// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did "Charm the Snake" book say? It had a hissterical plot.
| "Charm the Snake" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 American 1985 7″ cover | ||||
| Single by Christopher Cross | ||||
| from the album Every Turn of the World | ||||
| B-side | "Open Your Heart" | |||
| Released | October 14, 1985[1] | |||
| Recorded | 1985 | |||
| Studio | Pop 'n' Roll Studios (Santa Monica, California) | |||
| Genre | Dance-rock[2] | |||
| Length | 4:22 (album version) 3:50 (single version) | |||
| Label | Warner Bros. | |||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producer | Michael Omartian | |||
| Christopher Cross singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Alternative cover | ||||
 Japanese cover | ||||
"Charm the Snake" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Christopher Cross. It was co-written by the producer Michael Omartian. It was released on October 14, 1985 as the lead single and second song from his third album, Every Turn of the World.[3] The single peaked at No. 68 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent five weeks on the chart. It was the only track from the album to appear on the Billboard Hot 100 and also his final entry on that listing.[4]
Critical reception
[edit]Billboard described "Charm the Snake" as a "return of a consistent adult contemporary star," noting it has a grittier dance-oriented rock style than expected. The magazine also said that Cross' smooth tenor voice softens lyrics that are otherwise cynical.[2]
Music video
[edit]"Charm the Snake" received a music video that was directed by David Fincher and produced by Carol Stewart. The video was recorded at the Willow Springs International Motorsports Park. According to Billboard magazine, Cross had experience in a Formula Super Vee car for a couple of years and planned to go professional.[5] In the music video, Cross drove a Formula Atlantic instead of a Super Vee because he felt that the larger tires found on Formula Atlantic cars looked more appealing.[6]
Personnel
[edit]- Christopher Cross – vocals, guitars, SynthAxe
- Michael Omartian – keyboards, synthesizers, horn arrangements
- Marcus Ryle – synthesizer programming
- Joe Chemay – bass guitar
- John Robinson – drums
- Alexandra Brown – backing vocals
- Lynn Davis – backing vocals
- Vesta Williams – backing vocals
- Richard Marx – backing vocals
- Khalig Glover – backing vocals
- Portia Griffin – backing vocals
Chart performance
[edit]| Chart (1985) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100[7] | 68 |
References
[edit]- ↑ "FMQB" (PDF). p. 38.
- 1 2 "Pop Picks" (PDF). Billboard. October 26, 1985. p. 797. Retrieved April 10, 2026.
- ↑ "Christopher Cross Sails Right Into A Faster Lane". Chicago Tribune. December 19, 1985.
- ↑ Christopher Cross Album and Singles Chart History Music Charts Archive. 5 November 2011. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
- ↑ "Billboard". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. November 16, 1985. p. 38. Retrieved 2025-08-28.
- ↑ Glick, Shav (January 4, 1986). "Sound of Fast Cars Is Music to His Ears : Pop-Rock Singer Christopher Cross Hopes to Become Competitive Race Driver". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on May 14, 2023. Retrieved November 9, 2025.
- ↑ "Christopher Cross Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 4, 2025.