The 1980 Grammy winner for Album of the Year, this #6 smash shot Cross into the soft-rock stratosphere.
The big hits Sailing; Ride Like the Wind; Never Be the Same, and Say You'll Be Mine join Spinning; Poor Shirley, and the rest of the original album!
Christopher Cross debut 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 retrospect, it might seem like the kind of success that's disproportional to the record itself, especially to hipper-than-thou younger generations, but in truth, Christopher Cross was a hell of a record -- it just was a hell of a soft rock record, something that doesn't carry a lot of weight among most audiences.
That doesn't erase Cross' considerable gifts as a craftsman. 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.
And while the hits like the dreamy 'Sailing' and the surging 'Ride Like the Wind' deserved all the attention, they're hardly the only highlights here -- to borrow a sports metaphor, this has a deep bench, and there's not a weak moment here.
Deluxe expanded edition of Cross' multi-platinum debut, containing four Top 20 hits including the #1 chart-topping "Sailing."
Includes 11 rare and previously unissued tracks including the previously unreleased songs "What Am I Supposed To Believe, " "Smiles Of Angels, " and "Passenger." On February 25, 1981, Christopher Cross achieved something no one had ever done before at the music industry's annual gathering to recognize the best in music, the 23rd Annual Grammy Awards.
Cross swept the "Big Four" awards which included not only Best Record and Best Song, but also Best Album and Best New Artist. In total, Cross and his stellar debut album collected five of the six Grammys for which they were nominated.
Over 45 years after this unprecedented achievement, Omnivore Recordings is proud to release an expanded edition of Christopher Cross.
In addition to the Bernie Grundman mastered original album, this deluxe edition includes 11 extra tracks, including seven previously unissued demos from the original recording sessions painstakingly restored by multi-Grammy Award winning engineer Michael Graves.
The collection also includes Japanese-only A-Side, three songs never issued before-"What Am I Supposed To Believe, " "Smiles Of Angels" and "Passengers, " demos of classic album tracks, and new liner notes by music journalist (Crawdaddy, Billboard, Rolling Stone, Cream, etc.), Gene Sculatti who also served as the editorial director at Warner Bros. Records.
His notes are informed by a fresh interview with the album's producer, Michael Omartian.
Christopher Cross is a classic album that has truly stood the test of time. Now fans can explore the development of the album for the first time with the expanded edition of this towering musical achievement.
Expanded edition includes 11 rare and previously unissued tracks
Mastered and restored by Bernie Grundman and Michael Graves
Track listing
1. Say You'll Be Mine - 2:55
2. I Really Don't Know Anymore - 3:49
3. Spinning - 4:00
4. Never Be the Same - 4:42
5. Poor Shirley - 4:21
6. Ride Like the Wind - 4:30
7. The Light Is On - 4:08
8. Sailing - 4:17
9. Minstrel Gigolo - 5:56
Bonus Tracks
10. Mary Ann [Japanese-only A-Side] - 2:54
11. Say You'll Be Mine (Demo) - 3:12
12. I Really Don't Know Anymore (Demo) - 3:23
13. Parade * (Demo) - 4:01
14. Smiles of Angels (Demo) - 2:51
15. What Am I Supposed to Believe (Demo) - 3:11
16. Ride Like the Wind (Demo) - 3:59
17. The Light is On (Demo) - 3:27
18. Passengers (Demo) - 4:56
19. Say Goodbye to Mary Ann (Demo) - 2:55
20. Sailing * (Demo) - 4:05
2025 Credits
Compilation Produced for Release by Brad Rosenberger & Cheryl Pawelski
Original Album Mastered by Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman Mastering, Hollywood, CA
Bonus Tracks Mastered by Michael Graves at Osiris Studio, Los Angeles, CA
Tracks 01-09 Originally issued as 'Christopher Cross', Warner Bros. 3383 (1979)
Track 10 was Originally issued in Japan on Warner Bros. P-641W 7" (1980)
Tracks 11-20 Previously unissued, except * which were Originally issued on 'The Complete Works', Christopher Cross Records CCR 500121 (2020)
Notes
Released: 2025
Genre: Jazz, Rock, Pop
Total time: 1:17:34
Label - Omnivore Recordings
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