Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)

The song was written by Christopher Cross, Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, and Peter Allen. It was commissioned for the 1981 film Arthur, starring Dudley Moore as a wealthy, alcoholic playboy. The lyrics reflect the film's theme of love as the ultimate escape from a life of privilege and excess, with the famous line "When you get caught between the moon and New York City."

Cross was initially hesitant to work on the project, but Bacharach and Sager persuaded him. The song was recorded in a single session, with Cross providing vocals and guitar. The demo was so polished that it was used as the final recording.¹

Released in September 1981, the song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks in November 1981, becoming Cross's second number-one single after "Sailing" (1980). It also reached number one on the Adult Contemporary chart.²

At the 54th Academy Awards, the song won Best Original Song, beating stiff competition including "Endless Love" and "For Your Eyes Only." It also won the Golden Globe for Best Original Song and was nominated for three Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year.³

The song is a soft rock ballad in the style of Cross's earlier hits, featuring his signature smooth vocals and a gentle, melodic arrangement. It is written in the key of A major with a moderate tempo, and its structure follows a verse-chorus form with a bridge.⁴

Bacharach's influence is evident in the sophisticated chord changes and the song's slightly unconventional melodic intervals. The lyrics, penned by Sager and Allen, are often noted for their romantic, escapist imagery, capturing the film's central theme that love is the "best that you can do."

The song has been covered by numerous artists, including Barry Manilow, Dionne Warwick, and the London Symphony Orchestra. It remains a staple of soft rock radio and is often included in compilations of 1980s hits.⁵

In 2004, the song was ranked at number 82 on the American Film Institute's list of the 100 greatest songs in American cinema. It also appeared in the 2015 film Paper Towns, introducing it to a new generation.⁶

One lesser-known fact is that the song's working title was "Best That You Can Do," and the film's title was added later to avoid confusion with other songs. The demo version, which was used in the film, was recorded in a single take with a small ensemble, including a young Michael McDonald on backing vocals.¹

Another edge case: the song was almost not eligible for the Academy Award because it was not written specifically for the film; it was originally an instrumental by Bacharach that was later given lyrics. The Academy's rules at the time required a song to be "original and written specifically for the film," but the songwriters successfully argued that the lyrics were written for the film, and the instrumental was adapted.⁷

Soft rock

A subgenre of rock music that is melodic, mellow, and often features acoustic instruments and smooth vocals.

Billboard Hot 100

The standard music chart in the United States, ranking the most popular songs each week.

Academy Award for Best Original Song

An award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to songwriters of the best original song written for a film.