket outlets
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